Need help on how to teach to make a game to a class

[Rudy]

Here's my problem: in Infotech since im the only one in the class that know VB the teacher asked me to prepare a final project for the class, i have to show them how to make a simple racing game. So i would like to know the simplest way to do that (you have a top view and the screen doesn't move, only the cars. The track can either be tiles or a picture (tiles would be great because that way it would be easy to make a track editor but i think that would be WAY too hard for most of them considering they barely ever touched to VB. So i just need some code, project example and some tips on how i could teach them
Thanx!!

[kedaman]

what kind of programming experience do the students have (detailed)?

[Rudy]

check : http://www.sd68.bc.ca/ndss/intranet/intech12.htm

that's the asignement they have to do before, but just remember, they wont know that by heart almost for sure, this is just a basic highschool class. Oh yeah they'll also be able to get help to make the game, the teacher can give a hand and ill be there

[kedaman]

Okay i'll try to keep it as simple as possible and help you with the technical parts.

first off some programming ethical issues, would you want to introduce objects (designing class modules) or types (user defined types)? that would be of help keeping the projects organized but at the same time might be too much new concepts at once.

you need some vector aritmetics for controlling position and speed vectors of the cars, a simple collision detection algoritm and a tileset and a map for combining the tiles for the racing area.

for preparing the map data you could in fact use the fact that the students are used to a RAD environment

[Rudy]

Well we can show them stuff but most of it they wont really understand it but they'll just copy it. Some students that know a lil bit more about VB might be able to understand, but im not sure about every1 level

[kedaman]

that's a bit sad, they should have at least some experience with vb, who's idea was this racing game?

[Zaei]

You could keep em occupied with "Doors". the game goes something like this:
Place 3 picboxes on a form, and a label, and a global variable "Score"
throw this function in:

Private Sub Game(ID as Integer)
Dim correct as Integer
correct = rnd() * 2 + 1
if correct = ID Then
 msgbox "Correct!"
 score = score + 1000
else
 msgbox "Wrong!  You are dead!"
 score = 0
end if
label1.caption = "Score: " & score
end sub

and in each picturebox's click event, call Game with a 1, 2, or 3.

Shortest game that I know of, and its kinda addicting =).

Z.

[Rudy]

Hahah good idea Zaei but its not what i need to do

Kedaman: that project is my teacher idea...and yes its sad that they have almost no experience with vb

[Zaei]

Seems like the teacher doesnt really know what he or she is doing. Shooting for graphics, when almost no one knows any VB at all is quite insane...

Z.

[kedaman]

good point

[Rudy]

yeah well i dunno, i guess he expect the student to know more or something like that

[Jotaf98]

Heh, I have some ideas as to making the game simple: DON'T USE THAT KIND OF STUFF!

Stick to control arrays of images. You can make transparency easily by using GIF images with transparency.

The game info should be kept in arrays:

Dim Map(1 to 32, 1 to 32) as byte

Dim CarX(1 to 8) as long
Dim CarY(1 to 8) as long
Dim CarDirection(1 to 8) as string

Remember, keep it simple. Use 1-based arrays, and for stuff like the cars' direction, use strings: Up, Down, Right, Left.

Yes, you should use a tile engine. Make a simple algorythm at first to load a lot of control arrays that are the tiles, and load them with bitmaps from other pictureboxes or files.

Collision detection might be too hard for them, so each car should occupy 1 tile and it can't move to a "blocked" tile.

You should at first allow the cars to move instantly (with a small delay), and only then move to the animations in-between tiles.


Well, those are only my ideas. You can use them or try to make them understand API, Classes, UDTs...

[Jotaf98]

Here it is, I made it specially for you

There's no need to say it was made by me. Enjoy!

[Rudy]

Whoa man i dunno how to thank you, ill study the code a bit and ill be able to teach it thanx a lot!!