Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

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I'm not here...

I'm ill today.

Josh, Jake, Lee, Mike & Taylor - You guys can work on BPA today.

Savannah, Nick, Castiel, & Sarah - You guys should keep working on your menus.

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Fishcode

Here!!!!

Lose bmp

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2'sday

I may be a little late in getting to class today. So sorry.

If that's the case, go ahead and try to get your code working.

If your code works, start tweaking it.

I'll be back shortly...


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Moving Along

Hôlä - I hope your weekend was a good one.

We're continuing on with the current game code.


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Pong

Actually... I would like to have your Pong games. Please upload zips of your resources. Make sure your archives are smaller than 2MB, send several if you need to.

Take 5 minutes to do this now. If your code n stuff is at home, then send it tonight.

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Goblin Goldfish

Today we're embarking on an epic adventure...

Here are the media files we'll need.

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Turkey Day!

Have a great break!

Stay out of trouble. Stay warm. Be safe. Have fun. Get stuffed.

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Allegro FishTank

Today, we're going to revisit/ restart the fishtank.

Here are my media files.

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BPA

BPA

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Pong v2.0

We'll be making the following additions to the PONG CODE we began yesterday. You will have *at least* 2 full class periods to complete this.

1. Keep track of the current score.
   
2. Keep track of the current number of times the ball has hit the paddle; reset this number when somebody wins.
   
3. There should be a sound played when the ball strikes a paddle.
   
4. There should be a different sound played when the ball strikes a wall.
   
5. The paddles should be replaced by similarly sized bitmap images.
   
6. The ball should be replaced with a similarly sized bitmap image.
   
7. The rest time in the main logic loop should get shorter as the number of hits increases.
   
8. Add something *else* to make your Pong game unique.

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BPA

BPA today too.

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BPA hoy

If you are not yet finished with the color test program, then finish it before you start working on BPA. 

We're going to spend the rest of the week on BPA.

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Color Test

We're going to finish up the color test program today.

Your program should have...

6 clickable arrows which control the color (either bitmaps or triangles)

3 numbers indicating the intensities for each of r, g, b

2 clickable boxes for random color and reset color

1 circle colored whatever color is indicated by the 3 numbers

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Mouseplay

Answer the following questions in a comment to this blog:

1. What reserved variables describe the location of the mouse cursor?
2. What reserved variable describes the state of mouse buttons?
3. What function describes the speed of the mouse cursor? 
   

Take time now to complete the program from yesterday. UPLOAD your work when complete.

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Allegro Mouse

Your assignment today is to write an Allegro program which has 6 rects that'll act as buttons. 2 buttons for each color, r, g, b. One button per color for up and down. Below each pair of buttons, display a number ranging from 0 to 255. There will also be a circle on the screen whose color is whatever color is dictated by the 3 values for r, g, b. There sould also be a button for resetting colors and a button for generating random comolrs. The program should exit when the user hits escape.

Here's a sample screenshot:

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Allegro

Today, we're going to be adding to our Allegro notes page.

At the end of class, UPLOAD your amended notes.

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Test

You have the entire class period to complete your 9wks test.

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Allegro Circles

We're going to start by reviewing the many circles example from yesterday.

You'll then be responsible for recreating the same effect.

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Allegro Circles

We're going to start today with a brief Allegro review. Then we're going to be doing some bouncing...

Yeah, I know...

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Super Tic-Tac-Toe

Refer to this page for today's assignment.

Your assignment today is to redesign this tic-tac-toe game from a 3x3 grid, to a 4x4 grid.

You need to make sure that your game resets if a player wins or there are no empty squares.

Make sure that you download the necessary image files.

For extra credit, add sound effects for placing x's & o's, and for winning.

All other gameplay should be left intact or enhanced.

Upload your main.cpp file when you're done, use "Super Tic-Tac-Toe" in the description field.

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Allegro

We're going to review The Allegro lessons from yesterday.

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Tuesday - Allegro

You’re assignment today is to begin reading and working through these Allegro C++ tutorials:

• Allegro Basics 
  
• I/O 
  
• Drawing Primitives 
  
• Drawing Graphics From Files 
  
• Animation 
  
• Backgrounds 
  
• Mouse 
  
• Animation II
  

You can access each tutorial by using the menu in the upper left hand corner; under "Allegro Lessons". 

When you begin an Allegro Project, after you start a new project, and add a piece of source code, you must link the allegro library.

To do this, you must go to the menu bar and click "Project", "... Properties", then add "alleg.lib" to the "Additional Dependancies" field under "Input" under "Linker" under "Configuration Properties". Check out the following screenshot.

