Computer Programming in Vehicles

[user 22017]

Found an interesting article about computer programming and thought some of you may like it. It's from 2017. Curious if it still applies today, or have automobile manufacturers invested more heavily into quality control of programming.

And I have an ulterior motive for sharing I suspect many in this forum are programmers and I'm curious if any of you know how to write games.

“There are lots of bugs in cars,” Gerard Berry, the French researcher behind Esterel, said in a talk. “It’s not like avionics—in avionics it’s taken very seriously. And it’s admitted that software is different from mechanics.” The automotive industry is perhaps among those that haven’t yet realized they are actually in the software business.

More:

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/09/saving-the-world-from-code/540393/

 

[Happy Camper]

The automotive industry is fully aware it's in the software business now. Some companies implement it better than others.

When you find you can make money on data and subscriptions, you put money into exploring how to best do that. Toyota took it a step too far not too long ago by presenting remote start as a subscription. It went over like a lead balloon. But they tried.

Having all the data on where you go. How you drive, distances, fuel levels etc are very valuable data points for every auto maker and insurance company, among other entities. Google and Facebook are huge because they collect data and use it to profit. Automakers realize this is their chance to get some of that sweet data pie. Money talks, so yes they'll invest heavy. And already have been.

 

[wanderlust]

Writing games is easy, with a tool specialized to write games, like GameMaker https://gamemaker.io/en
You can try it for free, to see how you like it. It has forums to help beginners, and it is easy, visual, for 10yo kids. I remember trying it (I am embarrassed to say how many years ago), just before 4th of July fireworks, and creating a playable game in 2 hours from downloading it was so much fun I missed the fireworks
And no, you will not find programmers willing to write games for you for free, because programmers have more of their own projects than they can implement.

 

[user 22017]

Writing games is easy, with a tool specialized to write games, like GameMaker https://gamemaker.io/en
You can try it for free, to see how you like it. It has forums to help beginners, and it is easy, visual, for 10yo kids. I remember trying it (I am embarrassed to say how many years ago), just before 4th of July fireworks, and creating a playable game in 2 hours from downloading it was so much fun I missed the fireworks
And no, you will not find programmers willing to write games for you for free, because programmers have more of their own projects than they can implement.

Thanks wanderlust. I don't want a game for me, although I would love to play the game I have in mind.

It was on the market in 1999. I bought it and thought it was great. But it got sidelined along with a bunch of good software when some guy ruined the company. I'll have to read up on it to get it straight. Think the company was Broderbund or The Learning Company.

The game was Road Adventures USA. You traveled the country and had to manage your expenses, get a job when necessary, travel safely. I can't remember everything.

IIRC, same company made Oregon Trail. I had bought a bunch of their titles for my kids. Reader Rabbit. All wasted money since the company went belly up.

I wanted to let any nomad programmers know about the game in case anyone is looking for a project for themselves.

Here is the game: https://www.myabandonware.com/game/road-adventures-usa-no3

Remember, this was 1999, so the graphics are very dated. But the game was fun.

 

[Happy Camper]

I love the old games. They have a charm to them that is missing in most of today's games.

 

[user 22017]

I love the old games. They have a charm to them that is missing in most of today's games.

You might want to read the history of the company that made the game. Really fascinating. Extremely successful until a hostile takeover by a company owned by Kevin O'Leary. Isn't that the Shark Tank guy?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_O'Leary

 

[user 22017]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Learning_Company

 

[Happy Camper]

There was a lot of cannibalization in the software world back in the day. Some in the hardware arena as well. But software was rough.

 

[rruff]

There was a lot of cannibalization in the software world back in the day. Some in the hardware arena as well. But software was rough.

Microsoft being the biggest offender. So many good companies were raped and pillaged.

 

[Frood]

And I have an ulterior motive for sharing I suspect many in this forum are programmers and I'm curious if any of you know how to write games.

That all depends on what kind of game you want... 3-D, immersive, real time multiplayer games require a lot more work than a text-based game that is procedural and turn based.

Incorporating graphics and animation of any kind ups the labor requirements. There is a reason that AAA release games have teams with double-digit or triple-digit member sizes.

Then there are games like Valheim and/or Minecraft that were made by a small group and makes you question it all...

In relation to the abandonware you posted a link to... There were other games like that in the past too. I remember playing an overland-trucking simulator, also similar to Oregon trail, where you had to manage rest, food, fuel, etc...

 

[rruff]

Then there are games like Valheim

Wow... only 5 people...

