Learning How to Program Episode 2

Finally, after two weeks, I have made the second episode of Learning How to Program. From now on I am hoping to be able to make one of these a week, but who knows what's going to happen. All I know is that I've really learned a lot in the past week or so, and I am extremely excited to learn more. Chances are I'll be diving in to the third episode as soon as possible, if all this 4th of July nonsense doesn't keep me away from my beloved computer (which it most definitely will).

My journey into learning this stuff has not been an easy one, which is why I hope these videos can help make the learning process a bit smoother for someone out there. I probably spent like 6 hours over 3 days learning how to make the very first program, and I almost hit a wall at one point. Maybe I'm just an idiot, but I'm still super happy about what I've already learned.

Recording this episode wasn't easy either. I probably changed the format about 4 or 5 times, and even lost 20 minutes of footage at one point. The good news is that I've finally nailed down the format by dividing each episode into multiple parts, and the actual production of these videos will only get easier from here. Anyway, enough of my rambling.

In this episode I dive straight into the language C. I go over some basic things at first, and then try to give some extra advice to any of you out there who just can't seem to wrap their minds around some of the math, syntax, or implementation of concepts in the language. Then, in Part 2, I proceed to show you the actual code I wrote for all three programs. Like I say in the videos multiple times, if you are actually trying to learn this stuff, don't skip ahead. You are only hurting yourself by looking to Part 2 before you are done coding the three programs. As I say in the videos too, leave any questions in the comments (or here) so I can try to help you if you get stuck.

Lastly, thanks to everyone watching these videos and subscribing. :D

Learning How To Program Episode 1

So this is my first video of the Learning How To Program series I am embarking on. I don't really have much to say about this first episode other than it's my first episode, so any and all advice is welcome. I'm planning to make the next episode within the few days, as well as start making some other video series so look for them.

To summarize this first episode, I explain how this video series is generally going to go, and I start by exploring the first few lectures and the first assignment of a Harvard course available for free online. I'm not sure where I'm going to go after i finish this course, but I'll get there when I get there. As I say in the video, if nothing else I'm going to be teaching myself something, but hopefully someone out there will benefit from this too. So, I hope you enjoy it :)

Minecraft: The Super Sneaky Time Sink

(Warning: This first section was written like 2 weeks ago because thats how long it’s been since I wrote then recorded the thing I mention at the end :P )

So you’ve probably never heard of this game before, but theres this super addictive game you should play called Minecraft. I know, I know, another small indie game that no one’s ever heard of, but guys trust me, this game is awesome and will absorb your life if you aren’t careful.

With the recent release of Minecraft on XBLA, and the sudden influx of time I have due to summer break, I was suddenly reminded that I might as well spend dozens of hours mindlessly building things in minecraft...for PC of course. This sudden realization has caused me to rehost a server for my cousin and I, and has also caused my girlfriend to discover a game that has miraculously rivaled her Sims 3 infatuation. I’m not trying to complain. I mean, I love being able to catch up on the four or five months of Tested podcasts and the last month of Giantbomb casts, I love finally finding a game to play with my girlfriend that we seem to enjoy equally, and I obviously must love building random farms, orchards, mansions, mines, and castles, but I can’t help but get the strangest feeling that I will never be productive again when my days look something like this:

Reviews at Game Chronicles

Hey everyone :)

Go check out my first two of many reviews to come over at Game Chronicles. Rock of Ages is definitely a game you should play, while Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City...not so much.

Hidden Story of E3 2012 So Far

With all the press conferences coming to an end, and E3 proper beginning with the show floor opening, there will be endless talk, interviews, and impressions from thousands of people across the internet. Talk has already been circulating that this E3 is one of the more disappointing E3s in recent memory, and this is most likely because of the weird transitioning period the industry is in with new consoles right around the corner. Sure, there have been a few exciting announcements, but even as someone who didn’t have access to any of that juicy professional pre E3 press information, I can still say I wasn’t too blown away with much of anything during these press conferences. That’s not to say that there wasn’t anything exciting, though. I’m surprisingly excited for a new Halo game, can’t wait to get my hands on a new SimCity, and I am definitely one of those many people who have been waiting for years for a new Pikmin game, but I can’t really say I had a “Wow” moment at this E3. And with all of this disappointment due to lack of new games because of new hardware on the horizon, I think there is an underlying story that most people aren’t pointing to.

EA Press Conference

Hey guys! Do you like shooting dudes? Do you like sports games? Do you like racing games? Do you like horrible social games? Do you like being asked to play games months after they come out because the company wants, no NEEDS more money from you? Well than do I have a press conference summary for you.

That basically sums up the EA Press Conference this afternoon. It started off with a fairly interesting trailer for Dead Space 3, but apparently they are changing a lot of what that game is, and maybe not for the best. In any case, I'm still pretty excited for it seeing as I loved the last two Dead Space games. It was a pretty good start to the show, but it was basically all down hill from there. Other than some footage of the much awaited new SimCity game, some gameplay of Criterion's Need for Speed: Most Wanted, and the announcement that UFC has now joined forces with EA even though Dana White has had a history of talking mad shit about the company, the EA press conference was basically a blur. Honestly, if it wasn't for me writing down everything as I saw it, I probably wouldn't be able to regurgitate half the stuff I saw. I have found myself looking at this piece of paper saying, "Oh yeah, that happened."

Microsoft Press Conference

The Microsoft Press Conference started off with some interesting footage of the new Halo, and from what I saw, it looks like it could be really good. It basically looks just like more Halo, but I'm going to give 343 Industries the benefit of the doubt and say that I think the story might actually be an interesting new direction for the Halo franchise. After Halo though, it was a while before there was anything really worth mentioning.

Microsoft had an EA guy come out and talk about kinect support for sports games, which I'm guessing literally no one cares about, a trailer for the new Gears of War that doesn't get me too excited, some Tomb Raider gameplay which looks interesting, but is not something I'm getting too excited about, a trailer and gameplay for Resident Evil 6 that actually looked pretty good, and finally, an interesting, yet almost completely uninformative trailer for TwistedPixel's next game called LocoCycle. All this stuff wasn't too bad, but I guess it wasn't anything I was getting too excited to see. I would have liked to see some more than just a trailer for the Gears of War game, as well as LocoCycle (I'm not 100% sure if that "C" is capitalized or not...oh well, screw it), so there's really nothing all that new to say about most of those games.