Re: [pygame] Introduction + call to join project for creating game frameworks

[Miriam English <mim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Clare,

I have been offline for a bit pulling my computer apart to do some 
repairs so I've come in on the thread a bit late.

Ignore the cute comments about people decrying "programming without 
programming". I doubt those people still program by loading memory 
locations with binary numbers of assembly codes (like I used to) -- they 
take the "easy" way out, and of course it can't be programming if it is 
easy. :)

I applaud your efforts to lure kids into programming this way, and more 
importantly raising their sights to do stuff that helps change the world 
for the better.

You might want to look at RenPy
http://renpy.org
It is a python framework for creating so-called visual novels or Ren'ai 
(Japanese for "romance") stories. Renpy is very easy to use, though it 
isn't point-and-click. My 10-year-old niece is working on a story she's 
creating in renpy. The easiest way to use renpy is to pull apart the two 
examples that come with it.

Most ren'ai stories deal with personal relationships rather than action 
oriented killing games and perhaps because of that quite a lot of women 
and girls are involved, both as audience and creators.

Download some of the free renai stories from
http://renai.us/

There is an active and helpful renpy community at
http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/

Hope this helps,

	- Miriam

Clare Richardson wrote:
> Hello all,
> I'm new to this list, so I'll introduce myself. I'm currently working on
> Project IT Girl, a program that teaches 60 high school girls in Austin,
> Texas, about how they can change the world through the use of
> technology. This year, Project IT Girls learn basic programming through
> designing and developing their own unique educational games written with
> Python and **Pygame**!
>
> For the next 2 - 3 months, the girls will be fleshing out their game
> idea. Some girls are designing games directly related to school
> subjects: astronomy, chemistry, multiplication, algebra, etc. But MOST
> of the girls are interested in educating children about more social
> issues: fuel conservation, recycling, AIDS testing, hygiene, nutrition,
> etc.
>
> We have an IMMEDIATE need to create game frameworks on top of Pygame for
> several game genres (maze game, adventure game, arcade game, etc) that
> can be easily used by budding programmers creating their first Pygame
> project. Over 90% of our girls have zero programming experience and, to
> be honest, not much interest in programming. Their main interest is in
> creating a product that makes a difference. So, we want to make it as
> easy as possible for them to succeed in making their games. I've taken a
> look at the libraries on the Pygame website and I can't find anything
> that fits our needs, so we need you to...
>
> JOIN OUR PROJECT!!!
>
> We need YOUR Pygame expertise and time to make this happen!! If you're
> interested in working on this in the next 3 months, PLEASE let me know!
> We have FUNDING we can put towards it, it's for a great cause, and it
> will help to broaden the Pygame community. What's stopping you from
> helping??
>
> Thanks,
> Clare Richardson
> Technology and Program Coordinator
> Girlstart
> clare@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


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A life! Cool! Where can I download one of those from?
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Website: http://miriam-english.org
Blog: http://www.livejournal.com/users/miriam_e/