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Mission Python: Code a Space Adventure Game! by [Sean McManus]

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Sean McManus

Mission Python: Code a Space Adventure Game! Kindle Edition

by Sean McManus (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

141 ratings

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Program a graphical adventure game in this hands-on, beginner-friendly introduction to coding in the Python language.

Launch into coding with Mission Python, a space-themed guide to building a complete computer game in Python. You'll learn programming fundamentals like loops, strings, and lists as you build Escape!, an exciting game with a map to explore, items to collect, and tricky logic puzzles to solve. As you work through the book, you'll build exercises and mini-projects, like making a spacewalk simulator and creating an astronaut's safety checklist that will put your new Python skills to the test. You'll learn how to use Pygame Zero, a free resource that lets you add graphics and sound effects to your creations, and you'll get useful game-making tips, such as how to design fun puzzles and intriguing maps. Before you know it, you'll have a working, awesome game to stump your friends with (and some nifty coding skills, too!). You can follow this book using a Raspberry Pi or a Microsoft Windows PC, and the 3D graphics and sound effects you need are provided as a download.

Reading age

10 - 12 years
Print length

280 pages
Language

English
Grade level

5 - 6
Lexile measure

1020L
Publisher

No Starch Press
Publication date

October 16, 2018
Page Flip

Enabled
Word Wise

Not Enabled
Enhanced typesetting

Enabled
ISBN-13

978-1593278571
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Eric Matthes
6,403
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in Python Computer Programming
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Al Sweigart
386
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Al Sweigart
2,129
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Al Sweigart
100
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Julien Danjou
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Raina Burditt MS MA
126
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1 offer from $9.99

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From the Publisher

Make Your Own Space Adventure

Code and play a puzzle-based adventure game that takes place on a space station.

Pygame Zero, Python, learn to code, Python game, programming

Escape the Space Station

Find your way out before running out of air.

Program the Animation

Learn to code the moving parts yourself.

Complete Your Mission

Follow along with exercises and debrief at the end of each chapter.

Review

"Sean McManus has managed to put Python programming language within easy reach."
—Teach Secondary

"Mission Python takes a reader from their first steps in programming to completing their first game."
—Custom PC Magazine

"If you’re looking for additions to your computer science education or gifts for your budding programmer, I’d generally recommend anything from No Starch Press, but Mission Python is one of my new favorites."
—GeekMom

"A great book to get into coding a game in Python."
—Othelo Vieira, OtheloVieira.com

About the Author

Sean McManus is an experienced computer book author, with extensive experience in writing coding books for children. His children's titles include Cool Scratch Projects in Easy Steps, Scratch Programming in Easy Steps, and Super Skills: How To Code in 10 Easy Lessons. He co-wrote Raspberry Pi For Dummies with Mike Cook. Sean has been a Code Club volunteer, helping junior school children to learn programming in weekly sessions. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B072STNXT8
Publisher ‏ : ‎ No Starch Press (October 16, 2018)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 16, 2018
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 18478 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #909,507 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #111 in Children's Computer Programming
- #252 in Children's Video & Electronic Game Books
- #339 in Computer Games Programming

Customer Reviews:
141 ratings

About the author

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Sean McManus

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Sean McManus writes inspiring books about business and technology.

He is the author/co-author of Mission Python, Cool Scratch Projects in Easy Steps, Coder Academy, Scratch Programming in Easy Steps, Raspberry Pi For Dummies, iPad for the Older and Wiser, Web Design in Easy Steps, Microsoft Office for the Older and Wiser, The Customer Service Pocketbook, The Interviewer's Pocketbook, Social Networking for the Older and Wiser, and Small Business Websites That Work.

His novel Earworm, published on Amazon in 2015, is a techno-thriller that takes a slice through the music industry: from the boardroom to the stage; from the studio to the record fair. The story explores how fans relate to their favourite bands, how businesses can use technology to manipulate consumers, and what would happen if the music business disappeared overnight.

He has written for magazines including Musician, Future Music, Making Music, Melody Maker, Raspberry Pi Geek, The MagPi, The Author, Press Gazette, Internet Magazine, Personal Computer World, Internet Works, Marketing Week, Start & Run Your Business, and Business 2.0. His first published pieces were program listings and programming tutorials in Amstrad Action and Amstrad Computer User.

Customer reviews

5 star		71%
4 star		19%
3 star		5%
2 star		3%
1 star		2%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Rough around the edges and lots of non-learning work required .

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2020

Verified Purchase

Too many accidental hacks you have to do to get it working - lots of distractions from the joy of learning to code, and not Mac OS X friendly.

The story parts are ok. But I think a good didactic course in programming with interesting metaphors would have been better then having to juggle hundreds of images and so on.

