The first game I programmed was a text-based choose-your-own-adventure about Batman. It was a series of nested “if” statements. The only loop was at the beginning, when it did the theme song: (Also in text)
Nana nana nana nana
Nana nana nana nana
Batman!
Nana nana nana nana
Nana nana nana nana
Batman!
I don’t think I still have the Pascal files for this.
My first video was a fake commercial shot for school, all edited in camera. It was for a fictional soft-drink called Carbonated Beef.
Nowadays, I see forum posts from kids no older than I was when I made these, asking for advice on how to make their huge epic movies with explosions and car chases, or their side-scrolling platform games to rival Super Mario Brothers. They don’t always demonstrate skill to match their ambition, unfortunately.
I do wonder how my attitude would have been affected by the current internet when I was young. I didn’t have access to YouTube videos or Flash games as examples of amateur work. If I were a kid today, I’d probably be on these same forums asking questions. I don’t know how that would have changed my skill level or my expectations.