Code Hero: Play and Learn 101
mikejuk writes with a bit from I Programmer on what sounds like an intriguing new game: "If you're bored with games where you run around shooting soldiers or monsters, how about a game where you shoot enemies to win computer code snippets that you can then use to shape the reality around you? It's good to play and good enough to win both the Editor's Choice and Kid's Choice at this year's Bay Area Maker Faire." The linked story has a video demo, too.
It's not Java! (Score:4, Informative)
How many times do we have to correct this?
Javascript is not Java.
And it's more Scheme-like than you think, but with an ALGOL-enough syntax that people can pick it up much more easily.
Re:looks like fun... (Score:3, Informative)
What does Player.score say about his power level - What? It's OVER 9000!!!!!!!
(You guessed one of the easter eggs in the game, it doesn't work but it wins you an achievement for trying anyways )
Alex Peake, Code Hero creater / Primer Labs founder
Re:Copy and paste? (Score:4, Informative)
Creator here: Copying code is analogous to finding items in a regular RPG FPS. You can bind code to any hotkey on the keyboard till you are bristling with tools for creating and combating anything imaginable. But you can also instantly edit the code mid-combat or while solving puzzles to tweak variables at first and eventually to write your own code to solve problems.
Gamer gamers can enjoy this without knowing exactly how code works, but the story is full of actual training opportunities that teach you from syntax up to actual game development in Unity3D.
Re:A primitive Matrix (Score:3, Informative)
Both Tron and MAtrix are big inspirations but we take the actual literal reality of what exists in a 3D game engine world simulation as the rules of the land rather than making up movie-friendly metaphors with nerdy words. Matrix and Tron and Star Wars are all essentially fantasy sci fi: Lots of fun, but not closely linked to a physical reality. Although Code Hero takes place in a Matrix-like world, it has definite rules which players can master and exploit and one can parlay that mastery into creating your own games and pursuing other computer science inspired paths.
We're working to make the visuals more informative and interactive gameplay-wise than being merely eye-candy. Hence the green walls of code are not japanese gibberish but javascript that can be read and used and manipulated.
If you see a pretty graphical effect, the code glowing in it may in fact be the shader code that generates itself.