Few Newbie questions please?

Getting Started Newbie Questions
#1
  1. Is it possible to do something like this? (looks like they deleted the link - so battlecode offered by MIT, where we write code for our robots and have them attack each other - see whose is best).  battlecode dot org)

Is this something that is possible for this language or impossible?  I think it would be cool, but not sure is possible for Lua or CoronaSDK.

  1. I am curious about the Paypal plugin.  I thought Apple required all payments on the iPhone to go through them, so we couldn’t use PayPal.  So, is this for other platforms instead of iPhone or am I mistaken?

  2. What is a good age for students to start learning this product?

Thanks!
 

#2

1.  Corona SDK can open up standard TCP/IP sockets and either use TCP or UDP protocols.  There are not much in the way of high-level API’s, but you can do basic socket work.  Lua doesn’t have descrete number types, like integers, shorts, etc.  It only has floats.  So any bit level manipulation would require a bit or work or our bitwise plugin (Pro and Enterprise level subscribers).   Basic http: and https: requests are supported as well (with some higher level API calls). 

2.  Apple requires that any soft purchases go through their IAP system.  That would include app upgrades, music downloads, subscriptions to electronic magazines.  However, they allow Paypal for real-world goods.

  1. We’ve had kids as young as 9 or 10 show up in the forums learning it.  There have been several successful 12-14 year olds who’ve gotten national attention for their work.  One of our key contributors here is 14.   We also have a 71 year old just learning how to build games too.  There is another 5 year old who built an app.  His dad did the programming, but he did all the artwork, game design and story on his own.

Rob

#3

1.  Corona SDK can open up standard TCP/IP sockets and either use TCP or UDP protocols.  There are not much in the way of high-level API’s, but you can do basic socket work.  Lua doesn’t have descrete number types, like integers, shorts, etc.  It only has floats.  So any bit level manipulation would require a bit or work or our bitwise plugin (Pro and Enterprise level subscribers).   Basic http: and https: requests are supported as well (with some higher level API calls). 

2.  Apple requires that any soft purchases go through their IAP system.  That would include app upgrades, music downloads, subscriptions to electronic magazines.  However, they allow Paypal for real-world goods.

  1. We’ve had kids as young as 9 or 10 show up in the forums learning it.  There have been several successful 12-14 year olds who’ve gotten national attention for their work.  One of our key contributors here is 14.   We also have a 71 year old just learning how to build games too.  There is another 5 year old who built an app.  His dad did the programming, but he did all the artwork, game design and story on his own.

Rob