Code.org Resurrects 'Flappy Bird' As Programming Lesson 72
Nerval's Lobster writes "Flappy Bird might be kaput, but its hilariously awkward hero is serving another useful purpose in its afterlife: teaching people how to code. Flappy Bird, a free mobile game for Android and iOS that asks the player to guide the titular avian through an obstacle course of vertical pipes, became a sensation earlier this year, seizing the top spots on the Apple and Google Play app stores. Its creator, Dong Nguyen, said the game earned him an average of $50,000 a day through in-app advertising — but that didn't stop him from yanking the game offline in early February. Now Code.org has resurrected Flappy Bird, Phoenix-style, from the smoking wreckage, with a free tutorial that allows anyone with a bit of time to code his or her very own version of the game. There's no actual code to learn, thanks to a visual interface that allows budding developers to drag 'blocks' of commands into place. 'Flappy Bird recently met its untimely death. We might've been tempted to cry all day and give up on spreading computer science (not really, but R.I.P Flappy Bird),' read a note on Code.org's blog. 'Instead, we built a new drag-and-drop tutorial that lets you build your own Flappy game — whether it's Flappy Bird, or Flappy Easter Bunny, Flappy Santa, Flappy Shark with Lasers, Flappy Fairy or Flappy Underwater Unicorn.' Childish? Maybe. But it could help draw people into coding for fun or profit."
Copyright? (Score:5, Insightful)
Just because he pulled the game does not mean he gave up rights to it.
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Re:Copyright? (Score:4, Interesting)
Too addictive [bgr.com]
Re:Copyright? (Score:5, Insightful)
Rights? Rights to what? Sprites from Mario or the game concept that has been around for decades?
Re:Copyright? (Score:4, Informative)
Mod anon parent up?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F... [wikipedia.org]
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Just because he pulled the game does not mean he gave up rights to it.
What rights are you talking about here. The point was drag'n'drop programming so it can't be the code.
Isn't the graphics a blatant ripoff from Super Mario Brothers? I think Nintendo have the rights to that.
The music/sound? I haven't played Flappy Bird but I doubt the lessons include audio from Flappy Bird.
What is left? A sidescroller where you push to jump/adjust altitude. Sounds like a simplified version of Gumshoe but there are probably a bunch of titles out there with the same concept.
At most he can argu
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Copyright only applies to the original code. Not the idea.
The original developer said he made it in a few days, so I doubt they used the original code.
It really isn't complicated to create a lookalike game.
If you want to prevent someone from stealing your ideas, you need a patent.
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With the caveat that you can only patent something which is a specific thing and implementation, and has to be (well, is supposed) to be a novel invention.
Patents do NOT apply to "a game in which you tap the screen to go up and down and pass through a maze".
There is nothing at all in that game which would (or should) qualify for a patent. Really, this is "side scroller" meets "Joust". It's essentially a game with a single button, a
Piou Piou (Score:2)
Really, this is "side scroller" meets "Joust". It's essentially a game with a single button, and we've had those for decades.
Dang right. I liked Flappy Bird better when it was called Piou Piou, and before that SFCave. At least Piou Piou had powerups.
Tetris v. Xio (Score:2)
If you want to prevent someone from stealing your ideas, you need a patent.
Not according to the U.S. district court that decided Tetris v. Xio. See previous Slashdot story [slashdot.org].
Re:Copyright? (Score:5, Interesting)
You can't copyright the mechanics of the game, which is why every successful game gets copied until there's 50 different versions of essentially the same thing.
In fact, I believe this is what Zynga based their business model on -- doing knock-offs of someone else's games.
You can copyright the specific images, but not the mechanics.
Hell, I've got one on my Android tablet called "Happy Poo Flap".
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I'm just amazed he wasn't sued by Nintendo.
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Lego building != Architect (Score:5, Insightful)
"Flappy Bird might be kaput, but its hilariously awkward hero is serving another useful purpose in its afterlife: teaching people how to code."
and
"There's no actual code to learn, thanks to a visual interface that allows budding developers to drag 'blocks' of commands into place."
So.. you're teaching people to code by not teaching people to code?
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Yes, you are teaching the concept of computer programs. If you want to look at the code click the "Show Code" button. This is a very clever tutorial.
Re:Lego building != Architect (Score:4, Interesting)
On the other hand, sparking that interest is fairly key. Shrug, if it works, it works.
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I'm not sure it is necessary at this point to know how a compiler or linker works. Many languages don't even use them.
Re:Lego building != Architect (Score:5, Interesting)
It's no more a tutorial on programming, than watching the Nature channel is an education to become a biologist. It might spark someone's interest, but I do think that interest would have been sparked regardless.
"Flood of useless coders" ...? (Score:2)
Who cares? What harm is done? It's not like these noobies are going to be our new co-workers, now or ever. It's not like they are taking bread from our mouths.
We should be happy that beginners take an interest in coding, not surly over some imagined insult to the collective intelligence of coders.
