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RubyConf 2018 - Graphics and Simulations (and Games), Oh My! by Ryan Davis Quick and easy visualization is an important teaching tool and a wonderful way to see your ideas in action. Unfortunately, it is neither quick nor easy for rubyists to get from idea to visualization. You have to have a ton of extra stuff installed. You need to know game mechanics/math. You need to learn a whole other way of programming. It isn't something that is easy for a beginning programmer to pick up. This talk describes an alternative graphics and simulation library with a very clean API making it incredibly easy for newbs and experimenters to go from idea to visual simulation. Pew pew pew!
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In the talk titled "Graphics and Simulations (and Games), Oh My!" presented by Ryan Davis at RubyConf 2018, the focus is on simplifying graphics programming for Ruby developers. The speaker introduces a Ruby gem called 'graphics' aimed at making it easier for beginners to create visual simulations and generative art without requiring extensive knowledge of complex game mechanics or mathematics. **Key Points Discussed:** - **Introduction to Graphics in Ruby:** Davis explains the challenges Rubyists face in visualizing their ideas due to dependencies and the learning curve associated with traditional graphics programming. - **The Graphics Gem:** He presents the 'graphics' gem, highlighting its clean API designed for ease of use. This gem allows users to quickly transform ideas into visual simulations with minimal setup and effort. - **Approachability for Beginners:** Emphasizing that the library is structured around grade school mathematics rather than complex game programming conventions, Davis hopes to demystify graphical programming for non-experts. - **Real Examples:** The presentation includes extensive code examples demonstrating how to create simulations from scratch. For instance: - Creating a bouncing ball simulation with a simple structure. - Developing generative art using random lines and shapes. - Simulating fluid dynamics and agent-based models like Conway's Game of Life and flocking behavior in Boyd's model. - **Interactive Examples:** Davis shows how to implement interactivity in simulations, such as controlling a tank in a simple game, adding depth to the programming experience. - **Optimization and Performance:** The talk discusses optimizations in the gem using SDL2 to enhance graphics performance significantly. - **Testing and Extensibility:** While testing visual and interactive elements can be challenging, Davis shares insights on logging and separating graphics from simulations for better efficiency. Davis concludes by encouraging participants to explore the capabilities of the 'graphics' gem as a tool for enhancing their development toolbox, making graphics programming accessible to those with varying levels of experience. Overall, the talk serves as an invitation to create engaging visual content effortlessly in Ruby.
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