STOCKFIGHTER IS A PROGRAMMING GAME
Stockfighter is a free game that you play by programming. The game has multiple tech trees, each a series of puzzles that let you show off more-or-less thematically related engineering skills.
The two tech trees presently in the game are Trade.Exec(), where most levels revolve around systems programming and automated trading, and Jailbreak, where most levels revolve low-level operation of a microcontroller.
WHAT LANGUAGES YOU NEED TO KNOW?
The systems programming levels present you with a REST API (described on this site), which you can drive with any language/stack which speaks HTTP. At present, you’ll execute all your code on your own computer, using any set of tools you generally use for that.
The low-level programming is a mix of C and AVR assembly.
HOW HARD IS IT?
There is a difficulty curve in the puzzles. In the Chapter 1 release, which is presently available, the rough curve is:
- First few levels: Solvable if you’ve ever programmed before.
- Middle levels: Solvable if you have skills equivalent to intermediate professional engineers.
- Last levels: Solvable if you’ve got skills sufficient to work professionally as an engineer in a very demanding position.
HOW LONG DO LEVELS TAKE?
These are also curved.
- First few levels: A few minutes each.
- Middle levels: No more than about 30 to 60 minutes each.
- Last levels: A good evening and/or weekend project.
About StarFighter
Starfighter, a recruiting company by software engineers, of software engineers, for software engineers. They exist to get geeks like us great jobs.
They occasionally contact players of the game who have come to our attention with conspicuous acts of engineering awesomeness. If appropriate, that conversation can turn into “Hey, where are you working these days? Do you enjoy working there? No? You should be in a job you enjoy — can we introduce you to a CTO at a company you’d like better?”
Their clients pay them if they hire someone as they recommend to them. It’s enough money to let us run games like this one.
