Smart Students

We have some very smart students. In C# we are considering problems you can have with conditions if you are checking for valid entries, for example:

if ( flimNo < 1 && filmNo > 5 )
{
     // unlikely we will get here
}
else
{
    // funny how this part always gets obeyed...
} 

I made the point that a number which is less than one and greater than five is pretty much impossible. Quick as a flash, one of our First Years said “Root 36”. Which can be -6 or 6.

FYI, what you really want if you want to reject invalid entries is to change that && (and) to || (or).

if ( flimNo < 1 || filmNo > 5 )
{
     // film number is invalid
} 
else 
{
    // film number is valid
}

Finding Things

Now that we have the teams we need some things. I’ve spent a chunk of the day (not a very large one admittedly) working on things to give the teams. There were some great suggestions on the web site, I’ve added a few more of my own. My favourite so far “with a banjo”.

Be very afraid.

Windows Phone Blue Book 2011 is coming

The Latest version of the Windows Phone Blue Book is taking shape. It seems to have grown to around 250 pages of Windows Phone 7.5 Mango powered goodness. It has all new content including coverage of databases, sockets, Fast Application Switching and lots of other good stuff. It will be released with a set of assets including slide decks and labs for those that want to use it for teaching. Microsoft Faculty Connection will be making it available soon. All I know is that I’ve finished writing all the words…

Three Thing Game is Full

I told the First Year C# lecture about Three Thing Game this afternoon and loads of them signed up. Well done folks. We are pretty much full now, with 23 teams in the mix. I’d planned for 15, so we are going to have to spread out into extra labs around the place. I’ll be assigning spaces to teams and asking you if you are bringing your own kit.

I’ll be doing some sessions about XNA and Windows Phone Game development next week in the lead up to the 24 hour development on Saturday. Some things to bear in mind:

• You can work on your game and assets in the run up to the 24 hour session.
• We will have some folks around to give you help overnight (including me)
• The best approach is to start with something simple that works and then add assets and behaviours. I’ll be giving out some sample code next week that will help.
• I expect everyone who makes something to put it out there, either via the Xbox Live Indie games or Windows Phone Marketplace. Anyone who gets a game out there is guaranteed a place at the next Three Thing Game in March next year.

This is our biggest ever event. We will need even more Pizza. I hope it will all fit in the van..

Nintendo 3DS Tip

What happens when a game of Katamari gets out of hand….

I’ve discovered a tip that makes the Nintendo 3DS portable game console much more fun to use. It makes the games look better and prevents that annoying headache that I used to get after around 10 minutes of gameplay.

I just have to turn the 3D slider all the way to the bottom.