Is this game useful for learning programming?

[Donald J. Trump]

Obviously the game uses a made-up language, but I mean in terms of learning concepts and improving efficiency etc, basically understanding the logic of coding better.

If I already know some programming languages (python and SQL), will playing and getting good at this game make me a better programmer in general?

[BlaXpirit]

You know what's useful for learning programming?
The ability to search existing answers to your question.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/504210/discussions/search/?q=programming

[Hanuman]

Nah, it will make you a better puzzle solver, not a better programmer.

[Gharren]

Originally posted by Dream Master:

Nah, it will make you a better puzzle solver, not a better programmer.

I believe these two skills to be inherently related.

[N0handles]

This game is most like the embedded area of computing. So it does its best to mimic the types of problems tackled in that 'bare metal' programming realm. If microprocessors, assembly (but a little oversimplified), logic gates, and electric currents turn you off, then it might not be for you.

[ez]

I think that it will. I recommend it to friends who want to learn programming. Mainly as a test to see if they have the right mindset for it.

A lot of programming is problem-solving.
This game will help you with concepts such as race conditions, "don't repeat yourself", and debugging.
What it won't help you with are concepts used in high-level programming languages such as design patterns, object oriented programming vs functional programming, or how to structure a program, to name but a few things.

Use it for what it can help you with, but be aware of the areas that you'll need to look outside the game to learn.

After this game then check out TIS-100, which I think is harder that this, but teaches parallelism.

[Reaper]

Originally posted by ez:

After this game then check out TIS-100, which I think is harder that this, but teaches parallelism.

And Exapunks too. I found the file handling code a little strange at fist but the game overall feels somewhat easier than TIS-100 or Shenzhen I/O due to the maximum code size for a puzzle being less restricted.

[Gomric]

This game will give you a rough understanding of some assembly and digital engineering fundamentals. It will not make you better Python/SQL programmer.

This is a puzzle game with a programming theme. For efficient learning: attend school and read books. =)

[NUGGET]

Totally yes.

[Hanuman]

If you want to learn programming, learn programming don't play shenzhen. To finish this game probably requires the same effort as it would to learn the basics of C++ or any language.

[Leo3ABP]

Just as a poster above said - if you want to learn programming then go learn programming in your language of choice and make projects with it.

Shenzen is just a game and just like most games it requires only a basic and quite limited skill set to be able to successfully play it. It can provide some basic impression of what embedded programming is for people who are not familiar with it, or serve as a distraction for a bored engineer who might have studied embedded programming many years ago but never got to work with it afterwards. Beyond that there is not much to gain from this game because... it is just a game.

So, OP, if you want to develop your real life skills then it would be best to use the time you have for a real life studies and projects.

[TangoBravo]

The problem is that this game does not teach anything. It requires you to learn everything necessary to find the solution from reading the manual. Which is a shame, as this game with some reasonable in-game presentation of the available options could be quite an impressive puzzler, instead of just a lovely nerd exercise of playing with a simulation.

[thewifiwhisperer]

I do think that the expectations of this game are a bit high if you want it to teach you coding. This game is of course primarily meant as entertainment, not an educational tool.

If you get a regular jigsaw puzzle, it does not take you by the hand either. There's the picture on the front and that's it. Strategies like 'edges first' , 'sort by colour', 'sort by shape', you have to develop yourself.

[TangoBravo]

Just that every other game shows you the functions one by one and does not throw a manual in your direction asking to find everything out on your own. This isn't just difficult, it is tedious.

[the.lovewyrm]

I don't know. It might change your perspective on some programming tasks, but I would lean toward no.
However, it might take some intimidation away from programming, which is worth quite a bit, too.

[chandl34]

Originally posted by TangoBravo:

The problem is that this game does not teach anything. It requires you to learn everything necessary to find the solution from reading the manual.

Yes. It's one of the more true to life aspects of the game. Except in real life, the documentation is rarely that good, if it exists at all.

Originally posted by Donald J. Trump:

will playing and getting good at this game make me a better programmer in general?

The game may make you more interested in programming-- sure-- and will test your problem solving skills. Before I became a professional developer, I was hooked on an old PS1 programming game called Carnage Heart, where you wrote combat mech AI.

In real life though, you should be more focused on the things ez mentioned. Solving the problem is usually the easy part; what's most important is how you solve it. Readability, maintainability, and testability are far more important than trying to solve everything in the least lines of code, as this game teaches you.