Chris Wolfe

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I'm a software tinkerer and occasional computer scientist. This blog is a platform for sharing my explorations: mostly in software development and game design, but ranging through a host of interesting technologies. Expect articles, projects, tutorials, and unabashed geekery.

To see updates as soon as they are posted, follow:

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  • Minimally Magic Markup

    April 5, 2019

    Some of the recent arguments around CSS vs CSS-in-JS got me thinking about code visibility. I learned my first HTML and CSS from reading the source of interesting websites, but today that is only rarely possible. Can I find or build tools that keep the useful development features, while allowing others to learn directly from the running code?Read more...

  • Early thoughts on block-based programming

    January 7, 2019

    Block-based programming is a recurring theme in discussions of computing education, and there are many pitches, tools, and research papers. The basic goal is simple: save learners from memorizing the textual syntax of a programming language so that they can focus on making the computer actually do something.Read more...

  • 2018 Retrospective

    December 31, 2018

    'tis the season for personal retrospectives and planning. My 2018 was a year of plunging into the modern JavaScript and web development ecosystem, about which I have decidedly mixed feelings. 2019 will bring a shift from exploration toward more writing, and more game development.Read more...

  • Mosaic (Alpha Test)

    December 28, 2018

    This is the first public test of a puzzle game concept inspired by the many mosaic patterns of digital cameras.Read more...

  • Colorful Flow Logic

    December 19, 2018

    Updated my puzzle game flow code to support blending colors, along with lots of tweaks and refactoring. Two related articles to write as I finish it up: how the flow code works, and some pros and cons of SVG with CSS animation.

    Play Video
  • Puzzle Game Colorful Redesign

    November 27, 2018

    Tweaking my puzzle game so that mixing up channels produces other colors. The flow logic is disabled here (and colors randomized), but you can see gradients from the G and B sources to their connected pipes.

    Game board of hexagonal tiles with channels containing random colors.
  • Puzzle Game Flow Logic

    November 24, 2018

    Spent a few days building the flow logic for my puzzle game. Almost works... except for some very confused conflict markers near the end of the animation.

    Play Video

    Any conflicting connections spawn an X particle and the tile keeps turning. The more I play with it (now that it's interactive), the more it feels like mixing the colors is the correct response. So one more trip through the drawing board during the code cleanup.

  • Puzzle Game Animation Prototype

    November 6, 2018

    Contining my simple puzzle game with some animation. When you click or tap on a tile it bounces up and spins. Color flows through the pipes, hopefully to the goal.

    Play Video
  • Puzzle Game Art Prototype

    October 27, 2018

    This is an art prototype for a simple puzzle game inspired by digital cameras. The channels carry color to the image, which appears as you connect the sources.

    If you're reflexively clicking that last red pipe, it's obviously on the right track!

    Game board of hexagonal tiles with channels carrying color to a partial photo. One red tile is rotated incorrectly.
  • Welcome!

    October 25, 2018

    Last summer I turned a page in my career, and my life. With this summer cooling into fall, it seems a good time to reflect on what I've been doing. And talk a bit about what comes next.Read more...

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