Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Recommended Resources Developing software. Help?

Hi everyone,

This child is going to wear me out. DS5, who has the new nickname "Linx" (that was my grandfather's nickname, and I'm seeing more and more similarities there), wants to make a video game. He has it all planned out, down to the platform, story line, and what each button will do when pressed. He has the price set, his sales strategy ready, and he's just ready to implement. And he's asking ~me~ for help with that part. He wants to start on the production by next Tuesday, and I have NO CLUE how to help him.

Does anyone have any advice? He is so excited (crazed!) and so involved with this video game, I don't know how to tell him that it's a years-long process to develop even a simple game.

I'm looking for resources...Programs to use, people to talk to for advice. My sister has recommended Kids Programming Language to start, phrogram.com, and I plan to download that and see if it's within his reach. I know EPGY also has programming courses, but that looks like a Secondary level offering (Linx is currently at EPGY math grade level 2.5 and moving fast).

Is he too young for a mentor at this point? Any tips on where to start looking? My sister has access to software developers, but she lives several hours away.

Thanks!

Christi

He has it planned, but is it written down? See if you can get him to get all his ideas in writing, and then perhaps a storyboard (comic book structure) of a typical gameplay experience.

There are many homebrew programs for writing the software, but see if you can get him to get all his ideas on paper, so that your sister can check with her contacts and see which one is best.

I'll keep looking if he just plain won't write it down.

Trinity

Trinity,

He's working on writing it down this week, as part of his weekly writing assignment. I don't know if his written version will be as detailed as his verbal plan, but I do plan to scan it and email to my sister when it's done. Good idea having her show it to the developers she knows.

I think it could be accomplished with a very basic format (like I know what I'm talking about, LOL). Doesn't have to be 3D to get his point across.

The easiest solution at this point would be a pre-made game package that lets you customize your background and characters. Or does he need a more realistic idea of the game development process from start to finish...? He does, after all, plan to sell his game.

Christi

Hi, I am Ania's son and she has asked me to respond to this one. I program (decently) in Visual Basic 5.0, and I have been doing so for almost two years, but recently, I have learned a ton of new programming, and I am still amateur. This programming language is good for almost anything that has to do with PC's, including tweaking with Microsoft Office programs (I've never done it-HARD). This language can easily be used to write games, and is not at all limiting. However, even doing platform games (Dude ruuning around and killing people) is hard, but I do believe it is possible. A GREAT way to start learning Visual Basic (Get 6.0), is to buy Visual Basic for Kids, made by KIDware. It costs $20. I also have recently wanted to make games, and I talked with a friend. He said an easy game-making software is GameMaker, although I have never tried it, so I cannot personally recommend it. Lastly, Visual Basic is logical and easy to follow, so once you know it, you can easily program without looking in the manual.
Ania's son, aka Ghost

Kids Programming Language & phrogram.com

My husband downloaded this for my 7 year old a couple months ago, and has been using it to teach him to program. The site has a programming tutorial for absolute beginners at:

Updated Tutorial -> Let's Program with Phrogram!
http://phrogram.com/files/folders/phrogram_documentation/entry2888.aspx

This is beginning enough that you may be able to help him work through it yourself if you are just a little bit computer savvy.

Jill

Wow, Ghost, thank you so much for the reply! And Ania, thank you for sharing your brilliant son! ;-) I will look into the Visual Basic for Kids. I think I ran into a link for GameMaker...It might be an easy first option just to get the game running before we have to learn a whole programming language. I'm such a dummy with this stuff. I learned to program in Basic when I was in junior high, but I never went farther than that. Wish I had!

Thanks again!

Christi

Jill, thank you! We will be checking out that tutorial for Kids Programming Language. My sister's developer friends recommended that one, but it's good to have a first-hand recommendation. I guess I know where I'll be spending my weekend...In front of the computer! ;-)

Do you know, this programming stuff is the LAST thing I have time for? LOL!

Thanks again,

Christi

Truly amazing kid! Want to start his own company at age 5? Talking about thinking ahead. At this rate, he may be able to retire at 16. :-)

I am a professional software developer at Cisco Systems and I have no idea of how to write a game. Writing a computer game may be a little hard for kid of this age. Maybe he can start with something that is more achievable, like creating a web page, touching up digital photos, etc. Then he can move on to high-level language like Java. My younger daughter is taking �C� class from CTY distance learning to prepare her for COSMOS summer camp (what else, to design computer games). But she is in High school.

But don't tell him that he is too young for that. Please tell him that a venture capital company in California is interested in funding his business but he needs to write a good business plan, demonstrate his leadership skill and produce a prototype of the game. He has ten years to do that.

Chenchuan,

Sorry for the late reply. We are sick! Linx has spots all over his upper body (his doctor said it's a generic viral rash) and when she saw my spots she sent ME to the doctor also. Sure enough, I developed a high fever and I had to get blood drawn for testing. Ugh. We are feeling fine, just freckled pink.

I have used our downtime to poke around with some game software. We are having some success with Game Maker, http://www.yoyogames.com/ and have actually produced a simple working game kind of like Pong! Linx is learning about Sprites, Objects, Events, etc. and I think his video game is now within reach.

And Chenchuan, I took your suggestion and asked Linx if he'd like to take over his own website. "YES!" he shouted, so I am getting his computer set up with an HTML editor and a graphics program. Thanks for that!

Christi