 

[eDJ_]

I once spoke with a friend of mine's son in law who had been a programmer since the 90's. His thing is C++ for machinery operations. While we spoke he was telling me he had spent a lot of time in flight from Colorado to Malaysia (16 hours) to program textile machinery there and was making more money than he knew what to do with. But he hated those plane flights.

I was telling him then that in the next year Air Bus was going to have a 380 double deck Air Liner that would offer "suites" where he would have a room to work in much like a Pullman Railroad Car. He said he could feel better about being a "code jockey" if he had that at his disposal.

He was wanting me to move beyond web design and take up programming then.But he agreed that I was doing all the right things the way I was going about design.

He went on to explain that there is just so much out there that needs programmers. Metaverse was something he suggested to watch as he thought it would be lucrative in years to come with employment for lots of programmers.

 

[maki2]

My son and daughter-law used to be programmers but they burned out on having to constantly go to courses on the latest programming language changes employers wanted them to have certificates in.

I understand the need for that industrial CNC machine programming changes as I have had some experience from the perspective as the user of a few of the older machines which will not run on newer software computer machine ports or programs.

 

[Frood]

Wow... only 5 people...

It's really fun and well done, then when you realize how small the team was... BOOM. Mind blown.
My only issue with it is how harsh it is when you die... The progression loss for skills is daunting and what eventually drove me away from the game. When you lose hours of skill leveling by trying something new it makes you hesitant to experiment.

 

[mpruet]

In my working years I was a software engineer working at IBM. Yes, I did a good deal of coding remotely at home, in my place in Colorado, or in my RV. But since I’ve retired I’ve tried to put all of that behind me.

 

[user 22017]

Then there are games like Valheim and/or Minecraft that were made by a small group and makes you question it all...

For 4-5 years I played a game (Wurm) built by the guy who made Minecraft (along with his friend). That's how I learned about Minecraft.

Also played a turn based time management game for 3+ years: Popmundo.

Wurm, Popmundo and Minecraft were all developed in Sweden.

I hope there will be a crop of female devs who will build games that cater to females more than males.
Male devs or CEO's tend to produce killing games. I play Runescape, but it's not all killing. Thank goodness.

It makes no sense that there aren't more games that appeal to females, since Sims is in the top 10 all time best selling games. It could be in top 5, had they not switched from Sims 3 to Sims 4.

 

[user 22017]

It's really fun and well done, then when you realize how small the team was... BOOM. Mind blown.
My only issue with it is how harsh it is when you die... The progression loss for skills is daunting and what eventually drove me away from the game. When you lose hours of skill leveling by trying something new it makes you hesitant to experiment.

In Wurm you lose everything except skills when you can't pay your premium. RL years of building an estate with everything that includes. The horses you bred, wine that matured, etc. All your buildings. All your treasures

The other players know when it is going to happen and they camp around your property... waiting for the clock to strike. Then it is a mad grab to take all your stuff, lol. Ouch.

Runescape, on the other hand, keeps even your non-paying accounts for 20+ years. And your house.

 

[Happy Camper]

Runescape, on the other hand, keeps even your non-paying accounts for 20+ years. And your house.

I finally logged into my main account. Getting close to the 20 year cape. RuneScape on the phone is a strange experience. I might have to fix my laptop and goof around on there someone soon. My last achievement was in 2018 lol

 

[Frood]

For 4-5 years I played a game (Wurm) built by the guy who made Minecraft (along with his friend). That's how I learned about Minecraft.

Also played a turn based time management game for 3+ years: Popmundo.

Wurm, Popmundo and Minecraft were all developed in Sweden.

I hope there will be a crop of female devs who will build games that cater to females more than males.
Male devs or CEO's tend to produce killing games. I play Runescape, but it's not all killing. Thank goodness.

It makes no sense that there aren't more games that appeal to females, since Sims is in the top 10 all time best selling games. It could be in top 5, had they not switched from Sims 3 to Sims 4.

it's funny (odd ironic funny not haha funny) because I think Valheim was developed one country over... Norway I believe. **edit I bothered to go and google. I was wrong. Valheim was also made in Sweden! lol

There are female gamedevs out there...
https://www.g2a.com/news/features/games-created-by-women/
At least a quick google. I'm not as active gaming as I used to be but I see articles about them. Despite
the toxic trolls out there the industry is getting a lot more egalitarian.

 

[Happy Camper]

I miss Zork. I might have to play it again for pure nostalgia.