How I Built My first Game App With My Mobile Phone.
Hello, for most of you who don't know me, my name is Chimdi Jane Samuel. A 19 year old who absolutely loves coding.
Few months ago I learnt how to code in HTML and CSS in a free bootcamp provided by Madmoiselle Foundation and Teens Can Code. And till I die, I’ll always be grateful to them for the opportunity to be involved in Tech.
But I'm not writing this to tell you how I got involved in Tech, that's a story for another time. I'm actually here to tell you how I built my first game with my mobile phone.
As I said earlier, I’m eternally passionate about coding, but the one barrier that was preventing me from improving my skills and chasing my passion in tech was not having a laptop.
After the bootcamp, I just wrote codes in my notes, and taught my roommate how to code with her laptop. But a friend, told me I could code on my phone with some certain apps. So I downloaded them and continued learning JavaScript for web, I was so happy to finally continue learning. Then I attended a Flutter Interactive party around December last year, and found out my passion in building apps when I have a Laptop later on.
Few months after, I started learning Java with my phone on SoloLearn (An app that teaches programming languages and coding) and wrote my codes in Dcoder, (a mobile app code editor that supports most programming language). So when I get a laptop, I could just dive into Android since I already knew the language. This was my plan.
But that month, I found Nsesa Foundation and SuaCode Africa, an online program that teaches people to code with their mobile phones.
And not just learning to code, but at the end you’ll successfully build a Ping Pong game. I wasn’t only thrilled but I was super excited to start this program because it’s like a dream come true. I could finally learn to build an app, and with my phone! Nothing was holding me back!
So I registered, got in and installed all the apps required and started learning. To say it was the most life changing experience would be an understatement. I couldn't contain my joy when I wrote my first line of processing, and I got to test it as an app on my phone after installing it!
During the first month, we were taught Basic concept in processing and variables. We were given quizzes after each lecture and assignments too with due dates. I was happy to see myself building something alongside learning. It was like having my own mentor, someone to guide me, grade my work and tell me all the mistakes I made. So in this first month, my UI of the app was all set, the ball and paddles of the game was ready.
The last month, we were taught Conditionals and Functions and although learning Functions was a bit challenging. I had the facilitators and friends to put me through, they were the most patient in answering all my questions. Then we started adding functionality to our game, making the paddles and the ball move to various parts of the screen. Also, we added scores of each player so during the game the scores are increasing for whosoever is winning.
As usual, I submitted all quizzes and assignment even though I always submitted on the last day😅, and I can say I had really good marks.
I won’t say it was all that easy, but because the passion and willingness to learn was there, and my determination drove me also, it was interesting.
But I didn’t stop there even after getting my certificate, I wanted to learn more so I started reading a book on Processing by Daniel Shiffman and it helped me a great deal, so I remodified the app by adding a few things I learnt.
And although my Ping Pong game isn’t the best game out there. But it’s something I’m really proud of because it tells others that how passionate I am about coding and building apps and I won’t let anything get in my way of chasing my dreams, I won’t let my current circumstances bring me down, I’ll make use of what is available now and when God provides for me, I know I’m gonna do great, because I’ve already laid a good foundation to learning and rising above anything thrown at me.
So if you're out there, reading this from whatever device, and you are probably coding on your mobile phone it's perfectly ok. You can still do much with it, don't let not having a laptop or PC quench that passion you have. Work on what you have and soon the situations will turn around and you'll realize that when there is a will, there is a way. And that way is broad and bright!
That’s my certificate😁
Thank you for reading!
You can download my game here, I don't yet have the money to deploy it to play store, 😅so yea, if you wanna try out the most boring and lamest game in Tech history 🤣here's the link.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q5CEhZ2bEOv0wR6GH8ifAKDF0E0_fsLE/view?usp=drivesdk
You can leave a clap or comment if you want. Follow me on Twitter @janelovescoding and Instagram @chimdi_jane_samuel.
