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[AngelXDv]

I am not sure if this is posted where it should, so, if I posted in the wrong (topic? category?), please just move it to the right one.
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Hello world! My name is Liviu and I am 15 years old (missing 6 days as of posting this). I am really passionate about gaming and for a long while now I wanted to learn programming, but it looked very intimidating.

I have gathered the courage and have started at Code Academy to learn Python (I have heard it is a good language to learn as your first), but, from what I know, Code Academy only teaches beginner level in programming. In my country we don't have programming classes, and the computer science classes also teach you very basic stuff, and you only begin them in high school.

Python seems like a great language to learn and I have discovered about RenPy, which would make for a good first "Big project". My question is, after I complete the courses at Code Academy (I finished the fifth one) where is the next place I can head to so I can refine my Python skills? And also, what would be a good second programming language to learn?

Thanks to all of you!

PS: Also, I have plenty of free time. And please don't give me the "you should study more for school" response, because I scored 9.97 out of 10, 2 years out of 3 years of school, and the other one I scored 9.94 out of 10. Also this semester I scored 9.97 again, so studying isn't a problem. (the subjects that lowered my grades were either Sports or Drawing...)

[freeformschooler]

What are you going to program? That's way more important.

[professorlamp]

Learn how to make a game with Python step-by-step:
http://programarcadegames.com/

The 'style guide' for Python (Don't worry about this right now, but I thought I would share it anyway):
http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/

Making games with Python:
http://inventwithpython.com/pygame/chapters/

Even more games yet again:
http://inventwithpython.com/index.html

Beginner Cryptography:
http://inventwithpython.com/hacking/index.html

A good course to follow after code academy:
http://learnpythonthehardway.org/

See you in a few months...

[AngelXDv]

Learn how to make a game with Python step-by-step:
http://programarcadegames.com/

The 'style guide' for Python (Don't worry about this right now, but I thought I would share it anyway):
http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/

Making games with Python:
http://inventwithpython.com/pygame/chapters/

Even more games yet again:
http://inventwithpython.com/index.html

Beginner Cryptography:
http://inventwithpython.com/hacking/index.html

A good course to follow after code academy:
http://learnpythonthehardway.org/

See you in a few months...

Thanks!

[Levi]

I'll add this, since its python and game related.

http://www.roguebasin.com/index.php?title=Complete_Roguelike_Tutorial,_using_python%2Blibtcod

[AngelXDv]

I'll add this, since its python and game related.

http://www.roguebasin.com/index.php?title=Complete_Roguelike_Tutorial,_using_python%2Blibtcod

Wow! Thanks! That's quite interesting! It will be fun to make my own roguelike!

[Anvilfolk]

If you want to do graphical games, pySFML are some OK bindings of the wonderful SFML library

[AngelXDv]

If you want to do graphical games, pySFML are some OK bindings of the wonderful SFML library

I will look out for that. Thanks!

[Svampapa]

Firstly: Wanting to learn is a great first step! Now all you gotta do is the actual learning.

I'd advise you not to sit down with the mindset to create "a first big project" as you put it though. It is likely it will just overwhelm you.

Instead, baby-steps. It sounds real boring, I know, but learning how to program is a lot like eating an elephant: you chew one tiny bite at a time.

So do the hello world stuff, and build little useless programs that makes you think about small portions of the language at a time. Before long, you'll have the toolbox to build bigger.

[AngelXDv]

Firstly: Wanting to learn is a great first step! Now all you gotta do is the actual learning.

I'd advise you not to sit down with the mindset to create "a first big project" as you put it though. It is likely it will just overwhelm you.

Instead, baby-steps. It sounds real boring, I know, but learning how to program is a lot like eating an elephant: you chew one tiny bite at a time.

So do the hello world stuff, and build little useless programs that makes you think about small portions of the language at a time. Before long, you'll have the toolbox to build bigger.

Already done the hello world. Also, I have made a pig latin translator in Python. I am following the lessons at Code Academy. After those I am not sure where to go or what should I program next, though. I don't want to start a big project just yet, for the same reason you just stated.Right now I am learning functions (lesson 7). There is a total of 21 lessons, and after those I am not sure what to do next. Any advice from someone who knows the lessons from Code Academy?

