Learning to Code with Doom - A Beginner's Misadventure

Embark on a humorous and insightful journey through the world of coding with this 10-minute conference talk from !!Con 2021. Discover how speaker Phil Salvador, a librarian and video game historian, dove headfirst into programming during the pandemic to help create a mod for the classic 1993 game Doom. Follow along as Salvador recounts his misadventures in navigating the complex, multi-layered Doom game engine, which uses multiple programming languages stacked on top of each other. Learn why attempting to play a simple sound effect spiraled into a series of challenging issues, and gain perspective on how embracing confusion can lead to fun and rewarding experiences in coding. This entertaining talk offers valuable lessons for beginners and experienced programmers alike, demonstrating that even seemingly daunting projects can become enjoyable learning opportunities.