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Topic: Kodu Game Lab now available!

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DarkG

Microsoft has released a new game/tool aimed at young kids to help them learn the basics of programming.

Microsoft wrote:

REDMOND, Wash. – Jan. 12, 2010 – Microsoft is pushing to bring computer programming back into the classroom – and back into the realm of the imagination.

That push comes through Kodu, a game developed by Microsoft Research that invites users to create their own worlds while teaching them the basics of game development. Originally designed as a learning tool for youngsters using Xbox 360, Kodu is now available in a public beta for the PC. The move to the PC platform stands to make the game more attractive to schools. By eliminating the need for controllers, schools don’t need any special equipment – students can start building worlds with just a PC and a keyboard.

Full press release and more information: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2010/jan10/01-12K...

You can go ahead and try Kodu here: http://fuse.microsoft.com/kodu/

Edited on by DarkG

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Nintendork

Wait a second, a company that, to put it lightly, isn't that good at programming, releases a tool to teach how to program? LMAO

I'll still download it, though

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DarkG

@Nintendork
They have the best development tools out there in the form of Visual Studio and related technologies... they are experts of high-level programming.

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IlikeVideoGames

That is actually pretty cool.

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V8_Ninja

Huh......

Those two/three letters (and six punctuation marks) are my thoughts on this entire thing. Will it actually work? Doesn't it take years to develop a simple engine? Isn't coding mind-boggling complicated? Investigative actions must commence.

EDIT: I said "words" instead of "letters" the first time around. Yeah, I'm a moron.

Edited on by V8_Ninja

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DarkG

V8+Ninja wrote:

Doesn't it take years to develop a simple engine? Isn't coding mind-boggling complicated?

That's the whole point of this, to teach the basics of programming... coding isn't complicated once you get the hang to it, and it is tools like this the ones that help on that matter...

PS: You'll need the XNA Framework 3.1 (a 7 MB download) before installing Kodu... if it isn't installed on your system, the Kodu installer will give you a Download button for that, but you can download it here too: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=5386...

Edited on by DarkG

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the_shpydar

Kodu has been available on 360 for a while now; there was a big feature on it in (i think) OXM a few months back. I haven't checked it out personally, but apparently it is very user friendly with a good amount of variety in what you can do.

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V8_Ninja

DarkG wrote:

V8+Ninja wrote:

Doesn't it take years to develop a simple engine? Isn't coding mind-boggling complicated?

That's the whole point of this, to teach the basics of programming... coding isn't complicated once you get the hang to it, and it is tools like this the ones that help on that matter...

You've convinced me to try this. I'll be back in a day or two to tell you a progress report.

P.S. Stop using three periods!

EDIT: Does anyone know the requirements for it? I'm not sure that I'll be able to run it.

Edited on by V8_Ninja

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DarkG

Kodu Game Lab is also available for Xbox 360. Unlike the PC version which is a Technical Preview, it is the final version and is not free, costing 400 Microsoft Points ($4.99): http://marketplace.xbox.com/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-91...

System requirements are quite low... it should work on anything with 512 MB of RAM, a 1 GHz CPU and a Shader Model 2.0 compatible graphics card (any DirectX 9.0 GPU and up will be more than enough)

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V8_Ninja

DarkG wrote:

System requirements are quite low... it should work on anything with 512 MB of RAM, a 1 GHz CPU and a Shader Model 2.0 compatible graphics card (any DirectX 9.0 GPU and up will be more than enough)

Thanks for the requirements! Time to get down to inspecting...

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