Invent your Own Computer Games with Python
Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python teaches you how to program in the Python. Each chapter gives you the complete source code for a new game, and then teaches the programming concepts from the example. The programs covered include Hangman, Tic Tac Toe, Reversi, Caesar Cipher, Guess the Number, and Dragon Realm. Later chapters cover how to make 2D graphical games using the popular Pygame library. You'll learn how to: * Put together loops, variables, input/output, and flow control statements into working programs * Use data structures such as lists, dictionaries, and tuples * Debug programs and find errors * Program simple game-playing AI opponents * Draw graphics and animation into your games The book is available under a Creative Commons license and can be downloaded in full for free from "Invent with Python" was written to be understandable by kids as young as 10 to 12 years old, although it is great for anyone of any age who has never programmed before. [][1]
Stats for nerds
36recommend
43mentions
37people
2009–2024years
98% recommend2% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- Al Sweigarts books also a good option too and available online for free
- I learned Python and "crypto" (as in cryptography) in one fell swoop:
https://inventwithpython.com/cracking/
Next up is Metasploit:
https://www.offensive-security.com/metasploit-unleashed/
(Which oddly, blocks Tor. Rude!)
- I've been using this:
"Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python, 4th Edition."
https://inventwithpython.com/invent4thed/
I feel like it has been going pretty well so far.
- I didn't really grok cryptography until I used this:
https://inventwithpython.com/cracking/chapter5.html
Part of it was bad teaching -- same lessons over and over til you're exhausted doing ROT13, it's better to do one exercise on paper and have it be the Vigenère cipher or by the time you're covering something beyond the Ovaltine cipher the campers will be too tired to learn.
People focus too much on busywork in these classes, when modern analysis will be done using a computer. Maybe in a SCIF, but... there will be a computer involved.
A few scripts to easily brute force weird shit you find on other people's machines can be useful, or so I've heard -- also who calls it a "kaiser cipher"? Tell me that and I can tell you the answer to Life, The Universe, and Everything.
- I don't know why jtimiclat's comment recommending Al Sweigart's books got downvoted and faded out, they are indeed quite good for beginners wanting to get their hands dirty with programming instead of cramming it in an academic way.
Not to mention they're all freely available and give excellent value for both time and money: https://inventwithpython.com/
- learn crypto https://inventwithpython.com/cracking/chapter5.html
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