GameGridKara 2.0 – Learning Java with Kara in Eclipse/NetBeans/etc.

Verfasst von Marco Jakob (some handout translations by Michael Kadri)

Worum geht es?

GameGridKara provides a simple introduction to programming with Java. The combination with JGameGrid enables the use of any IDE like Eclipse, NetBeans or BlueJ. With the mini-world of Kara the novice programmer immediately gets a visual feedback for his program. The following example program collects all the leaves until Kara reaches the tree:

while (!treeFront()) {
  if (onLeaf()) {
    removeLeaf();
  }
  move();
}

With GameGridKara basic programming concepts are learned. Some examples:

• Classes, Objects, and method calls
• Condition statements and loops
• Writing methods with parameters and return values
• Programming a game with keyboard control (Kara Sokoban)

Showcase of executable GameGridKara exercises

• Kara as guard (task 20 on handout 05)
• Kara Sokoban Game (handout 09)

Screenshot

Lesson Plan

1 lesson	Installation, importing scenarios into Eclipse/Netbeans/etc.
3 lessons	Getting to know Kara, creating objects and calling methods with the mouse, reading source code, writing the first program (chapter 1)
3-4 lessons	flow diagram, control structures (conditions and loops), boolean and logic operators (chapter 2)
3-4 lessons	Variables, data types and operators, the structure of a class, nested statements (chapter 3)
3-4 lessons	Programming a game, keyboard input, comparing Strings, reading Javadoc, designing ASCII levels, creating an exececutable Jar file (chapter 4)
3 lessons	Writing own methods with parameters and return values, repetition (chapter 5)
Further options
Option 1	Developing your own project with GameGridKara or JGameGrid
Option 2	Introduction to GUI-programming with JavaFX or Swing

Downloads

	Instructions for teachers	PDF [280 KB]
Scenarios for GameGridKara
	All scenarios	ZIP [3 MB]
	All scenarios with solutions	ZIP [3 MB]
Handouts
	Handout 01: Installation	Word [112 KB] · PDF [109 KB]
	Handout 02: Programming Survey	Word [51 KB] · PDF [55 KB]
	Handout 03: Chapter 1: First Steps	Word [502 KB] · PDF [247 KB]
	Handout 04: Chapter 1: First Steps Solutions	Word [50 KB] · PDF [74 KB]
	Handout 05: Chapter 2: Program Flow	Word [402 KB] · PDF [650 KB]
	Handout 06: Chapter 2: Program Flow Solutions	Word [52 KB] · PDF [55 KB]
	Handout 07: Chapter 3: Variables	Word [198 KB] · PDF [213 KB]
	Handout 08: Chapter 3: Variables Solutions	Word [51 KB] · PDF [52 KB]
	Handout 09: Chapter 4: Sokoban with Kara	Word [76 KB] · PDF [134 KB]
	Handout 10: Chapter 4: Sokoban with Kara Solutions	Word [49 KB] · PDF [48 KB]
	Handout 11: Chapter 5: Methods	Word [148 KB] · PDF [705 KB]
	Handout 12: Chapter 5: Methods Solutions	Word [51 KB] · PDF [284 KB]
All documents as Zip
	All documents (Microsoft Office Word)	ZIP [2 MB]

Links

GameGridKara Source on GitHub
JGameGrid Site