Have you ever dreamed about programming your very own video game? With the rise of the indie game developer and one-man gaming studios in 2013, this fantasy has never seemed more achievable. The only problem is that most gamers don’t know a thing about programming or writing code, and the ones that do take that extra step to learn them are quickly turned off by the monotony of text-based coding software. I could write an entire algorithm for how many times I fell asleep in my C++ programming class in high school.
Have you ever dreamed about programming your very own video game? With the rise of the indie game developer and one-man gaming studios in 2013, this fantasy has never seemed more achievable. The only problem is that most gamers don’t know a thing about programming or writing code, and the ones that do take that extra step to learn them are quickly turned off by the monotony of text-based coding software. I could write an entire algorithm for how many times I fell asleep in my C++ programming class in high school.
Kuato Studios has recognized this rigid barrier to getting kids interested in coding, and has set about trying to find a more engaging alternative to teaching its basic principles. The result is Hakitzu, a turn-based multiplayer strategy game, in which aspiring game developers can battle other players’ robots by writing lines of JavaScript code. The codes will be used to control the movements, tactics, and defensive strategies to successfully fight your opponent’s robot. For instance, type in “forward” and “backward” functions to move your robot accordingly, or code-in “FireRocket” to send your enemies running.
Hakitzu is the first in a series of games that are aimed to teach younger gamers a number of real-world principles in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. According to Kuato, research estimates that there will be one million more computer science jobs than computer science graduates in 2020, so even if you don’t want to make the next Hakitzu yourself, learning these important skills can still be vital to your future career. And hey, you get to battle giant robots while you’re doing it too! That sounds like a win-win situation if you ask me.
Kuato Studios plans to release future updates to Hakitzu based on user feedback every four weeks going forward, and gradually move towards more complex programming concepts. The game is also completely free to play, so if you’re still holding onto that dream of creating your very own video game one day, then Hakitzu might be the perfect place to get started.