[kytuzian]

I'm not very familiar with the lessons from Code Academy, but I have programmed before so I think it's safe to offer you some advice.

If the only projects you have made were programs from tutorials, then you might not have really learned everything you need to actually create your own project. Try thinking of something simple you want to do, like...converting between Roman/Indian-Arabic numerals. After you accomplish that, move on to something else. Maybe make a text game or a breakout-style game. If you can't do something for a while, just go do something else and come back to it later, because there is nothing worse than struggling with a problem when you're starting out and not learning anything from it.

It's also useful to think like you program, as in that whenever you have a problem of some kind, just thinking of how you would program a solution to it, and then actually doing it. This is generally easiest with things like math, but I'd imagine you could do it with other things. Not only is this a good way to practice your programming skills, but it can also be rewarding, helping you do your math homework (for example) with very little effort relative to what it would have taken to actually do it.

Good luck!

[mainiac]

For me the first thing after Code Academy was picking a big project that I could find a small part of to do.  I didn't care if I did it well or poorly, I just wanted the practice.  So I made a program to simulate the battles in an old game.  After I did that I did it again, better.  Then I started adding more features.  Six months later, I'm at this stage: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=134435.0

I don't know if it's a good approach but goal oriented seems to work for me.  I decide what I want to do then I go out and find the tools that I need to make that happen.  A huge part of programming is about learning libraries and patterns and organization, a big project gives a reason to do that.

[AngelXDv]

I'm not very familiar with the lessons from Code Academy, but I have programmed before so I think it's safe to offer you some advice.

If the only projects you have made were programs from tutorials, then you might not have really learned everything you need to actually create your own project. Try thinking of something simple you want to do, like...converting between Roman/Indian-Arabic numerals. After you accomplish that, move on to something else. Maybe make a text game or a breakout-style game. If you can't do something for a while, just go do something else and come back to it later, because there is nothing worse than struggling with a problem when you're starting out and not learning anything from it.

It's also useful to think like you program, as in that whenever you have a problem of some kind, just thinking of how you would program a solution to it, and then actually doing it. This is generally easiest with things like math, but I'd imagine you could do it with other things. Not only is this a good way to practice your programming skills, but it can also be rewarding, helping you do your math homework (for example) with very little effort relative to what it would have taken to actually do it.

Good luck!

I am really thinking of a choose your own adventure kind of game. Also I will look to create the Roman/Indian/Arabic numeral convertor and why not, the breakout styled game. Of course, all of those after I finish the lessons at Code Academy.

I still have lots to learn. The thing that got me really curious about programming was Quill's video about programming. He said that he had a colleague that had to do some tedious arranging and it took her 4 hours everyday. He said he wrote a script of 5-6 lines in about 5 minutes and it did in 5 seconds what she did in 4 hours. The problem solving with programming is really interesting.

I will try to learn as much as possible and start with small projects, then going to bigger ones. If somebody else has ideas for small projects I want to stack as many ideas before I finish the courses. After that I will try to complete the easiest first and then go on and on for bigger stuff.

An idea that just popped in my mind, maybe I will make a website (I don't know lots of HTML5 so it would be hosted on WordPress) with all those projects. Anyways, I see programming as a fun thing to do, so I believe I will be able to complete most of the projects. So, stack up the ideas!

[mainiac]

If that's the sort of programming you are into you should definitely learn some regular expressions.  I've turned hours of work into minutes with NotePad++ and it's regular expressions.

A chose your own adventure style game is good, maybe combine it with a pokemon style battle engine to give you a reason to work with classes and access data a lot.

[AngelXDv]

If that's the sort of programming you are into you should definitely learn some regular expressions.  I've turned hours of work into minutes with NotePad++ and it's regular expressions.

A chose your own adventure style game is good, maybe combine it with a pokemon style battle engine to give you a reason to work with classes and access data a lot.

I think you lost me at pokemon style battle engine... Are there free engines like this on the web or what do you mean? To insert classes in my choose your adv?