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Show HN: Squally – A Game to Teach Low Level Computer Science

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11–20 of 36 posts

Re: Show HN: Squally – A Game to Teach Low Level Computer Science

#11
post #7

> card mini-game that teaches binary operations https://esolangs.org/wiki/Lambda:_the_Gathering

That had nothing to do with binary, wasn't a mini-game and was generally "out there" in terms of complexity. Definitely a good tool to scare children away from programming.

Re: Show HN: Squally – A Game to Teach Low Level Computer Science

#13
post #4

Honest question: why? Why is low level computing the right thing to teach kids? Most people take the exact opposite approach to the extent they create very high level languages

I made this game because this is how I learned. I liked tearing games apart, so my first language was x86 assembly. I got into programming through reverse-engineering.

Maybe there are other people like me who will benefit from this. It's probably not for everyone, but the goal is to have it resonate deeply with some users.

Re: Show HN: Squally – A Game to Teach Low Level Computer Science

#14
post #4

Honest question: why? Why is low level computing the right thing to teach kids? Most people take the exact opposite approach to the extent they create very high level languages

For what it's worth, I struggled for so many years understanding what higher level programming actually is, while simultaneously doing it. It never felt complete.

I went through Crash Course Computer Science (from John Green / PBS...) and it really helped me feel grounded.

Maybe this is attempting the same, just starting at one end of the abstractions.

Re: Show HN: Squally – A Game to Teach Low Level Computer Science

#15
post #4

Honest question: why? Why is low level computing the right thing to teach kids? Most people take the exact opposite approach to the extent they create very high level languages

> why? Why is low level computing the right thing to teach kids?

what not? why does it have to be the "right" thing?

Re: Show HN: Squally – A Game to Teach Low Level Computer Science

#16
post #4

Honest question: why? Why is low level computing the right thing to teach kids? Most people take the exact opposite approach to the extent they create very high level languages

In my day we had to set IRQs and DIP switches upstream, both ways! and it was good!

/lAWn

Re: Show HN: Squally – A Game to Teach Low Level Computer Science

#17
post #9

With kids stuff, it's generally conventional marketing to put "ages x-y" or "ages x+" front and center. I think this attracts parents, who are a time-starved lot.

I feel like the attraction isn't that it saves time, so much as it saves thinking. At least for me (kid-less), it's really hard to imagine the difference between something appropriate for a 5 year old and an 8 year old; particularly things that straddle the line Things are a lot easier if the producer just tells me the intended audience, which I can take with a grain of salt and decide from there

The gap between what is appropriate for a 5 year old and what is appropriate for an 8 year old is surprisingly large if you don't have kids or otherwise deal with them day in and day out.

Re: Show HN: Squally – A Game to Teach Low Level Computer Science

#18
post #14
post #4

Honest question: why? Why is low level computing the right thing to teach kids? Most people take the exact opposite approach to the extent they create very high level languages

For what it's worth, I struggled for so many years understanding what higher level programming actually is, while simultaneously doing it. It never felt complete. I went through Crash Course Computer Science (from John Green / PBS...) and it really helped me feel grounded. Maybe this is attempting the same, just starting at one end of the abstractions.

Just watched this on YouTube. So interesting! Thanks!

Re: Show HN: Squally – A Game to Teach Low Level Computer Science

#20

Hey! I love the idea but I just registered to HN to tell you that my 5yo would actually be too scared of your caracters to enjoy! Also the universe feels strongly masculine and won't bring girls in CS.

I don't think we anticpated people wanting younger children to try this game, originally we were thinking 12+. Clearly we were wrong based on the posts in this thread, so we'll have to think about a path forward.

The storymode of this game was intended to have RPG elements, which tend to be branded as masculine. I wish more girls were encouraged to play RPGs, but I get that this isn't the world we currently live in. However, the game will have good representation as far as NPC gender/race breakdown.

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