 

For each section, you must upload your main.cpp file; make sure that you include the tutorial section (Allegro Basics, I/O, Drawing Primitives, Drawing Graphics From Files, Animation, Backgrounds, Mouse, Animation II) in the description field when you upload. I expect you to actually READ these. 

Be prepared to answer questions about Allegro tomorrow. I expect you to get all of these read, compiled, and uploaded.

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BPA

We're going to focus on BPA for a few days...

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Allegro - Tried n True

We're going to introduce pre-packaged game engines by using Allegro. It's been around for a while and there are a ton of open-source games coded in Allegro that we can use as examples. First we have to install it:

Allegro Installation

-1) Download DX7 Minimal.

0) Copy the files:

• Copy the contents of the include folder to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\include
  
• Copy the contents of the lib folder to to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\lib

1) Download Allegro.

2) Extract all files into c:\

3) Run c:\allegro\build\pre-build-msvc.bat

4) Open c:\allegro\build\msvc8\Allegro.sln. Finish conversion. Click Build / Batch Build. Check all versions. Wait for build to finish.

5) Copy the files:

• Copy the contents of C:\allegro\include to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\include
  
• Copy the .lib files from C:\allegro\lib\msvc to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\lib
  
• Copy the .dll files from C:\allegro\lib\msvc to C:\Windows\System32

6) Start a new project then add a main source file.

7) Click Project / Properties. Click Configuration Properties / Linker / Input. Add alleg.lib to Additional Dependancies.

8) Now we're ready to program using Allegro.

9) We're going to start with a few tutorials.

10) Finally, we master the universe.

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Game Engines

You have a technical writing exercise due Monday. You will have today in class to work on this. Whatever you don't finish in class is assigned as homework due Monday.

Write a 2-3 page paper on the 3 of the most popular 2D Game Engines and the 3 of the most popular 3D Game Engines.

The paper should be in paragraph form 11pt font; 1.5 spacing.

Cite your sources!

DO NOT COPY & PASTE!!!

Answer the following questions for each of the 6 engines you elect. 

• What's the engine called?
  
• Who developed it?
• How much does it cost?
• Where can you get it?
• Is there thorough documentation?
• Are there many pieces of sample code available?

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Bubble Sort

Keep pluggin away at the bubble sort program.

• Start by declaring an array of 10 integers.
  
• Display the array with a for loop.
  
• Use the pseudocode from wikipedia to bublesort the array.
  
• Redisplay the array.
  
• Then, adapt your code so that it will bubblesort acording to the price of a product (as we discussed yesterday).

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// structures \\

We've got a lesson/ demo on structures in c++ today.

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Review the WS

We're going to spend some time reviewing part B of the C++ WS.

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C++ WS

You have the entire class to finish working on the C++ worksheet assigned yesterday.

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Back to C++

We're going to make sure that we're all familiar with C++ before we start controlling our fish.

You have a rather lengthy C++ worksheet to accomplish this.

Write your answers on a piece of paper for part A and part B, problems 1 & 2.

This MUST be turned in today.

For part B, problems 3, 4, & 5, you must write each program and upload them accordingly.

You'll have half of tomorrow to finish this.

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Monday

For today, I want you to revisit the fishtank code linked in a previous blog post. Make the following changes to the original code:

• Add your own animated background
  
• Add another animated sprite to the 
  

If you have these 2 mods done, you may work quietly on BPA.

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Friday...

BPA for most...

I'll clarify.

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Background

I need to check your progress on the Photoshop work.

I have a video I want to show you guys...

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The next 2 days...

I'm going to be out of the building for Tuesday & Wednesday. So here's what we're doing the next few days.

Tuesday:

• Finish Lesson678.zip

• Fishtank Background

Must contain at least the following:

• 0) Dimensions: 640 x 480 pixels
  
• 1) 3 Layers
  
• 2) Background Layer - some gradient effect
  
• 3) Plant Layer - use brushes, several colors
  
• 4) Dirt/ Rock Layer - use some texture effect
  
• 5) Save background.psd on your flashdrive
  
• 6) Upload background.bmp with 16-bit color depth
  

Wednesday:

• Background 1, 2, 3, 4

Transform your background.psd image so that you have 4 slightly different images:

• 1) Background Layer - should change slightly
  
• 2) Plant Layer - should sway slightly
  
• 3) Dirt/ Rock Layer - should not change much at all
  
• 4) Save background1.psd, background2.psd, background3.bmp, & background4.psd on your flashdrive
  
• 5) Upload background.zip which contains 4 bitmap images with a color depth of 16-bits. If you have problems uploading, try uploading each image individually

• 6) Add your images to the fishtank code we already used.
  
• 7) Check to make sure your images look good in animation.
  
• 8) Be ready for me to check your running program with your background for Thursday.
  

