Code Hero, A Computer Game that will Teach You Programming Games and Compiling Linux Kernel

After Double Fine's Adventure received massive response from gamers all around the world, another interesting game Code Hero is now making lots of news.

Code Hero is a game that teaches you how to make games so you can learn to code while you play with a Code Gun that shoots Javascript. You can shoot code to execute it on the target on impact. Copy, tweak and write code to alter the 3D world from the inside out.

Code Hero is a co-op first-person shooter where you become a rock star programmer, saving the world from evil AI. You rely on your trusty "code gun" that can copy, paste and edit real javascript as ammunition to blast the enemy, manipulate the world, and build structures creatively. 

Code hero gives players unprecedented power inside the game. It's a new type of learning; players start out using powerful code without needing to understand it, then slowly master that code to conquer specific challenges. It's a game first, and a learning tool second.

Check out the video:

Code Hero is currently on Kickstarter and has already reached is target of $100K. Those who pledged will get beta access to the game.

Linux Support?

The game is based on Unity3D engine which is not supported on Linux. However, latest release of Unity3D engine has brought support for exporting games to Google Native Client (NaCl) that allows us to play 3D games on Linux (via Chrome web browser).

The developers are looking to deliver Linux support via NaCl.

We're big fans of Linux ourselves. Actually there is now Native Client support for Unity in the latest 3.5 Beta. We plan to deliver Linux support as soon as we can based on that.

So, in current form the game is not available for Linux. If you are thinking to pledge, I would recommend waiting for NaCl version to come out.

Not only Javascript

Gamasutra has interviewed Alex Peake, who is making the game. He said that there will be more programming languages.

Code Hero starts with Javascript because it is the lingua franca of Web, Unity3D and server Node.js programming. We introduce the player to Javascript so they can branch into all 3 and eventually we'll take them deeper to meet the late honorable Mr. Ritchie to learn from C up and down below the Stacks into the Platforms to meet Charles Babbage and master computer hardware from the gearbox to the modern ALU's assembly. 

You talked about Compiling Linux Kernel

Alex Peake has said that in advanced stages of the game, Code Hero players will have to go as far as compiling a Linux Kernel.

Then it will get really intense: We've got a prototype that puts Code Hero players into direct control of VMWARE-based Linux operating systems, so we can incorporate complete full-stack operating system coding of all types down to modding and compiling kernals in-game. You can imagine the implications if we were crazy enough to demo something like that at the most recent Chaos Communications Congress with kids running tools like Backtrack and Metasploit... Hacking the full stack in-game will be necessary to produce Real Engineers with the kind of computer science it takes to do more than just get by on a surface knowledge of a single API or language.