Boku (software)
Encyclopedia
Kodu, originally named Boku, is a programming integrated development environment
(IDE) by Microsoft
's FUSE Labs
. It runs on Xbox 360
and Microsoft Windows
XP
, Vista
and 7. It was released on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on June 30, 2009. A Windows version is also available to the general public for download from Microsoft's FUSE web portal.
in the 1960s and other current projects such as AgentSheets
, Squeak
and Alice
. It is designed to be accessible by children and enjoyable by anyone.
Kodu is available to download as an Xbox 360 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:
Kodu Game Lab has also been used as an educational learning tool in selected schools and learning centers, in Malaysia and Singapore.
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
or language, based on conditions and actions.
The typical "hello world" of Kodu is:
The grammar, as it were, of this expression is:
Where is:
And is:
An illustrative variant of the above program is:
Many different types of games can be made in Kodu, such as racing, strategy, RPGs, adventure, platform, puzzle, 1st person shooters, and others.
Integrated development environment
An integrated development environment is a software application that provides comprehensive facilities to computer programmers for software development...
(IDE) by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
's FUSE Labs
FUSE Labs
Microsoft's Future Social Experiences Labs was started by Ray Ozzie and is run by Lili Cheng. The group focuses on real-time and media rich experiences and is located in Redmond, WA, Cambridge, MA, and Cambridge, UK....
. It runs on Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
, Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
and 7. It was released on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on June 30, 2009. A Windows version is also available to the general public for download from Microsoft's FUSE web portal.
Overview
Kodu is a visual programming tool which builds on ideas begun with LogoLogo (programming language)
Logo is a multi-paradigm computer programming language used in education. It is an adaptation and dialect of the Lisp language; some have called it Lisp without the parentheses. It was originally conceived and written as functional programming language, and drove a mechanical turtle as an output...
in the 1960s and other current projects such as AgentSheets
AgentSheets
AgentSheets is an educational Cyberlearning tool to create Web-based simulation games. AgentSheets is used worldwide to teach students programming and related information technology skills through game design...
, Squeak
Squeak
The Squeak programming language is a Smalltalk implementation. It is object-oriented, class-based and reflective.It was derived directly from Smalltalk-80 by a group at Apple Computer that included some of the original Smalltalk-80 developers...
and Alice
Alice (software)
Alice is a freeware object-oriented educational programming language with an integrated development environment . Later versions are implemented in Java. Alice uses a drag and drop environment to create computer animations using 3D models...
. It is designed to be accessible by children and enjoyable by anyone.
Kodu is available to download as an Xbox 360 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
Kodu Game Lab has also been used as an educational learning tool in selected schools and learning centers, in Malaysia and Singapore.
Language design
Kodu's programming model is simplified and can be programmed using only a gaming controller. 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
Rule-based system
In computer science, rule-based systems are used as a way to store and manipulate knowledge to interpret information in a useful way. They are often used in artificial intelligence applications and research.-Applications:...
or language, based on conditions and actions.
The typical "hello world" of Kodu is:
see - fruit - move - towards
The grammar, as it were, of this expression is:
Where
[ ...]
And
[ ...]
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.
See also
- Kodu Kup 2010
- Educational programming languageEducational programming languageAn educational programming language is a programming language that is designed primarily as a learning instrument and not so much as a tool for writing programs for real-world work.-Learning paths:...
- Visual programming languageVisual programming languageIn computing, a visual programming language is any programming language that lets users create programs by manipulating program elements graphically rather than by specifying them textually. A VPL allows programming with visual expressions, spatial arrangements of text and graphic symbols, used...
- Scratch (programming language)
- Baltie
- Phrogram
- KlikKlikKlik or Click is a term used to describe a software created with one of Clickteam's software products. The term Klik originates from the name of the first product in the Klik range of products, Klik & Play, where the alternative spelling "Click" originates from the name "Clickteam", the creators of...
- ToonTalk