The Cheese 1

So I mentioned that I decided to learn Java in my last blog. I kinda wanted to see if learning a new programming language would help the one that gives me paychecks for (VB.NET). It does! It's funny how much I thought I knew about .Net and how little I do know about it. So funny it's startling...

My original attempt to learn Java is to create an application game that could help second graders with math. I was able to fumble through a rudimentary alpha version that looked horrible to the eyes. I wanted something pretty and interesting. I needed it to look like a game, not a homework lesson. Queue the YouTube!

TheChernoProject Clone

I started out with sweeping searches on YouTube before settling in with thenewboston. Following his tutorials, I butchered code into things unrecognizable. I obviously needed a lot more practice. I then moved to DesignsbyZephyr and then again butchered more code. A little bit frustrated, I continued my search until finding TheChernoProject. I got up to episode 80 until I butchered my code to nonrecognition . This time, I decided to stick with the program. I restarted back at episode 1 and made my journey to episode 111. Now I'm confident enough to play with Java now. While waiting on Cherno to release his next episode, I studied OOP concepts and then practiced them from about 9pm -11pm  every night. Currently, I'm following MrDeathJockey in his series and I notice, my code deviating wildly from his but I'm getting similar results. Better results. This is not a knock on MrDeathJockey. I am just envisioning a different game engine than what he is tutoring. 

MrDeathJockey Hybrid Clone

This is what I have so far. This game will tenatively be called 'The Cheese'. It's about a rat trying to find his ... wait for it ... cheese. The concept came from making mob sprites for Cherno's clone. This offshoot game features the lowly lvl 1 rat mob moving through a bit-mapped maze, looking for wedges of cheese.

I imagine that once I'm halfway happy with 'The Cheese', I'll make another offshoot of the game and add more Math Logic and have the rat be a student and the cheese be potential answers to displayed equations with difficulty scaled by level.