GameMaker or C+
As part of our work with the ASISTM Education in Games project, Tony and I gave a presentation last week to a class of Latrobe University IT student teachers. It was suggested by one that they didn't think the students would learn the concepts of programming as well through our use of the GameMaker software. I don't know the full details of his suggestion but posted the following justification back to Pam.
Making a game is greater than writing a program. Penning a cartoon is more than the technical aspects of writing, it includes elements of artwork, plot and story. Similarly, assembling a computer game can cover many different subjects or disciplines. Whilst most commercial games are programmed in C+, this should not imply that teaching about programming games should use the same software tool.
GameMaker engages students with a programming environment that they can easily use to directly create, test, modify and evaluate their programming solutions. It can even do this in a single lesson, integrating and building upon their graphical, audio, logical and mathematics skills. Whilst GameMaker may inspire some to continue with their studies to learn a higher order programming language, it is not our only motivation for using it.
Making a game is greater than writing a program. Penning a cartoon is more than the technical aspects of writing, it includes elements of artwork, plot and story. Similarly, assembling a computer game can cover many different subjects or disciplines. Whilst most commercial games are programmed in C+, this should not imply that teaching about programming games should use the same software tool.
GameMaker engages students with a programming environment that they can easily use to directly create, test, modify and evaluate their programming solutions. It can even do this in a single lesson, integrating and building upon their graphical, audio, logical and mathematics skills. Whilst GameMaker may inspire some to continue with their studies to learn a higher order programming language, it is not our only motivation for using it.