my kryptonite :( please advise.

Getting Started Newbie Questions
#1

Hello community.  :slight_smile:

I have been a corona labs member for a few years now (2012 I think is when I started), and in that time I have discovered that programming is my kryptonite…

No matter hard I try to learn it, It just seems like an impossibility- which is why I am asking for some help today.

I can program a little bit in corona. I understanding how to display images, and very simple things, but when it comes to actual interaction, timers, math based events, etc. - my brain goes dead…Hence the title of this post.

What I am asking for is:

Does anyone know where I can get some training for creating a game with corona that is meant for ABSOLUTE beginners? Im not embarrased to say I will also take tutorials that are meant for kids too because thats how baffled I am at programming in corona.  :blink:

I am reaching out to the community in this way because I REALLY REALLY want to make a game with corona. Every time I open corona sdk I get really excited and am ready to do it but then reality sets in and I close corona with little to no work done.  :frowning:

And, I know I am not stupid because I worked in the game industry in Austin as an animation artist (using Maya) as well as web content for various websites- for more than a decade. But, for some reason programming seems like its my kryptonite… No matter how hard I try I just dont get it…Its like chinese to me.

Can I be helped? Can anyone help me? Are there any tutorials that I can use that will help me? Perhaps live training of some kind - I am willing to pay.

Im not sure what else to say here so I will end this post now. Thank you to anyone for any help.

This is my last attempt at trying to do this. Thank you in advance.

-Kind regards, 

#2

So programming is much like a recipe for a cake, except that you are the writing the recipe. You create step-by-step instructions on what you want the computer to do. Programming languages like Lua are very similar to English, Spanish, etc. They have specific syntax, nouns, verbs and sentence structure.

In life we know what “run”, “jump” and “walk” means when we are physically doing things things, but for computers you have to frequently break those actions down to their component steps: Bend at your knee, lean forward, push with your bent knee, bring your other leg forward to a position to catch yourself. In computer terms, those might be the commands need to make a person run and since it’s something a person might do often, you might want to group those commands together so you just “run” instead of having to type out those commands every time. In computer terms, that would be a function for instance.

I obviously can’t teach you to program in a forum thread and hopefully some of our wonder community members will add on to this, but I would consider doing some of the following:

  1. Visit Code.org  – This is a great site to get started with coding basics. Learning how to think in steps and make up the steps as you go along requires a different way of thinking and this site is a great place to start.

  2. Consider taking a programming class at a local community college, university, or even some cities Parks & Rec may offer Adult Education courses in learning to code.

  3. Look toward some online learning resources like lynda.com and https://www.pluralsight.com/.

  4. Have you tried our Getting Started guide yet?https://docs.coronalabs.com/guide/programming/index.html

If you’ve done web work, how comfortable are you with HTML and JavaScript?  Timeline animations in Maya?

Rob

#3

I strongly second option #2 from Rob’s list.  Taking a formal class in a real classroom is probably the best way to get started.  Having a teacher who can answer questions, a book(s) and other materials to reference, as well as co-students with whom to bounce ideas and questions around will get you rolling.

Note: You may not be able to find a  course covering Corona or even Lua, but you can probably find one of these:

  • programming fundamentals
  • BASIC
  • Perl
  • C

I would stay away from C++, C#, Java, Python, or any other object-oriented language to start.  Go with a fundamentals course or a scripting class.

Note 2: If you can’t get a formal class, learning BASIC first is actually something you can do on your own and is a great launching pad for programming in general.  

#4

Hi - 

I agree; I think option 2 is what I need. I already read the getting started guide (I just read it over again) and could not make it all the way through. There were just certain concepts I do not understand.

You are right when you ask about HTML because I can code in html 4 (not 5) with no problems. I have never used javascript, though. HTML 4 and MELscript (for animation in Maya) is pretty much as far as my coding knowledge goes. I have heard of BASIC, yet I have never used it. 

Thanks for the suggestions Rob and RoamingGamer. I will start looking into formal classes- I think its my best bet. Good day and thanks again. 

#5

I forgot to mention this, but there is a distinction between programming and game development.

A programmer may not necessarily be able to jump right in and (re-)make any game or game mechanic.

Knowing how games and game mechanics (plus the many other parts of games) work is a layer on top of general programming skill and knowledge.

First, learn to program.

