Easy To Make Computer Games; Or, A Tiny Invitation Into The World Of Programming

I won’t get too technical, but I must ask you to begin learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

HTML is just nested object notation, CSS just applies some properties to the objects that deal with their layout.

And JavaScript, is a language in the powerful C family, that does not burden you with defining the structure of your variables.

And yes, there are other languages, but when you finish programs in those, you still have to learn JavaScript, to so stuff with them on the web.

Now, let us set technical things aside,.

And talk about easy game making, that will inspire you, towards learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

This idea is the most dangerous of them all, it is inspired by Mad Dog McCree a 1993 title for the PC.

Take a look at the full walk-though video, and note how this game is just a collection of video snippets.

It has proper actors in costumes, and even impressive stunt work.

Here you would create a series of videos, and monitor for coordinates of clicks via the on click event.

You stage a scene where some bad guys, or aliens, pop up, and give the user 3 seconds to start shooting.

If they miss, or fail to shoot, you play a gave over version of the scene.

Otherwise your actors fall or run away, and you continue with the game.

Now let me take you to a much simpler clicker, that rather than videos uses just a side scrolling wall.

Incredibly simple, but with AI generated graphics, maybe pixel art, maybe some kind of a backroom door madness.

Simplicity can become captivating, take a look at the still quite scary Aliens: The Computer Game (UK Version) released in 1986

Here we are entering a strange new zone, a lick of undiscovered country.

Because some objects, doors, creatures, in this type of side scroller can either be randomized.

Or flat out created by an AI, while the user is playing, based on the choices they have made.

Take a look at the [game map][7] as well, it is not simple or linear at all, it is beautiful and comlex.

And the programming that you would do here, could use the horizontal scroll-bar alone.

You could be showing off some beautiful and detailed graphics, along with real photos, or you may even generate AI Pizel Art is you wish.

And just like above, you grab x and y coordinates, but you can also put click logic in things you show on top of the background.

A monster that pops up, can just handle its own on click event, cool beans.

My final idea is inspired by choose your own adventure books, rather than relying on hot zones or x/y coordinates.

You are clicking links, in narrated text, don’t burden your user with reading, tell the story with an audio file.

Let AI write the text, you can just edit it down, to what you need and ask for more.

You still need images here, and they should be interesting and unique.

Preferably generated on the fly, based on the choices the user is making.

As to the story line, there is something unexplored about AI art generators.

You can ask them to generate unique images, for every paying user, images never seen before.

Ancient robots deep inside pyramids, huge monsters deep inside woods.

By making pictures look all very authentic looking, and generating text on the fly, you will pull the user in.

And in fact, the game will transform from, choose your own adventure…

To more like build your own adventure, without the user noticing.

You can make the programming as simple as a bunch of HTML files, but this is a good candidate for creating a tiny WikiWiki.

Which only really has a page view mode, a page edit mode, and accepts edited version via a post to a save route.

This would take you towards learning node.js, and using express.js, effectively programming your own HTTP application.

I learned programming when I was little, by dreaming about being able to draw pixels on my C64 screen.

I discovered a Simon’s BASIC cartridge, (basic is a programming language) and inhaled the entire BASIC programming language manual.

My parents were chasing me away from the computer, my bullies were freaking out I was smarter they were.

And my teachers were grading me down, but I was absorbing programming.

With just that one simple – frankly god-like - wish. let me draw a pixel, on my TV.

Later in High Scool I had the same wish, but now, wanted to create a window on my desktop.

I prepared for the worse, just to discover, that it was more BASIC, a language called Visual Basic.

Learning programming is a wonderful experience, and now with generative AI, it is even more fun.

As you get to script an intelligence; however faint it may be, it will still deliver the unexpected and wonderful.