The game itself is lackluster and hard to understand , so the goal isn’t really super inspiring .

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

Kacey P.

Fiancé loves it

Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2019

Verified Purchase

Got this for my fiancé as a Christmas present. He’s always wanted to learn how to make video games, and I thought this would help him get started. He’s also an astrophysicist, so the topical similarity was kinda cute haha. He absolutely loved it. He got through the book in a week alongside his normal work. He had some issues getting it started with Linux, but we eventually got it figured out. The writing style was great for beginners. Highly recommend.

11 people found this helpful

Helpful

T Ford

Great to learn lists and dictionaries in Python

Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2019

Verified Purchase

The book covers the steps to build a large and multifaceted project. If you go through all of it, you will have a good understanding of Python and particularly data-generated games. The book makes heavy use of both lists and dictionaries, with lots of nesting, to create the needed data structures.

I have used it with high schoolers and advanced middle schoolers with good success.

I like to separate the large data structures into different files and import them. Then I can give these files to students to skip all that typing. However, this does cause some issues with how image paths are handled by Pygame Zero in the Mu editor. It can be solved by importing the needed pgzero functions in the data files.

Overall, the game design is good and the project is very educational.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Maintenance Man

Only a few good ideas

Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2021

Verified Purchase

Chapter 1 was a great graphic start. Other chapters disappointed. The end game itself was lackluster. The code seemed like it was a game hacker's code, not code meant for teaching game programming. There were magic numbers hard coded to the specifics of this one game. There were structures where you had to know what field number 2 was. I really did not learn anything about the Pygame Zero library from this book. The only good parts were on character animation and casting shadows on the ground. Not worth the price of the book.

Helpful

Bryan W

very informative

Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2019

Verified Purchase

so far it's a great book. I'm new to development and I'm using this to learn python. The book/author do a great job of highlighting concepts in an easy to read way. I will say that I had difficulty getting my environment to even run the game in the first place, and there is not much guidance in the book in regards to mac users. I was having major compatibility issues between python, pygame zero, and my mac os. Thankfully there is information out there to assist, but one of the best things I did was find mu-editor, which is made specifically for this sort of application of python!

can't wait to complete the book! thanks :)

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jeremy Smith

Great coding book

Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2020

Verified Purchase

My teenager loved using this book. He has spent the last several weeks working on it and finally finished the game. He hates reading and doing school work, but he loved doing this so it must be great!

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Kumapi

Great book, even for an adult!

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2020

Verified Purchase

Absolutely loving this book. It’s a great introduction to python for me as a beginner. As an adult, I still find the game and learning how to build it very fun and engaging. Kudos to the author as well for explaining things in a simple, but entertaining fashion.

Helpful

E. D.

Paid for new book - received USED book.

Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2021

Verified Purchase

The content of the book is fine as my daughter is into learning everything about Python. But I was so disappointed with Amazon. For this particular book, I purchased it at the full price $29.95 expecting it to be brand new. What I got however, is a dirty and used book.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Jason James

The Perfect Companion For Any Budding Coder

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 23, 2019

Verified Purchase

This book goes covers a great deal in a very logical order from ensuring the coding environment is correct to game theory, platform games, graphics and game engines; everything an aspiring young game developer could hope for in a worthy companion text. Sean's writing style makes it easy to follow along and there are countless code listings to copy and try for yourself; there's a ton of online resources too. The reader is left wondering what else they might be able to create using Sean's ideas as a guide. The book is not a trivial exploration of game design or Python and whilst the final outcome lacks some of the flare of modern games, with a little time and our new found skills my two children (aged 11 and 13) and I are looking forward to playing the game we've created and seeing where our imaginations might take us next.

3 people found this helpful

MR IAN C BROWN

Great to do together !

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 7, 2018

Verified Purchase

My son (12) and I have been going through this together - we really like the “play it first, then build it step by step”approach. We have been able to add out own ideas to the project as we went along and it has inspired a number of other “projects” that we will start in the future. My son says it is sooo much more fun that the ICT he does at school. So if you are interested in doing something together or if your kids show an interest in coding that isn’t being fulfilled at school this is the book for you !

4 people found this helpful

Jumpingjack

A solid introduction to Python

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 15, 2020

Verified Purchase

A nice idea to to use the creation of a basic computer game to introduce the various elements of the Python language and programming methods. Nice logical steps and exercises with very clear instructions & explanations. I would recommend this book to anyone starting out in programming - great fun too!

One person found this helpful

Paul C.

Great book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 8, 2019

Verified Purchase

I wanted something more advanced but still found it an enjoyable book to read and work through creating the game.

2 people found this helpful

Neil

Great book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

A great way to teach python to younger ones. We'll written so that there are quick easy scamps giving immediate feedback and building skills and concepts

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