Second, start learning game mechanics, beginning with non-graphical (text) games, then 2D games, then … wherever you want to go.  The territory is practically boundless.

#6

I code in many different languages and Lua is my favourite for many reasons (closures, tables, extend-ability, etc.).  

HTML is not code, it is a markup language.  To get a web page to do anything useful requires JavaScript.  If you have a base understanding of HTML then I would suggest a course in JS (stay away from libraries like jQuery as this is all shorthand code) and just get to grips with the basic building blocks of code.  

JS and Lua are quite similar in a lot of respects (just without the archaic {} notation.  You should be able to find a JS course in every school/adult education centre.

Or if you learn by example perhaps one of these might help - Corona SDK books (Disclaimer: I cannot vouch that they are any good)

#7

So programming is much like a recipe for a cake, except that you are the writing the recipe. You create step-by-step instructions on what you want the computer to do. Programming languages like Lua are very similar to English, Spanish, etc. They have specific syntax, nouns, verbs and sentence structure.

In life we know what “run”, “jump” and “walk” means when we are physically doing things things, but for computers you have to frequently break those actions down to their component steps: Bend at your knee, lean forward, push with your bent knee, bring your other leg forward to a position to catch yourself. In computer terms, those might be the commands need to make a person run and since it’s something a person might do often, you might want to group those commands together so you just “run” instead of having to type out those commands every time. In computer terms, that would be a function for instance.

I obviously can’t teach you to program in a forum thread and hopefully some of our wonder community members will add on to this, but I would consider doing some of the following:

  1. Visit Code.org  – This is a great site to get started with coding basics. Learning how to think in steps and make up the steps as you go along requires a different way of thinking and this site is a great place to start.

  2. Consider taking a programming class at a local community college, university, or even some cities Parks & Rec may offer Adult Education courses in learning to code.

  3. Look toward some online learning resources like lynda.com and https://www.pluralsight.com/.

  4. Have you tried our Getting Started guide yet?https://docs.coronalabs.com/guide/programming/index.html

If you’ve done web work, how comfortable are you with HTML and JavaScript?  Timeline animations in Maya?

Rob

#8

I strongly second option #2 from Rob’s list.  Taking a formal class in a real classroom is probably the best way to get started.  Having a teacher who can answer questions, a book(s) and other materials to reference, as well as co-students with whom to bounce ideas and questions around will get you rolling.

Note: You may not be able to find a  course covering Corona or even Lua, but you can probably find one of these:

  • programming fundamentals
  • BASIC
  • Perl
  • C

I would stay away from C++, C#, Java, Python, or any other object-oriented language to start.  Go with a fundamentals course or a scripting class.

Note 2: If you can’t get a formal class, learning BASIC first is actually something you can do on your own and is a great launching pad for programming in general.  

#9

Hi - 

I agree; I think option 2 is what I need. I already read the getting started guide (I just read it over again) and could not make it all the way through. There were just certain concepts I do not understand.

You are right when you ask about HTML because I can code in html 4 (not 5) with no problems. I have never used javascript, though. HTML 4 and MELscript (for animation in Maya) is pretty much as far as my coding knowledge goes. I have heard of BASIC, yet I have never used it. 

Thanks for the suggestions Rob and RoamingGamer. I will start looking into formal classes- I think its my best bet. Good day and thanks again. 

#10

I forgot to mention this, but there is a distinction between programming and game development.

A programmer may not necessarily be able to jump right in and (re-)make any game or game mechanic.

Knowing how games and game mechanics (plus the many other parts of games) work is a layer on top of general programming skill and knowledge.

First, learn to program.

Second, start learning game mechanics, beginning with non-graphical (text) games, then 2D games, then … wherever you want to go.  The territory is practically boundless.

#11

I code in many different languages and Lua is my favourite for many reasons (closures, tables, extend-ability, etc.).  

HTML is not code, it is a markup language.  To get a web page to do anything useful requires JavaScript.  If you have a base understanding of HTML then I would suggest a course in JS (stay away from libraries like jQuery as this is all shorthand code) and just get to grips with the basic building blocks of code.  

JS and Lua are quite similar in a lot of respects (just without the archaic {} notation.  You should be able to find a JS course in every school/adult education centre.

Or if you learn by example perhaps one of these might help - Corona SDK books (Disclaimer: I cannot vouch that they are any good)