Retraction, apology (Score:2)
I withdraw the word "surly" -- it's not appropriate here, and I apologize. Your phrase "The only exception I take ..." is not surly.
Also, I am pleased that you concluded your post with a sentiment that matches my own:
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So.. you're teaching people to code by not teaching people to code?
Absolutely! Anyone remember Rocky's Boots? Similar concept here - learn all about program execution, logic, conditional operators, and functions which are fundamental to any programming language.
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So.. you're teaching people to code by not teaching people to code?
It uses a Scratch [mit.edu]-like interface, which is "coding" in every sense but typing. You still need to understand loops, conditionals, etc., and you have to learn how to structure a program. The only thing you don't have to know is the low-level syntax, such as correct spelling of keywords. It is a very good introduction to programming, especially for young kids that haven't learned to touch type yet.
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Yes, it's Scratch-like in construction -- but it excludes concepts like loops and branching. This tutorial is really not much more than configuring a couple of parameters in a pre-built flappy-bird game.
I'm a big fan of Scratch, of code.org, and of teaching kids how to code. But sad to say this offering misses the point entirely.
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It's like Wargames, Xzibit and Bruce Lee all rolled into one.
$50,000 per day??? (Score:1)
$50,000 per day in in app advertisement? Is that even possibly correct? I mean he pulled it WHEN it got popular, not long after, so...? What percent of people really click on those things anyway?
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You don't need people to click, viewing a banner is enough to get some cents.
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No kidding. For the measly sum of $5,000 a day, I will happily chain Dong Nguyen to a chair and whip him constantly until he bangs out another app that puts anywhere near as many eyes in front of those ads.
Flappy Coding Generation (Score:2)
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This is the perfect opportunity to breed more Flappy Coders. I can't wait to see what Flappy Coding will bring us next!
Flappy Code. Flappy Programs. Flappy Servers. Flappy Cloud.
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Beta Slashdot.
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Obvious troll is obvious.
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Flappy Bird didn't gain popularity thanks to a great and innovative concept. It succeeded thanks to 1. initially fake reviews from the author 2. many people downloading it 3. and talking about it (basically asking the same question as yours) 4. more downloads. In other words, the snowball effect...
Well, actually, in a way, it won thanks to an "innovative" concept..
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http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/05/business/of-luck-and-success-economic-view.html?_r=0
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Flappy Bird didn't gain popularity thanks to a great and innovative concept. It succeeded thanks to 1. initially fake reviews from the author 2. many people downloading it 3. and talking about it (basically asking the same question as yours) 4. more downloads. In other words, the snowball effect...
So basically just effective marketing.
Re:Why all the popularity? (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't think there exists a good 'why' for games like this getting ridiculously popular. It seems every so often a game will hit a few social circles in just the right way, and enough people will talk about it that it infects other socials, eventually propagating to where it shows up on 'Featured' and 'Hot' lists, which sets off another round of growth.
At least this one's not another variation on Bejeweled (which was itself very derivative).
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You'll understand why if you play one of the clones (use 'flappy' as search term in your app store) like 'iron pants'.
Hint: it's really hard to get even a score of '1' (pass a pipe without crashing). Raging after a few losses is quite common.
Gui Coding (Score:1)
On the Commodore 64 (Score:1)
One more reason to carry your C64 around with you everywhere you go.
Flappy Bird on the C64
A shame, really (Score:2)
It's a shame that the game become so big emotional endurance for the creator Dong Nguyen.
To think about all the entertaining and relaxing little moments around the world that the game created in people's lives, he deserved the success.
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I agree, but, I'm hard pressed to see how I'd have a hard time enduring $50k/day for work I've already done.
But, then, maybe I'm just a greedy selfish bastard. ;-)
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maybe a better look needed (Score:1)
rename the ipa .zip, open the file read the copyright see who actually made flappy birds.. check the app id objectal-info.plist ... stenerud.org copyright.. nope wait free of charge to change edit modify just thank 2009 Karl Stenerud
Flappy Bert (Score:1)
http://www.sesamestreet.org/cm... [sesamestreet.org]
That is all.
Flappy suggestions. (Score:2)
I thought we could so with some more ideas though.
I think an all open source version called Flappy Stallman, would be a good start.
Also Flappy ears. In honour of my girlfriends dog, who I am sure will one day lift off while shaking its head.
Can somebody answer.... (Score:2)
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If a developer chooses to pull their own app from the itunes store for iOS devices, will the app get deleted from people's phones who may have already installed it the next time they try to sync with their library?
No, Apple will not delete anything from your phone. Apple will also not delete anything from a manual sync with iTunes.
If you backup only to iCloud, lose your phone, buy a new one, you are SOL. When you restore to an iCloud backup, only the apps currently available will come down.
Big dissapointment (Score:2)
I started doing some of the lessons. Like any good programmer, I set about trying to do things in a way that was not intended. I was most disappointed to see that my modifications didn't work in the sandbox. Instead I was just prodded to do things in the approved fashion. It's a wonder that anyone learns anything these days.
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