Syllabus

Level 0 — Welcome & Basics

Orientation, PRINT/CHR$ and a first memory POKE.

• Welcome— Run your first code and clear the screen.
• PRINT & CHR$— Output text and use control codes like CHR$(147).

Level 1 — BASIC Basics

Variables, expressions, input/output and control flow.

• Variables & Types— LET (implicit), names, numbers & strings.
• Expressions— Order of operations and parentheses.
• INPUT & PRINT— Read and output values with formatting.
• IF / THEN / GOTO— Basic branching and mini menus.
• FOR / NEXT— Counters, delays, nested loops.
• Arrays (DIM)— Store multiple values and loop over them.
• Strings— LEN, LEFT$, MID$, RIGHT$, CHR$, ASC.
• GOSUB / RETURN— Organize reusable code with subroutines.

Level 2 — Screen & PETSCII

Screen RAM, POKE patterns, color RAM, and text UIs.

• Memory Map Intro— Address a cell with 1024 + Y*40 + X.
• POKE the Screen— Write PETSCII codes directly to screen RAM.
• Color RAM— Set character colors at 55296 + Y*40 + X.
• PETSCII Codes— Print characters via CHR$ and inspect codes.
• Text UI Patterns— Frames, borders, and simple titles.

Level 3 — Sprites & Movement

Intro to sprite data, simple motion, and collisions.

Level 4 — Sound, Input & Timing

SID beeps, keyboard/joystick input, and timing loops.

Level 5 — Data Structures & Effects

Multi-screen text effects, tables, and simple editors.

Level 6 — Game Loop & Polish

State machines, scoring, difficulty, and polish.

Games Track

From prototypes to a complete mini-game; asset packing and tuning.

Creative Coding Track

Text art, generative patterns, demos; performance tips.

Systems & Tools Track

Editors, loaders, asset pipelines, and productivity tools.