Introduction and Initial Game
Submitted by leut on Sat, 06/30/2007 - 23:05.
Needed Scenario:
Creating a computer game requires some sort of software development environment. One excellent choice that allows us to create 2D games and learn the Java programming language is Greenfoot. Greenfoot is a free 2D game and simulation "engine" developed at University of Kent and Deakin University. The tool and many great resources are available from:
If you are downloading these notes and do not have the Greenfoot tool, please download it first, install, and make sure it runs using one of the tutorial examples included with Greenfoot. If you are using this in a class Greenfoot should already be installed on the computer system.
In this introductory chapter we will re-create much of a game based on Little Red Ridging Hood and a similar visual design from the book "Picture This" by Molly Bang. We call the game "Little Red". The process will teach many of the concepts needed to create your own games. Along the way we include exercises for you to start creating your own parts of a game. Go ahead and play our version of Little Red Riding Hood. The game is in the scenario named RedHoodFinal and can be downloaded from the link at the top of this page.
Once you have downloaded it and unzipped it, open it by clicking on: Scenario->OpenScenario and then file-browse for "RedHoodFinal". Once open, click on the "Compile All" button on the bottom right, and then the "Run" button towards the left on the bottom. Move little red, the triangle, using the arrow keys. Pick fruit and avoid the wolves!
Creating a game like LittleRed requires game design, visual asset creation (i.e. drawing and electronic art), and programming. Eventually we will tie all three together, but for now we focus on some simple programming concepts and how to use the Greenfoot tool.
