Teach man to fish, or feed man a fish.
by Brandon Maness · in Torque Game Engine · 05/25/2005 (5:59 pm) · 13 replies
Problem solving skills, or one correct answer: That is the question. I have read many posts on these forums and I am thankful for the great resource they provide. One thing I find common here is the frequency at which developers get stuck. Countless such situations could be solved by the developer if they had a basic understanding of tracing code execution and discovery via debugging methods. Being new to TGE, but having a history of over 15 years of coding, I find that I use these basic skills every time I sit down to tackle a new aspect of this fabulous engine. It makes discovery of another person's solution a more enjoyable experience. It is still a challenge, but not as frustrating if you have some fundamental skills.
All this brings me to a question: Would anyone be interested in a tutorial that slowly walks you though a problem and solution session? A guide that would explain the basics of efficient problem solving in logic based environments. This tutorial would be aimed at teaching a man to fish, rather than just feeding him one fish.
Anyone interested? If there is enough interest, I'll sit down and put it together one evening.
B--
All this brings me to a question: Would anyone be interested in a tutorial that slowly walks you though a problem and solution session? A guide that would explain the basics of efficient problem solving in logic based environments. This tutorial would be aimed at teaching a man to fish, rather than just feeding him one fish.
Anyone interested? If there is enough interest, I'll sit down and put it together one evening.
B--
About the author
#2
05/25/2005 (6:54 pm)
Definitely interested! Especially if you could put it in the context of debugging torque script and torque engine c++ code. 
#4
05/25/2005 (8:07 pm)
YES!! Please do it. There are so many people here that could use it that may not see this thread. You can be sure that this is very needed!
#5
05/25/2005 (9:18 pm)
That would be a good resource ... especially for people without a formal programming background. It's funny I was just thinking today how I love debugging stuff sometimes ... it's often like solving a little mystery and even if I post the problem it is more or less just a way for me to vent and organize the situation in my own head after which I often solve the problem quickly. 
#6
05/25/2005 (10:36 pm)
Yes, please. This would be a great resource for us beginners.
#7
Ok, I just finished typing the bulk of the introduction to debugging skills (about 6-8 pages). It basically talks about method and approach followed by a recent debugging session where I kind of spell out how the before mentioned skills get put into practice. I'll post the link to the Debugging 101 guide for you guys to check by Thursday evening. All I have left is the screen shots. This is just a quick rough draft, and after some feedback, I can focus the guide towards more indepth in areas you need further clarification on.
Thanks for the quick feedback,
B--
05/26/2005 (12:59 am)
Jeremy: Just like solving a mystery. My thoughts exactly. I enjoy it too most of the time.Ok, I just finished typing the bulk of the introduction to debugging skills (about 6-8 pages). It basically talks about method and approach followed by a recent debugging session where I kind of spell out how the before mentioned skills get put into practice. I'll post the link to the Debugging 101 guide for you guys to check by Thursday evening. All I have left is the screen shots. This is just a quick rough draft, and after some feedback, I can focus the guide towards more indepth in areas you need further clarification on.
Thanks for the quick feedback,
B--
#8
B--
Read Tutorial.
05/26/2005 (7:00 pm)
Ok, finished it... If you would like to see some specific area covered after reading the introduction, just ask!B--
Read Tutorial.
#9
Can you please add some margins to the page layout? Text running right up to the border of the browser frame makes reading a bit difficult. (IE and Firefox on Windows)
05/26/2005 (7:36 pm)
Awesome - I look forward to pondering this good lesson.Can you please add some margins to the page layout? Text running right up to the border of the browser frame makes reading a bit difficult. (IE and Firefox on Windows)
#11
05/28/2005 (12:15 am)
WIcked! Thanks Brandon, I'll be pouring over this in detail over the weekend.
#12
05/28/2005 (12:28 am)
Dude... this kicks so much ass!!
#13
05/28/2005 (8:12 am)
Once this is polished to your satisfaction, please make sure to post it as a resource here at GG--it's a great idea! 
Torque Owner Matt Van Gorkom