Writings from the author of Automate the Boring Stuff.
Fri 19 August 2011 Al Sweigart
This is a mistake a lot of new programmers make. The coder comes up with some clever trick or that can save a few bytes of memory or shave a few nanoseconds off of a function. You must learn that these "clever tricks" aren't really worth it.
Thu 11 August 2011 Al Sweigart
This is a programming tutorial for beginner and intermediate programmers who want to learn what recursion is. The programming language used for the examples is Python, but you can probably follow along if you know programming in some other language such as PHP or JavaScript.
Fri 24 June 2011 Al Sweigart
Here's the source code for a Bejeweled clone called Gemgem, written in Python with Pygame.
Mon 13 June 2011 Al Sweigart
Here's a Sokoban ("box pusher") clone called Star Pusher. I've used the graphics from the Planet Cute collection. You'll need Python (2 or 3) and Pygame installed to run it. Just download and unzip the files to the same directory. It comes with 201 levels from David W. Skinner.
Fri 10 June 2011 Al Sweigart
I've made a Connect Four AI in Python with Pygame.
Mon 16 May 2011 Al Sweigart
I wanted to share this link to a great site with some simple Pygame examples:
There is also a textbook draft called "Introduction to Computer Science Using Python and Pygame" by Paul Vincent Craven.
Mon 09 May 2011 Al Sweigart
"MooseGesture" is a Python module that implements a basic mouse gesture recognition system. It can identify gestures made up of strokes in the eight cardinal and diagonal directions.
Sat 30 April 2011 Al Sweigart
I've compiled a list of free graphics and sound files that you can use in your games. The chapter on using graphics and sound files with the Pygame library is in Chapter 19 of the "Invent with Python" book.
Sun 06 March 2011 Al Sweigart
Made a new game with Pygame. It's called "Squirrel Eat Squirrel", where you move your squirrel around the screen eating the smaller squirrels and avoiding the larger ones. The more squirrels you eat, the larger you grow.
Fri 25 February 2011 Al Sweigart
I have a text version of a Connect Four clone done. The AI for it looks ahead two moves, which makes it fairly impossible to beat unless you concentrate.
Sat 12 February 2011 Al Sweigart
I'd just like to announce that "Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python" has just sold its 1000th hard copy since it's gone on sale last May.
Wed 09 February 2011 Al Sweigart
Here's a cipher disk that you can print and cutout to help you manually implement the Caesar Cipher. Simply download and printout the PDF and cut out the two circles and place them on top of each other.
Mon 03 January 2011 Al Sweigart
Welcome to the Code Comments Tutorial for Flippy, an Othello clone. Code Comments is a series of simple games with detailed comments in the source code, so you can see how the game works.
Fri 03 December 2010 Al Sweigart
Thu 18 November 2010 Al Sweigart
Welcome to the Code Comments Tutorial for Tetromino, a Tetris clone. Code Comments is a series of simple games with detailed comments in the source code, so you can see how the game works.
Fri 29 October 2010 Al Sweigart
Welcome to the Code Comments Tutorial for Snakey, a Nibbles clone. Code Comments is a series of simple games with detailed comments in the source code, so you can see how the game works.
Fri 08 October 2010 Al Sweigart
Welcome to the Code Comments Tutorial for Slide Puzzle. Code Comments is a series of simple games with detailed comments in the source code, so you can see how the game works.
Thu 30 September 2010 Al Sweigart
Welcome to the Code Comments Tutorial for Simulate (A "Simon" clone.) Code Comments is a series of simple games with detailed comments in the source code, so you can see how the game works.
Tue 28 September 2010 Al Sweigart
Welcome to the Code Comments Tutorial for Memory. Code Comments is a series of simple games with detailed comments in the source code, so you can see how the game works.
Mon 27 September 2010 Al Sweigart