Programming Games Using Visual Basic IS 660 Z

Programming Games Using Visual Basic IS 660 Z Graduate Elective for IS Majors Lecture 1 – 6/2/2004

Agenda n n n n Introductions Origin of Text Software Class structure – part online & part face to face Blackboard Introduction to VB VB exercise Overview of first two projects

Introductions n Catherine Dwyer, Lecturer, IS Dept n n n n At Pace: Specialist in programming languages – this year taught Java, C++, and VB, working on Java. Script Enrolled in Ph. D in IS program at NJIT Prior Experience: Programmer/Analyst at NYC investment bank, Technology Coordinator at Graphics Design Firm Co-author of the text Two daughters, 12 th and 6 th grade, husband journalist with The New York Times Hobbies: reading, bike riding, swimming, cooking You?

Origin of Text n n n Friend suggested we write VB book together She had taught herself VB by programming minesweeper What is needed to teach programming? n n Challenging and interesting topics Accessible language and development environment

VB and Games n n After three years of writing, rewriting, testing, piloting, and revising, our text was published by Course Technology (April 2001) Programming Games with Microsoft Visual Basic 6. 0

Software n Microsoft Visual Basic 6. 0 n n n Student files for Games text n n n Image files, exe files for each chapter http: //www. course. com/ Win. Zip n n MSDNAA subscription http: //csis. pace. edu/support/msdnaa/ Academic computing has software in lab All projects must be zipped and submitted to digital drop box Paint. Shop Pro n Optional paint program for enhancing your games

Course Structure n Part in person meetings n n 4 required face to face meetings Part online via Blackboard n n n online “midterm” and in class “final” Assignment descriptions Power. Point presentations Links to tutorials Discussion Board Digital Drop Box

Grading n 4 games projects Online quiz, in class final Discussion board n Grading rubrics (Blackboard) n n 60 pts 20 pts

Pace resources for online learning n n n Online orientation – available under “My Organizations” Orientation provides overview of Blackboard and introduction to online learning Other info at online. pace. edu

Blackboard n n n Online portion delivered via web with Blackboard Sign on, take anonymous survey, look over each section http: //blackboard. pace. edu/

Introduction to VB n n n Popular application development environment Simplified syntax, programming and data type constructs Used commercially for fast development of GUI/windows applications

Intro – cont. n n Overview of desktop Managing VB windows n n n Resizing, appear and disappear Design phase vs. Execution/run-time phase Fundamental concepts: n Events, Controls, statements, variables

Simple VB Exercise n n Introduce two common control objects, labels and command buttons two common events - form_load and click event

Intro VB Exercise n n Exercise for coding events Saving VB project - 2 step process zipping files practice using the digital drop box

Common VB File Extensions n n n . frm. frx. res. vbp. vbw Form file Binary form file Resource file VB project workspace file

Second VB Exercise n n Coin flip go to http: //csis. pace. edu/~dwyer to download self extracting zip file with image files

Overview of First Assignments n Project 1: either Mix and Match Cartoons (ch. 2) or Chance (ch. 3) due Sat. 6/5 @ 11: 59 pm n n Both need control arrays Project 2: either Hangman (ch. 4) or Memory (ch. 5) n Each student will present next required class (6/9) - bring both project 1 & project 2

First Projects n n Mix and Match – simple logic, lots of possibilities for creative enhancements Chance – more complicated logic, requires you to implement the rules of chance, which vary depending on first throw or second throw

Download Games n n (if time) download working versions of games and try them out go to course. com, search on dwyer, also in Blackboard download and unzip execute games

This week n n Start posting to blackboard ( 2 min by Sunday night) Project one due Sat. night Project two presented next Wed. See you online !