FA-0800Software Development

Python for Beginners: Games and Code-Alongs

Introduction

Why this course

Build Python programming foundations with exercises, quizzes, games and guided code-alongs. Practise variables, arithmetic, strings, decisions, collections, loops and functions while creating small interactive programs.

The three-day course provides a basis for further Python study. It does not teach machine learning, image/video processing or advanced game development; those are possible later learning paths.

Learning outcomes

Set up a selected Python environment and run and edit scripts.
Use variables, numbers, strings and comparisons in simple programs.
Work with lists and dictionaries and control execution using conditions and loops.
Define functions and use scope, argument passing and basic unpacking.
Combine these concepts in small game, simulator and text-processing exercises.

Prerequisites

No prior Python experience is required. Basic computer and file-handling skills and access to a selected Python 3 environment are useful.

Training outline

8 modules

01Getting started with programming7 topics

Logic
Algorithm
Programming world
Getting Started
Installing Python
IDEs
Environment options: local Python with IDLE or another editor, Jupyter notebooks, or hosted Colab

02Variables and scripts5 topics

Variables vs Objects
Scripting it in IDE’s
Updating Scripts
Variables Quiz
Coding Exercise: Creating Variables

03Numbers and arithmetic9 topics

Basic Numbers in Python
Basic Arithmetic, Floats and Modulo
Ordering Operations using (Brackets!)
PROJECT: Game - Part 1
PROJECT: Continuing with our Game - Part 2
Fun with the Python math Module
Python numbers quiz
Coding Exercise: Basic Algebra Coding Challenge
Coding Exercise: Overwriting Variables

04Strings and text projects15 topics

The ABCs - How to use Strings to handle text in Python
Hello World!
Coding Exercise: Hello World!
Coding Exercise: Fixing Broken Strings
PROJECT: Hello You! - Part 1 - Project
PROJECT: Hello You! - Part 2 - Collecting Data
PROJECT: Hello You! - Part 3 - String Formatting
Coding Exercise: How old are you?
Coding Exercise: Tell us about yourself!
Cool String Methods
PROJECT: Email Slicer - Part 1 - What are Slices?
PROJECT: Email Slicer - Part 2 - Automated Slices
Quiz: Slices Quiz
Coding Exercise: Slicer Exercise
PROJECT 3: Email Slicer - Part 3 - Making the Slicer!

05Conditions and logic8 topics

Logic and Conditional Flow
Booleans & Comparison Operators
Quiz: Comparison Operators Quiz
if Statements
Coding Exercise: If Statements Challenge
Python Logical Operators - Part 1 - not + and
Python Logical Operators - Part 2 - or operator
Quiz: Logical Operators Quiz

06Lists and dictionaries7 topics

Python Data structures
What are Lists?
PROJECT - Fun gaming system
More ways to add items to lists
Dictionaries Part 1 - What are Dictionaries?
Dictionaries Part 2 — build a small in-memory data store
PROJECT - Cinema Simulator!

07Loops and comprehensions6 topics

Loops In Python
While Loops
PROJECT: Funny Simulator
For Loops
List Comprehensions
Project — simple coder and text-transformation exercise

08Functions and a tic-tac-toe project7 topics

What are Functions?
Coding Exercise: Function Creation Challenge
Variable Scope
Keyword arguments and default parameter values
Function parameters
Packing & Unpacking using *args and **kwargs
PROJECT - Tic Tac Toe Game!

A programme built around your team.

Share your training goals and requirements.