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TB
Honest first year check-in for any CS mentors reading: SIT102 is harder than I expected and I would love advice. Coming from Python in high school, switching to C++ with SplashKit in trimester 1 threw me. The syntax is fine now, but I still freeze on the credit and distinction tasks because I do not know how to break a problem into functions and data structures. For example, the pong game task: I got the paddle moving, but the moment I added scoring and two players my main loop turned into 200 lines of if statements. I have been rewriting it from scratch three times instead of refactoring. I also want to start preparing for internships early and people keep saying algorithms and interviews, but I do not know whether that means LeetCode now or after SIT232. My plan right now is: finish the SplashKit tutorials again, watch a data structures series on YouTube, and try two easy LeetCode problems a week in Python. Is that a sensible plan for a first year, or am I spreading myself too thin? Any tips on structuring game code like pong would be amazing too.
splashkit.ioSplashKitThe beginner-friendly game and graphics SDK used in SIT102, with tutorials and guides.
AI summary · AI-generated
A first year CS student struggles to structure SIT102 SplashKit code (pong became one giant loop) and asks mentors whether starting data structures and easy LeetCode in Python now is sensible or too much.
TB
Made Pong in Unity following a YouTube tutorial, then remade it WITHOUT the tutorial. The second time took 3x longer and taught me 10x more. Tutorial hell is real, escape early.
TB
Anyone know if game dev clubs look at first years? I want to join a jam team but my only finished project is a Pong clone. Do I wait until I'm better or just show up?
deakin.edu.auDeakin StudentsOfficial student hub for units, support and key dates.
TB
PSA for SIT102 students: the practice exam on CloudDeakin is from an older curriculum. My tutor said focus on the lab tasks from weeks 8-11 instead. Would've wasted my whole study week on the wrong material.
theodinproject.comThe Odin ProjectFree full-stack curriculum used by a lot of our IT mentors.
TB
SIT221 is harder than SIT102 but the linked list pracs make sense if you draw them. Also my friend at another uni says COS10009 is similar.