[Year 12 Its] Re: Naming Conventions

Thu May 12 23:58:56 EST 2005

Hi Adrian
Yes - we have used Gamemaker and RPGmaker for a number of years now.
However, the interface lends itself so well to path-like transitions that
coding and logical selection seems almost superfluous at times - and I do
not like the chunky coding approach of these tools and the invented
languages - give me C++, Java, Python or PHP anytime (or Pascal or Qbasic
;-) 
The students seem to avoid the hard coding - like they do in Flash too -
unless pressured to learn it - and I must admit that I like the transferable
skills of the so called C-based languages. But I know we are form different
schools in this regard :-) I even really like the basic stuff which can be
achieved in a web-based format with JavaScript. Also looking forward to your
CD on .Net to have a good look at the "new VB".

David Dawson

-----Original Message-----
From: is-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:is-bounces at edulists.com.au] On
Behalf Of Adrian Janson
Sent: Thursday, 12 May 2005 11:24 PM
To: 'Year 12 Information Technology Systems Teachers' Mailing List'
Subject: RE: Re[2]: [Year 12 Its] Re: Naming Conventions

Hi David,

Gaming is still a very powerful concept - students need to understand that
there is no way that they are going to create 'Quake' in a single semester
from scratch and by themselves.... However, I think that they can get a
great deal of enjoyment from creating something fun but achievable from
scratch... I then supplement this with a look at some of the great tools
that are out there such as GameMaker, RPGToolkit and the Torque 3D engine
(all of which are free).  There are also some great things that can be done
with DirectX and some advanced programming - which your advanced students
will love...

Regards,
Adrian Janson
Melbourne High School

-----Original Message-----
From: is-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:is-bounces at edulists.com.au] On
Behalf Of David Dawson
Sent: Thursday, 12 May 2005 11:17 PM
To: 'Year 12 Information Technology Systems Teachers' Mailing List'
Subject: RE: Re[2]: [Year 12 Its] Re: Naming Conventions

Bricks
I used to love getting the year tens to plan, structure and program
adventure games with graphics in VB 3 and even in HTML in about '96. Then 3D
gaming appeared and the concept seem to become so lame overnight!
Sad really as the logic/algorithm can be a great learning tool.

David Dawson

-----Original Message-----
From: is-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:is-bounces at edulists.com.au] On
Behalf Of Bricks J. Winzer
Sent: Thursday, 12 May 2005 10:49 PM
To: Year 12 Information Technology Systems Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re[2]: [Year 12 Its] Re: Naming Conventions

One last one before I head off to bed.

> Now, C++ has become a complexity monster, much like Java. Most 'mere
human'
> programmers would have trouble mastering either language.

I wonder why that would be allowed to happen?  Seems really strange.

>> I had a feeling that would be the case :)  I remember QBASIC from DOS 
>> 5.0 (and DOS 6.0 but not 6.2)... had it been in DOS 6.2 I think more 
>> people would remember the Snake game from QBASIC and not from Nokia
>> :)

> And before QBasic there was GW-BASIC for MS-DOS 2.x upwards. 
> (Rebranded as BASIC-A in genuine IBM PCs)

Yep, used GW-BASIC quite a lot, loved importing GW-BASIC programs to QBasic
by saving it as ASCII.

My computer experience is deeply rooted in some form of BASIC, in
particular, CBM BASIC 2.0.

Back in 1985 - as an impressionable Grade 3 student - our teacher brought in
a Commodore VIC-20.  It was Box Hill South Primary's first computer.
Needless to say, several of us took to its educational games quite quickly.

At home (in July 1985) we got a Commodore 64.  $420 from Target.
I learned BASIC through the "Introduction to Basic" package, the C64's user
manual, computer magazines my dad got through the computer club at his work.
And of course the games - I coped for two and a half years with a tape
drive, was still able to competently run Summer Games II off it :)

My dad was on school council in '85, he and my teacher that year formed the
first "computer committee".  In 1986 the school got two Apple //e
machines... after a trial period they were successful and we got a couple
more.

Back to the C64 though.  I still love it, it really stands out for me.
I used that for homework for several years, I remember early Year 10
(1992) printing something off it.  GEOS was brilliant for producing
documents using fonts, well before Microsoft Office held the mainstream
market.  We got our first PC in 1991, and that changed everything...

I bought a C64 system for just $5 last year so I could show it to my
students.  I had to leave it at my old school because it was just too much
to carry - the hope was I could cart it from there to any new posting I had
without having to store it at home.  Will have to try tracking it down,
although I fear some mongrel has trashed it :(

Most complex I got in programming on the C64 would have to be writing two
simple text adventure games back in 1990.  What would be an interesting
challenge is getting my Year 10 Programming class to do a similar type game
in VB - at least they could stick a graphic with it
:)

----------
B.J. Winzer
St Columba's College
Essendon

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IT Systems Mailing List kindly supported by http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au -
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_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au
IT Systems Mailing List kindly supported by http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au -
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and http://www.vitta.org.au  -
VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc

_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au
IT Systems Mailing List kindly supported by http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au -
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and http://www.vitta.org.au  -
VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc