[game_edu] HTML 5 2D

[Gregory Walek]

Hi Siobhan

Here at NHTI, our program has been trying to wrap our hands around the same question of HTML5. Like yourself, we use Flash\Flash Builder\AS3 in one of our first semester courses. We also use Unity, C++, C#, Java, XNA Game Studio\MonoGame, and The Unreal Engine.  

I am actually going to recommend that you don't move off AS3 in your first year course.  HTML5 and JavaScript is not suitable replacement for Flash for an entire first semester course.  

The issue here is solely in the JavaScript Language. We have found the unstructured nature of the language promotes itself to MANY MANY MANY bad practices.  As a result, we would rather have our students learn good procedural and structured code before having to understand concepts such as inheritance via the prototype and enclosures. 

We have been able to add some JavaScript into the first term, where Students write a simple guessing game. Not discussed is the Canvas, inheritance or enclosures. The JS code is just a set of functions that is working with buttons, input fields, text boxes, and div\spans blocks on the page.  The goal of this introduction is to connect JavaScript with HTML5 markup and CSS at this point. 

//////
If you’re dead set on moving forward with HTML5, my warnings may have come too late for you! 
/////

There are the major resources which we leveraging in our HTML5 Development teaching. 
1)	Create.JS Suite (http://www.createjs.com/)
This is a set of four Cross-Browser (and cross platform on devices) frameworks to help ease HTML5 development. The Frameworks are built with Flash users in mind, so it makes for an easier transition from Flash to HTML5
2)	Brackets (http://brackets.io/) 
Brackets is an IDE for HTML,CSS, Javascript. Open Source. Has a Live Update Feature that will show changes to on the HTML and CSS in real time. JavaScript has intellisense support! And I have been able to get the intellisense to work with both an object I’ve created and with the Create.JS frameworks (Specifically Easel). Also included is Code Quality using JSLint. 
3)	Douglas Crockford's Work on JavaScript. 
This includes his book "JavaScript: The Good Parts" (book), his code conventions for .JS ( http://javascript.crockford.com/code.html ), Crockford streamlines Javascipt down into something that is manageable on a professional level.
4)	 "JSLint" ( http://www.jslint.com/lint.html  - also integrated into Brackets ) 
The JavaScript Code Quality Tool From Crockford
5)	“USE STRICT” 
This is a part of Crockford’s work above, but I wanted to point a huge spot light on this. If you’re not using “Use strict” out of the box, you might as well be shooting yourself in the foot repeatedly. Also. Microsoft requires you to write your code this way (for Win 8 and Xbox Glass) 

________________________________________
From: game_edu [game_edu-bounces at igda.org] on behalf of Siobhan Thomas [four at nucleus.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2014 8:39 AM
To: IGDA Game Education Listserv
Subject: [game_edu] HTML 5 2D

Hi everyone,

Just need a quick bit of advice. We currently use flash+as3+flash builder for our first year first semester 2d games module.

I'd like to move to HTML5. Anyone have any suggestions in this regard? Can anyone suggest a good engine? Framework? Etc?

We already use Unity, so this would be something other than that.

Thanks
Siobhan
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