Over the last weekend, I found a wonderful set of tutorials for a game I have called NWN2, which I was looking into using the toolset of to make games. I stumbled across some tutorials for scripting and modding the game code, which looked very interesting. When I read up on it and looked at some examples that I could access, I found out that it was a C based language, and the syntax reminded me of Java. This was something I was really excited to find, and hope to put to use later in my spare time.

The following link is a link to only one of the sites, there are many more tutorials on a site called the vault, which compiles a lot of scripting and toolset work into one location, as well as instructions.
http://www.nwn2scripting.com/

This last week, we went over string return methods. I have been getting more used to Java, but it is taking longer than I would hope. I am more excited about beginning to program, however, and am always looking for new ways to get better at it. Sadly, core classes have been getting in the way of this. Once Mr. Stephens walked me through one of the labs, I found that Java was a lot more intuitive than I first thought. The only issue that I have still been having is finding in what location to put the relavent piece of code, and that is what I think I would want next addressed.

Blog Post: This Week

I have had more trouble with java than I was expecting. I just wish that the program commands made a little more sense (as in, words or phrases that were more like speaking to the computer), although I guess I will have to deal with it, in the end. It will take some getting used to that is for sure, and will require some more work, but I believe I can work it out.

It seems to me that the programs we have done this year have alternated in my level of how much I have liked them. The more visual programs really worked for me, but the more complex, wordy ones I had some trouble with, and fear I will have more trouble with in the future, if something is not done about it.
As far as programming its self went, I MUCH preferred Jeroo to Alice. I found Alice to be overly complex for what it was trying to do, with too many unnecessary commands. It became more of a task to actually find what you needed than to actually work through the problem. Jeroo, on the other hand, was very straight forward, it gave a good graphical representation, helped with programming and, most importantly, was fun to work with. Compared to any other labs, I think they were the most enjoyable, next to making the game of Pong in Scratch (a program that I also liked). I think that for future versions of the class, a direct cut to Jeroo and on would probably be more advantageous to the learning process. In Scratch, things were very, very visual, with only drag and drop for word placement, and in Jeroo, there was a very clear representation of what was going on physically. In addition, the verbal code was incredibly simple, Jeroo only needing method calls, a few movements or simple actions, and a constructor or two. Things were drastically different, however, when it came to Alice. While Alice gave some visual and physical representation of how the code was going to be executed and of the things in the program, it was often quite difficult to find what part of the program a certain phrase was in, or the exact terminology used if you wanted to execute a specific command, such as certain kinds of movement.
My worry with Java is that it will be much like Alice, only without any visual aid at all. From my current level of experience with it, I have found the wordings and vocabulary opaque, the necessary terms needed hard to find and/or remember, and the direction and capabilities of the program as a whole uncertain. I really hope that as the class progresses, the pace of Java is slowed up a bit from what it was for Jeroo, as it does not seem to be clicking for me on the same level as the previous programming programs. I do not think I am fully understanding the reason for much of the code, and have been having more trouble than I would care to admit remembering the term required when I have no link to make in my head. This, I feel, is one of the essential parts of making programming “work” in the minds of programmers. There has to be a connection between the words typed out on the page and what they do in the program. In Jeroo, “hop();” ment to hop forward, and “pick();” meant to pick up a flower. In Java, however, such simple things as making it possible to spit out a number require at least 3 lines of basic code, plus start up, and more obscure wordings. Once the connection is drawn between what is being said and what it does is made, the problem will be solved. Until then, I must soldier on.

MakeupBlogPost:

Overall, I have really enjoyed Jeroo. I feel that the program could do a lot, but was not overly complicated. My transition into Java has been a bit rough, as I don't really feel that the language is all that intuitive, and am having trouble making some of the connections between the labs and slides and how to really apply it. It seems to me I am having some of the same vocabulary issues I was having with Alice. I suppose these will clear up over the next semester, though.

Ironically enough, my primary problem with computer science right now has been having a hard time phrasing my blog posts in a different manner each time I wish to say that I have been having no trouble programming. I have done my best to check a thesaurus, but I can't help but feel that my wording is getting old. I will do my best to rectify the situation, but I see little solution.

My troubles, as minimal as they are with Jeroo, have not been stemming from any difficulty with programming, but with staying focussed. More often than not, I can't seem to concentrate and focus long enough to do all of the code all at once, as it becomes rather repetitive after a while. It is much easier to stay engaged when I have to think of a new way to do something or program in a more advanced language rather than type out more code that I know how to do, but there is just a lot of.