Ready to make a game?

Hello, and welcome to my blog! Here, you and I will learn how to program games using Python and Pygame. I strongly suggest that you have some general programming knowledge, but we will learn Python from the beginning. Then, after we have covered some Python basics, we will continue onto Pygame. Using Pygame, I will craft a 2D space shooter. Specifically, I wish to create a game where you control a space ship to shoot enemies and navigate through obstacles. The game should be simplistic yet functional, and it should be a good representation of what Pygame can do. While we learn, I will share with you my newly obtained knowledge and the steps I take. Gradually, I will release the game’s code, so you can follow along.

If you are unfamiliar with Python, it is, according to the official Python site, “an object-oriented programming language, comparable to Perl, Ruby, Scheme, or Java” (“Overview”, 2014). Python uses elegant syntax, runs on many different operating systems, and is free software (both in terms of cost and freedom). We will be using Python’s bundled development environment called IDLE.

Pygame is, according to the official Pygame site, “a set of Python modules designed for writing games” (“About”, n.d.). Pygame does not require OpenGL, can use multi core CPUs easily, is portable across many different operating systems, should be easy to use, and has a small amount of code. Like Python, Pygame is free.

As for myself, I am a university student with a strong interest in game development. I am currently seeking two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Arts & Technology. In my first high school computer science class, I used Java to turn existing code into a game. After that class, I was set on becoming a game developer, but I soon realized in college that computer science alone did not look at the artistic side of game development. From that realization, I took on my second degree. However, college does not cover all of the information I would like, which is why I want to learn about Pygame outside of school.

I welcome you to join me on this independent educational experience.

About. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://pygame.org/wiki/about

Overview. (2014, March 4). Retrieved from https://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Overview