Photoshop

I'm going to go over Lessons 6, 7, & 8 today.

Again, you're only reponsible for one image for each of the lessons.

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Photoshop

We're continuing on in Photoshop tutorial.

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Lesson 4 + 5

I know that yesterday's Photoshop Lesson was (is) rather lengthy. I wasn't expecting you to get all the way through the lesson. That being said, go ahead and finish up Lesson 4 and start working on Lesson 5. 

The good news is that I'm going to skip the test I promised and assign a large project after all 8 lessons are finished.

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Lesson 4

Guys, you need to carefully read the instructions for submitting your work. Lesson 3 submissions were to be a zipped folder containing 3 files. If this isn't what you submitted, then resubmit your materials today.

Yep. We're working on Photoshop Lesson 4 today.

There are 8 assignment images the you must submit for this lesson. Again, your submission should be a zipped folder containing 8 images. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS.

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Easy Day

First off- we're going to review the previous 2 Photoshop lessons. Little song and dance.

Then, make sure that yesterday's work is done and uploaded before moving onto Lesson 3.

Lesson 3 is a piece of cake (I hope).

If you get done, try digging online for free video game sprites to download- there's a lot out there.

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Photoshop Lesson 2

First we're going to review the PS lesson from yesterday.

Then, we're moving onto lesson 2. Today's photoshop lesson is a little more involved.

Get all the way through the lesson then complete the assignment at the end of the lesson.

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Photoshop Tutorial

We're going to start working through Photoshop CS3 systematically.

I'm **assembling** a tutorial to help us with this. For today, do Lesson 1 and complete the QUIZ at the end of the lesson. Submit your responses in a comment to this blog.


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atlimage.h ????

Yeah... so I figured out what the problem is/ was with compiling the fishtank...

We need to remove MSVC++ Express and install MS Visual Studio 2005, the same software we used last year. Oops. I thought that the functionality would be the same; alas, I was mistaken.

As we install MSVS2005, we're going to watch a few videos on using Adobe Photoshop CS3. Be prepared for a quiz following the videos.


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Friday

Take a few minutes while I'm setting up to make sure that you have the DirectX SDK installed on your computer; check "Start" "Programs", it should be there.

Then we're going to check out the fish tank (gaming engine).

If there's time, we'll add another sprite to the fish tank.


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Oral Presentation Order

First things first... Get your presentation open. On the left hand side of the screen, click "file" then click "save as ppt". Save the file to your flash drive. You'll need the presentation saved there so you can plug into my computer.

You then need to upload your presentation via the new [extra-pretty] upload page- which can be found here, bookmark it.

Here's the presentation order:

1. Satan (Savannah)
   
2. Taylor
3. Steel
4. Mike
5. Nick
6. Josh
7. Sarah
8. Lee
9. Jake (maybe)

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Oral Presentations

Here are the factors that will effect your oral presentation grade:

1. Volume - yes, we need to hear you
2. Thoroughness - topics on each slide are adequately explained
3. Balance - relevant topics are given proper emphasis
4. Aesthetic - presentation is visually appealing
5. Length - between 2.75 - 5 minutes

Don't worry. You'll do fine. We begin Thursday.


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Presentations...

Here are the factors that will effect your written presentation grade:

1. Completeness - all necessary topics are covered
2. Thoroughness - topics are adequately explained
3. Logical Flow - topics are presented in a logical order
4. Aesthetic - presentation is visually appealing

We'll discuss your actual oral presentation tomorrow.


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Happy Monday... kind of...

Today we're continuing on with the C++ presentations.

Good luck and Godspeed.


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C++ Brush-Up

Your first assignment is a brush-up project on the C++ language.

I want you to prepare a Google Presentation on the C++. Yes, I want you to include everything we covered last year in an explanatory presentation. Create it as if you were going to deliver it to a complete C++ noob.

This presentation is due Wednesday of next week. The Upload page will be up and running by then.

If you need help figuring out Google Presentation I'll be holding a short demo session 5 minutes into class.

Hints...

• Google "learn c++" for resources
• Check out our Guessit game from last year.

G'ed up from the feet up

Your first assignment:

Get an account through Google; this account must have your real name associated with it. If you already have a Google account, just make sure that your real name is associated with it.

After signing up with Google, use your login and password to post a comment to this blog entry with the following information:

1) Your name
2) Your parent's name(s)
3) Your home phone number
4) Your mailing address address
5) Your email address
5) Whether or not you have computer and internet access at home

This assignment should be an easy 'A'


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Welcome Back

I hope that you're all ready to get back in the school swing.

You know the drill... check this page daily for assignments, musings, and general randomness...

Bookmark this page!!!

We're going to be going here: howardm.com


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