Kodu Game Lab, originally named ''Boku'', is a programming

integrated development environment An integrated development environment (IDE) is a software application that provides comprehensive facilities to computer programmers for software development. An IDE normally consists of at least a source code editor, build automation tools a ...

(IDE) by

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...

FUSE Labs Microsoft's Future Social Experiences (FUSE) Labs was started by Ray Ozzie and is run bLili Cheng The group focuses on real-time and media rich experiences and is located in Bellevue, WA. It used to have offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Cam ...

. It runs on

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. It was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace on June 30, 2009. A Windows version is available to the general public for download from Microsoft's FUSE web portal.What is Kodu , Projects , Fuse Labs
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Overview

Kodu is a

visual programming In computing, a visual programming language (visual programming system, VPL, or, VPS) is any programming language that lets users create programs by manipulating program elements ''graphically'' rather than by specifying them ''textually''. A VP ...

tool which is used to teach basic coding with the use of blocks and pictures. Its design allows it to be accessed by anyone. Kodu is available to download as an Xbox One Indie Game. There is also a PC version in an open beta which is available to anyone at their website. Kodu is different from those other projects in several key ways: * It avoids typing code by having users construct programs using visual elements via a game controller * Rather than a bitmapped or 2D display, programs are executed in a 3D simulation environment, similar to

Alice Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...

Kodu Game Lab has also been used as an educational learning tool in selected schools and learning centers.

Language design

Kodu's programming model is simplified and can be programmed using a gaming controller or a combination of the keyboard and mouse. It dispenses with most "serious" programming conventions, including symbolic variables, branching, loops, number and string manipulation, subroutines, polymorphism, and so on. This simplicity is achieved by situating the programming task in a largely complete simulation environment. The user programs the behaviors of characters in a 3d world, and programs are expressed in a high-level, sensory paradigm consisting of a

rule-based system In computer science, a rule-based system is used to store and manipulate knowledge to interpret information in a useful way. It is often used in artificial intelligence applications and research. Normally, the term ''rule-based system'' is appli ...

or language, based on conditions and actions similarly to

AgentSheets AgentSheets was one of the first modern block-based programming language for kids. The idea of AgentSheets was to overcome syntactic challenges found in common text-based programming languages by using drag and drop mechanisms conceptualizing com ...

. The typical "hello world" of Kodu is:

see - fruit - move - towards

The grammar, as it were, of this expression is:

Where is:

filter> ...''

And is:

modifier> ...''

An illustrative variant of the above program is:

see - red - fruit - move - towards - quickly

Many different types of games can be made in Kodu, such as racing, strategy, RPGs, adventure, platform, puzzle, 1st person shooters, and others.

References

The Age (Australia): "Get With the Program"
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20080325000958/http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/03/techfest_demo_b.html Wired: TechFest Demo: Kodubr>Seed Magazine on KoduEdge Magazine: Do You Kodu?

External links

Kodu - Microsoft Research
{{Authority control Educational programming languages Software for children Microsoft Research Pedagogic integrated development environments Video game development software 2009 software

Overview

Language design

See also

References

External links