UCSD Computer Scientists Develop Video Game that Teaches How to Program in Java (opens in new tab)

(jacobsschool.ucsd.edu)

72 pointsdsinha13y ago70 comments

70 comments

24 comments · 13 top-level

aroberge13y ago· 9 in thread

A really nice idea ... but why, oh why did they have to choose a language that has a lot of extra scaffolding like Java instead of something simpler like Python, or Ruby?

kyllo13y ago

I'm guessing it's because "CSE 8A. Introduction to Computer Science" at UCSD is taught in Java.

A lot of universities start their CS students off with Java these days.

marblar13y ago

I've seen this in a couple places, but I'm not sure I understand why. Does anybody know of a good reason for teaching java first?

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chubbard13y ago

There it is. I wondered how far I'd have to read before we had a Java hate comment. Never fails.

aroberge13y ago

It`s not a Java hate comment: I'm writing this as an educator with 20 years teaching experience who has learned that some languages are better teaching ones than others. Java has its place ... but another language would be better suited there.

rz2k13y ago

Perhaps their next project will be a game that teaches kids how to smoke.

exabrial13y ago

Java is a great choice for CS. It's similarity to C/C++ is handy for those who need to transition high performance computing or move to work on low level systems (kernels, drivers, embedded systems, etc). The JVM is also a great target for learning about virtual machines, since the JVM itself is quite an amazing virtual machine by it's own regard. The JVM can also be used to study a 'real life' implementation of stack machines, and Java bytecode can be used as a [gentler] introduction to assembly.

So yes, while you're startup may choose Python or Ruby or the latest language of the day, Java is a great system to teach a lot of fundamental computer science topics with.

Besides, Google uses it.

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jennyjenjen13y ago

UCSD + Java = a love affair we may never be able to disrupt

kristianp13y ago

This whole thread about their use of Java completely misses the point of this project. Maybe people shouldn't be so hung-up about what language is being learnt? I'm sure the students will be learning a whole range of languages.

dsfasfasf13y ago

Right before opening this page I knew this type of comment was going to be one of the top comments and was not disappointed. Why oh why can't the whining stop?

grannyg00se13y ago· 1 in thread

This is outstanding!! Man, I would've loved to have this when I was in grade school. I remember being very excited about my one hour per week in front of the LOGO turtle. This goes way beyond. I'm not a big fan of java, but learning how to program in the same language your parents may be using at grown up work is pretty damn awesome.

olivier166413y ago

The game feeling looks like more a modern LOGO game than a World of Warcraft game. The quest seems to be about moving a stone from A to B. It does not seems the player will become more and more powerfull while he grows its own library. It will be so fun to craft its set of functions ang go cast it in some PVP events. Maybe the Notch's new game (http://0x10c.com) will provide this king of "Master of Hackers" feeling.

zmonkeyz13y ago· 1 in thread

This used to be called Robocode back in the day.

gamegoblin13y ago

I came here to mention Robocode. I played the hell out of that back in the day. I am currently working on an indie game (RTS) that includes AI in singleplayer mode, and also allows you to program your own AIs by making a class that inherits from my abstract AI class which gives you access to an AI API. With Robocode there is a pretty high barrier to entry, but my goal is to have the game be entirely playable and a fun game, which then entices the user to go mess with the AI code.

jholman13y ago

There's a lot to complain about with Java, but one part that IS great is that applications generally port pretty easily between environments (everywhere interesting for consumer software except iOS). Also this depends on Unity3d... guess what else is multi-platform! (including Win/OSX/Linux/web/iOS/Android)

I trust, then, that there's a good reason why this claims to be dependant on OSX. Seems to have something to do with this June (Java in Unity) thing.

mratzloff13y ago

This is a great idea. The feeling of being able to do anything combined with reasonable limitations (ideally invisible) to focus the player's energy is extremely engaging--perfect for teaching.

And I've always thought of magic spells in fantasy as a kind of hack using a secret, natural programming language. :-)

stuffihavemade13y ago

So, I just tried this out. I think it would be a lot more user friendly if you could see what "spells" are available when making a new spell (i.e. have auto completion in the text editor). It's a pain to have to look at the spell book, and limits experimentation.

Lost_BiomedE13y ago

For Mac OSX 10.5 and Above.

I will have to check this out when I get access to a Mac that I can install it on. I loved the vim game at vim-adventures.com

mycodebreaks13y ago

If you haven't heard about Greenfoot, it's a project with similar idea. http://www.greenfoot.org

fchollet13y ago

It's not about easiness --learning to code is probably simpler than learning to play such a game.

It's a about motivation.

joe24pack13y ago

Code Spells? Sheesh, sounds a _lot_ like Land of Lisp, but done with Java. Wonder what Conrad Barski thinks of this.

CurtMonash13y ago

I'm trying to envision the MMO version of this, with special reference to (dungeon) raids.

"Leroy, you'll levitate the troll for 15 iterations. Zelda, you'll comment out the basilisk. Everybody, now's the time to warm up your caches. Ready check ... OK then. 0, 1, 2, 3 ... Go go go!!"

jared31413y ago

I wonder if you could write an extension to an existing game/mmo to use the same code-as-spell system.

schiang13y ago

super cool!

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