Weekly Coding Tasks for Beginners?

I have seen (and written a while back) many requests for coding help. I’ve done some reading since then, bought the I7 Sand Dancer book, done a few examples, but I am still only comfortable with the basics. I thought to push myself I could set tasks, but that’s as far as I’ve got. I was kind of hoping a couple of other people might want to get involved, it might help those of us who need it to expand our skills.

I was thinking a new thing each week. Like “have the PC make a cup of tea” or “implement a futuristic computer” (inspired by the Ender’s desk question). We could post the ‘games’ and source code. It’d leave room for imagination (eg a ‘futuristic’ computer could be anything from an implant, the ‘desk,’ a slate or tricorder, to retro-futuristic (Asimov and Andre Norton had tapes) to AI.

Anyone can suggest the next week’s topic. Think this might work?

I like it. Did you want just I7 or anything?

Ah, kind of like ToasterComp back in the day. Should be useful.

This sounds cool.

That could be fun.

I like it! Opportunities to practice coding, and a little more activity in the community. More game attempts (see what i did there?) to break I7 - I mean find bugs. Maybe even some more recipes for the ever lovin’ Recipe Book. I vote yes.

Wow. I wasn’t expecting people to be so keen. Awesome!

I figure people should be able to improve themselves in whichever language they want to use.

Ha! ToasterComp sounds awesome. I was thinking more of a self-challenge, rather than a competition or a full game for this though. It doesn’t need to be polished, just work, and we can exchange ideas to get that to happen…?

How do people feel about the starting topic? Tea making, future computer, or something else?

As the nubbliest of the nubs, this beginner votes a hearty yes. :mrgreen:

For the first week I vote for tea.

My sources inform me that hidden Easter eggs are in season… Maybe that’s a good topic?

This sounds like a really good idea. Not sure I’ll be able to take part in it, but I’m definitely interested. I took part in the Interactive Fiction Writing Month three years ago, which used a series of weekly tasks to help newbies get to grips with adventure coding, particularly in Inform 7. We’d share our code and results with each other, and get extra feedback. And the timetable was very motivational. I learned more during those few weeks than I had poring over the Inform 7 documentation.

To see the type of weekly tasks/assignments we had look at the associated blog. They started from incredibly basic, just setting up a few rooms, through to more complex things with objects, and rules.

This sounds great to me! I’m not the most beginner-y of beginners, having released two games (and a Speed IF, but those don’t count), but my coding is still really kludgey and inelegant and generally simplistic, and I’d love to have a structured way to work on that and get feedback.

Somebody should take initiative* and set a task and the framework for its completion. I nominate Tanga.

*(I don’t mind who, so long as it isn’t done by Nobody)

Haha! Making a cup of tea it is. Argh. I’ve started coding and it’s more complex than I thought, but then I guess the point is to stretch ourselves. does an impression of a rubber band

Due date next Friday - just in case you have something to do over Easter. Sound good?

Any other guidelines? Or is it pretty flexible?

Putting the kettle on!

Hey, how about posting code at playfic.com? Can you tag or otherwise create collections there?

Totally flexible as to how it’s done. Probably will involve boiling water somehow, but as much coding / detail / etc as you want to do.

I’ll look into the playfic thing, but I’m at least as much of a nubbins as anyone, so be kind. :slight_smile:

We could also have experienced coders and programmers reviewing, giving feedback, mentioning improvements and suggesting optimisations for the submitted code.

Also, we could select a group a experienced coders to make an optimal solution, which can be used as a yard stick.

Personally, I’m up for doing both of these.

Maybe you should try doing it yourself then? :wink:

Feedback would be awesome! I’d definitely volunteer to help out in that regard, too… not so much in terms of coding (since I’m pretty inexperienced in that way), but in terms of style and such of the final game I could hopefully be of assistance! :mrgreen:

(well… final “product”, that is, not necessarily “game”)

As in being an experienced coder or having some review / write code?

If the first then yay! Awesome! Otherwise it’s something I have no control over, and don’t really want to askfor as, what with (probably demanding) dayjobs, their own WIPs (I hope :slight_smile: - more games), and answering questions the demand on their time is already high. I really think this is something we can do ourselves. Come on in my fellow learners, the water’s fine.*

Well, actually, it is behaving weirdly in my example. But I’m sure I’ll get it working soon.**

** Valid for extremely large values of soon.