The easiest kind of game to write?

[Tomaaz]

My son has just discovered the world of computer games. I would like to write one for him. The main goal is to put his picture in it, so he could be the main character. It should be a really easy and not complicated game (he's just four and I'm a really bad game programmer ). Any ideas?

[Tomaaz]

Nothing!? Isn't this forum about making... games?

[Cybermonkey]

Nothing!? Isn't this forum about making... games?

Let ... us ... think ... 

[kevin]

To get him some practice with the mouse (or keyboard) how about a small grid, say 4*4 for starters, where his picture appears in one of the boxes and he needs to click it before it disappears.....? Maybe a small animation if he succeeds.....

[Tomaaz]

To get him some practice with the mouse (or keyboard) how about a small grid, say 4*4 for starters, where his picture appears in one of the boxes and he needs to click it before it disappears.....? Maybe a small animation if he succeeds.....

Won't work. He's more advanced than I thought (they have tablets and desktops at the nursery). I've just created an account for him on my old Linux laptop, so he can log in, start a web browser and play on-line games on his own. It looks like I've missed the good moment.  Now, I wonder when should I start to teach him programming. Thanx anyway!

[Mopz]

This brings back memories ...

My son started playing games before he turned two The first game he "played" was Super Mario Sunshine (Gamecube). These days, when he's nine, he plays Minecraft and Skyrim, and he's a freakin' master at Super Smash Bro's Brawl. My oldest daughter, six years old, beats teenage boys in Mario Kart Wii - she's been competing in it (and always won) The youngest one, almost three, seems less interested in games than the older two, but she's been playing some Mario Party 8 and 9 lately

I'm a proud father and patriarch!

[Tomaaz]

This brings back memories ...

My son started playing games before he turned two

 

These days, when he's nine, he plays Minecraft and Skyrim, and he's a freakin' master at Super Smash Bro's Brawl. My oldest daughter, six years old, beats teenage boys in Mario Kart Wii - she's been competing in it (and always won) The youngest one, almost three, seems less interested in games than the older two, but she's been playing some Mario Party 8 and 9 lately

I'm a proud father and patriarch!

What about making a team that plays for money? 

[Mopz]

Good idea! So far they've only won game cartridges, discs and such. But with proper training they might make me a billionaire

[Mopz]

However, I do believe in the "whack a mole" idea. There was a great game named Hammer Heads (by PopCap?) that might be inspirational.

Ed: This game inspired us to write Super Smasher (http://www.gameonarcade.com/super-smasher/index.html), but I admit it di'n't turn out well

[Tomaaz]

Marcus, do your kids program already?

[Mopz]

Marcus, do your kids program already?

Nope. The nine year old son has been asking me alot about it, and I've promised to fix him a Swedish version of NaaLaa (just translate the keywords). But it's hard making him understand that you can't start writing games immediately   On the other hand ... I was also only interested in writing games when I started, but back then text based games were a perfectly valid starting point.

[igamealot]

I'm late to the party, but my advice might help someone.

Dont' force a child to sit and program.
Design with them using psuedo code and acting/talking out the gameplay.
Take whatever toys you step on normally and put them in a box(yourwindow), simulate with whats you have on hand in 3D real time.

Do all the pre production and research and collecting screenshots and sound effects that you need for the code.
Its exhausting, take turns, take breaks.

Then work out the code yourself, then teach your kid to code what you know how to code.
Ok ready?

The simplest game is one that answers questions from given input.

Psuedo code since I don't know EGSL yet:

Code: [Select]

playersName = ""
playersQuestion = ""
computersQuestion=""
computersAnswer=""
This could be simpler but this should keep things clear to a 9 year old.

Code: [Select]

print "what is your name"
input  playersName
print "What is your a question for me ".. playersName

now, you could do two things if you absolutely must have your kids picture in the game.
The childs image could be the questioning authority, instead of a cold dark terminal like Eliza.

Or you could have their picture pop up whenever their name is used, by accessing files, however
thats done with your  particular coding software.

Back to software, we ask for a users  question, but we dont' really care about the content at this level.

Code: [Select]

input computersQuestion
random number from 0 to 1
if the number is 0 then the computersAnswer is false
if the number is 1 then the computersAnswer is true

BASIC stuff right?
Now you have all kinds of options to handle this, computer can say true/false, or something "I'm sorry Dave, I can't do that", or "I feel confident of the outcome"
From there you make more than one option per true, false roll.
Then work on cutting the users input to reuse in the output.

The whole exercise is to learn programming and make this program as close to Cleverbot within the level of ones growing knowledge.
Revisiting this simple program can teach you the basics of any language, as you try  to make it more intelligent, relavent, witty, or whatever need.

A natural progression from this is magic 8 ball,  tarot deck of implied fortune and fate, a psuedo psychologist, positive affirmation widget, a text adventure of choose your epic avenues.

For the serious minded this basic course of game making is a foundation for any typical web page asking for input and offering the user things based on that input...ie Amazon or Apple or whoever.

[Aurel]

psuedo psychologist

sound like weird...observation looks like in old war movies or dramas...

[igamealot]

That is a very disturbing reaction to talking about teaching kids programming.

[Aurel]

Ok i modify post...but really sound to much dramatic to me...