The MakeCode Newsletter
Happy October and welcome to the newsletter devoted to Microsoft MakeCode, the easy but powerful block and Javascript code creator. We include MakeCode news, highlights, information, happenings, hardware, and more from around the MakeCode universe!
If you’d like to receive this newsletter via email early each month, sign up here.
Missed a previous issue? No worries, you can check out the archive right here!
micro:bit Version 2 Announced!
The Micro:bit Educational Foundation announced the new micro:bit on Tuesday.
The latest micro:bit will fit right in to your existing lessons and materials; all the existing MakeCode blocks and MicroPython code will work in the same way as they do on the original micro:bit. More features, including easy ways to take AI and ML into the classroom, will be released throughout 2021.
Some new features of the board:
- A more powerful Nordic nRF52833 processor
- A MEMS microphone
- A speaker
- Capacitive touch sensor
- Power saving mode
The Foundation notes availability from November 2020 at the same price point.
More details: Video – Meet the latest micro:bit, announcement page, tech specs, and Adafruit Blog.
Update your micro:bit version 1 HEX files to work via micro:bit V2 Universal HEX - Kitronik.
Education Spotlight
Did you know that many activities can be completed without a physical micro:bit? You can use the simulator in MakeCode
Have a look at ther Make :it Code it site for inspiration - Twitter and Site.
Getting Started With Microsoft MakeCode Editor - Kitronik and Twitter.
Coding with micro:bit - Part 6 - Coding tips - Variables and Conditionals - YouTube and Twitter.
MakeCode Minute
In this MakeCode Minute, John Park shows how to create realistic candle flame flicker in MakeCode for Circuit Playground Express! Adafruit Circuit Playground Express Also, perfect for pumpkins!
Check out all the MakeCode minute videos on YouTube.
MakeCode Arcade Game of the Week!
Driving Game Engine by mmoskal is an impressive curved road simulation using a SNES Mode-7 like rendering method.
Check out all the MakeCode Arcade game of the week videos on YouTube.
News from around the web!
Klaus Weidner (@klausweidner) writes:
I got an Adafruit PyGamer, initially intended for my kids to use with MakeCode Arcade, but I’ve admittedly been hogging it. So far I made a game ( https://arcade.makecode.com/14387-51095-53420-83010 ) and hacked on the sound engine for more authentic 8-bit effects.
A 6 year old learns how to get the temperature outside with MakeCode on a micro:bit - Twitter.
MakeCode Arcade Traffic Jam - sumbissions received - itch.io and winners broadcast - Twitch.
MakeCode and Makey Makey, en route to building ones own game controllers and programming a multi-level arcade game - Twitter.
Send a message from one micro:bit to another using LoRa radio with XinaBox, coded in MakeCode, Peer-2-peer, HUGE range (kilometers) - Twitter.
Learning through play - coding a video game & mapping math expectations for grades 4-8 with a simple Chase the Pizza game in MakeCode - Twitter and MakeCode.
Make a weather station in < 10 mins using XinaBox and drag-and-drop block coding with MS MakeCode - hackster.io.
Conductive Tape vs. MAKE’ayla: REMATCH - Twitter and Periscope.
128 x 64 pixel OLED displays are inexpensive and provide a great way to augment micro:bit projects - blogmywiki.
A simple maze-runner mini-game done using Arcade by Microsoft #MakeCode and their tutorials. You can play it via a browser or mobile (or use the code to port it to other hardware) - itch.io and Twitter.
How to make a micro:bit behave differently using a magnet - DIT 4 Pro, Twitter and YouTube.
Making a Game in 15 minutes using JavaScript in Microsoft MakeCode Arcade - YouTube.
Microsoft MakeCode: from C++ to TypeScript and Blockly (and Back) - YouTube.
#ICYDNCI What was the most popular, most clicked link, in last month’s newsletter? Game Jam: Traffic Jam.
New Guides using MakeCode!
Flashing LED Strand with MakeCode from Kathy Ceceri.
Rainbow Bottle Lamp with Fairy Lights from Erin St Blaine.
And check out all MakeCode guides on learn.adafruit.com.
Hardware!
Xtron Pro: Creating Games, Learning Programming and more - a programmable modular console to create games, design wearables and make creative projects - Kickstarter and Twitter.
Kitronik ARCADE for MakeCode Arcade - Twitter and Kitronik.
A recent review of the Adafruit Circuit Playground Express which includes connectivity to the iPad Pro and use with Microsoft makeCode - BloggedIn.
Calibrating 360 Degree Servos For :MOVE mini - Kitronik.
Latest Releases
MakeCode Streamer is a beta product allows cration of video streams for MakeCode demonstrations, classes and more.
After months of streaming on our mixer channel, we’ve learned quite a few tips and tricks about OBS, scenes, transitions, and other awesome streaming tech. To make everyone benefit from it, we’ve remixed our favorite features into a new tool, Streamer, that simplifies the production of coding videos. Streamer is in beta phase and Microsoft would love to hear your feedback!
- try it now for any MakeCode editor https://makecode.com/streamer
- docs: https://makecode.com/streamer/docs
- Rob Morrill shares his use - Twitter.
Learn how to code and get immediate results with BuildBee MakeCode, a block coding application powered by Microsoft MakeCode for creating 3D printable models - Twitter.
Resources for Educators and more!
If we missed any resources, please let us know on GitHub, we’ll be updating this list each newsletter.
Join the MakeCode Discussions on Discord
The Adafruit Discord community has a dedicated #makecode channel to discuss all things MakeCode, seek advice, etc. - Join us now.
What is Microsoft MakeCode?
Microsoft MakeCode is a free, open source platform for creating engaging computer science learning experiences that support a progression path into real-world programming - YouTube.
Simulator
An interactive simulator provides students with immediate feedback on how their program is running and makes it easy to test and debug their code.
Block Editor
Students new to coding can start with colored blocks that they can drag and drop onto their workspace to construct their programs.
JavaScript Editor
When they are ready, students can move into a full-featured JavaScript editor with code snippets, tooltips, and error detection to help them.
MakeCode Arcade
Microsoft MakeCode Arcade is a web-based beginner-friendly code editor to create retro arcade games for the web and for microcontrollers. In this guide, you will learn how to assemble your own Arcade hardware from different parts. MakeCode Arcade is open source, and on GitHub.
Microsoft has produced an excellent overview video of MakeCode Arcade - YouTube.
Contribute!
The MakeCode Newsletter is a community-run newsletter with support from Microsoft. The complete archives are here. Contributions are welcome! Please make pull request to modify the latest draft from inside the _drafts directory on GitHub.
