Programming and ZR IDE Tutorials
Back To IndexSee the Game Documents for information specific to this year's Middle School game.
The following table shows the tutorials available for learning to program in the ZR IDE using the graphical editor.
| Tutorial | Description |
|---|---|
| Create an Account | Set up an account on the ZR website so that you can access the ZR IDE |
| How to Invite Students to Your Team | A tutorial for the educator to set up the team |
| Getting to Know the ZR IDE | Learn the computer programming language C++ that you will use to program the SPHERES satellites |
| Introduction to Arrays and setPositionTarget | Try your hand at using arrays in ZR |
| More Simple Arrays and the setAttitudeTarget Function | Part 1 of two-part tutorial to learn more about how to use arrays to move the SPHERES |
| More Simple Arrays–Another Way to Initialize Variables | Part 2 of two-part tutorial to learn more about how to use arrays to move the SPHERES |
| The Conditionals: The Basics of "If-Then" | Use "If, Then" statements and some logic operators to program a SPHERES satellite to move to multiple locations |
| More Fun with "If-Then", Logic Operators and Debugging |
Use an "If-Then" statement and some new logic operators to show that the loop you created is called once per second by the SPHERES control system. Also learn to print messages to the debug console. |
| Conditionals with Advanced Logic Operators | Use still more logic operators ('and' and 'or') and conditional statements to change the position and attitude of the SPHERES |
| Conditionals Continued: "If-Then-Else" | Introduction to "If, Then, Else" statements |
| Introduction to Game Mode | Learn to use the game mode (as opposed to the free mode) |
| For Loops | Learn to use a for loop to repeat an action a set number of times–in this case, to find the position of the second satellite and program your satellite to move toward the second satellite, but stop halfway |
| Hints About SPHERES Loop Dynamics | See the effect of motion on your satellite |
| Applied Conditionals | Learn how to use conditional statements to program your player to do different things depending on where it is and where the other player is |
| Creating Functions | In Part 1 of this two-part tutorial learn how to organize and keep track of everything that is happening in your code |
| Functions and the Step Counter Model | In Part 2 of this two-part tutorial learn how–and why–to use a step counter model in your program and practice creating functions |
| Intramural Game Mode | Learn how to share your game code with the group |
| How to Submit Code | A tutorial for the educator to submit code for competitions |
