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Update: August 2022

Hi, all! I bet you thought I forgot about this project. Far from it! I really miss working on this book. I have, though, been writing ... about MakeCode Arcade, to boot!

You can learn about a course that I wrote with another author at the MakeCode Arcade home page. Scroll down to the Courses section, and you'll find a new course named Introduction to Computer Science with MakeCode Arcade. The curriculum is available for free on GitHub to verified educators.

The pandemic interrupted my writing schedule, but I'm returning to my personal projects now that we have wrapped up the Microsoft project. This update includes the next chapter on variables and data types. I've also added the raw text for a couple of new appendices taken from posts that I've made in the MakeCode forums. The outline also reflects two new chapters on debugging.

I recently started using the LaTeX typesetting system, and I have fallen in love with it. I will be taking another pause from adding new content to this book while I convert the existing text to LaTeX. As I do so, I'll be writing about my journey and the tools that I use in another book. If you're interested, you can follow my progress here:

https://leanpub.com/latex-tech-pub

That book will be available free of charge on Leanpub. The next preview of this book will be typeset with LaTeX, and the online course should be ready for you to preview, too.

Stay tuned!

-----

About Robo teaches programming

Robo teaches programming is a six-part double-trilogy! We start slowly, introducing you to basic programming concepts with a focus on graphical applications. In the later parts of the series, we introduce you to some more advanced concepts that are fundamental to computer science.

Intended audience

The series is meant to be used in undergraduate college courses, although the books can be used in a high school setting or by anyone else with an interest in programming. Part zero is meant to be used in a CS0-style course; parts one and two for CS1; parts three and four for CS2.

Looking for something geared toward a younger audience? Don't fret: I have something planned for the youngsters, too! Stay tuned.

Titles in the series

Part zero: A history of video games
Part zero mark II: Time to type!
Part one: The basics
Part two: Beyond the basics and introduction to OOP
Part three: Advanced OOP
Part four: Introduction to data structures and algorithms

About this book: Part zero

This volume is the first two parts of the series. In Part zero: A history of video games, we start gently and get our feet wet early in a great environment: Microsoft MakeCode Arcade. We begin by exploring an existing game within the environment. By the end of the first chapter, you've created your first masterpiece! We use the Blocks interface throughout this prelude, yet we learn to create some pretty sophisticated programs. We also stroll through the history of video games throughout the book to give our projects some additional context.

In Part zero mark II: Time to type, we continue to use MakeCode Arcade, but we shift gears and start using the TypeScript language. We begin this part in the series with an orientation to the language, implementing mechanics that we learned in the Blocks environment and translating them into TypeScript. Then, we embark on a journey through three historic games. In each game, we learn what made the game unique, what new programming mechanics were used in the game, and the logic within the game

About the preview

If you purchase preview access to this title, you will receive the following:

Access to work-in-progress versions of this volume, including both Part zero: A history of video games and Part zero mark II: Time to type, in electronic formats (PDF, MOBI, and EPUB).
Access to college-level online courses based on Part zero and Part zero mark II (list price: $199.98).
Access to the final electronic versions and any future revisions of this first edition (list price: $24.95).
An autographed copy of the first printing of Robo teaches programming part zero: A history of video games in paperback when it is available (list price without autograph: $19.99).
An autographed copy of the first printing of Robo teaches programming part zero mark II: Time to type in paperback when it is available (list price without autograph: $19.99).
An autographed copy of the first printing of Robo teaches programming part zero and part zero mark II in full-color hardback when it is available (list price: $99.99).

The autographed, first-print copies are only available to my preview customers in the United States. If you purchase this title after it is released, you will receive the volume in electronic form only. (You will be able to purchase physical forms of the volume separately.) For those of you outside of the United States, feel free to inquire about the availability of the preview goodies in your country.

Book status

The outline of the book is complete, and most of the activities have been created. The first three chapters of Part zero: A history of video games are ready, and the book has been released for preview.

Part zero status

Introduction: rough edit
Chapter one: rough edit
Chapter two: rough edit
Chapter three: rough edit
Chapter four: rough edit
Appendix A: rough edit
Appendix B: rough edit
Appendix C: in progress
Appendix D: rough edit
Appendix G: rough edit
Appendix H: in progress

Part zero mark II status

Introduction: rough edit
Appendix B: rough edit
Appendix C: rough edit
Appendix F: in progress

Book sample

Read a sample of the book right here on Leanpub! Visit the following link:

Go to excerpt of Part zero: A history of video games.

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