!rant

What is something I can complete in a week (let's say 30-40 hours) as a newbie (I made an android app, played around with engines like unity and unreal here and there, tried some c#, and I always mess around with the linux command line, my RPi, etc etc)? I'll start working in a dual-studying job ('applied CS') in 2 weeks so I'll have enough learning-without-doing to do. I just want to learn something by doing something useful (e.g. a small android app that I can put ads in or sell, or maybe provide something for free that people like. I don't want to write my own engine( that'd take very long anyways) or make a compiler because I feel that'd be kind of useless and even though it'd probably be fun, I would lack initiative.

Hmm. These suggestions (probably) won't make you much money I'm afraid but...

Making an emulator(*):
This is fun, and you can learn a lot about computers. I'd recommend that you start off with the CHIP8.

Making an interpreter(*):
Basically making a interpreted langauge. You could start off with something simple like BF(brainf**k).

A interpreter consists of three main parts. The Lexer. The Parser. And the Evaluator. These make up the interpreter.

If you think theae suggestions are a bit too advanced, then try and flex your skills at these suggestions: Make TicTacToe(*). Make a email checker. You could try and learn a new language, preferably a modern one, like Rust.(kind of *)

If you wanted you could try out what's called a Fantasy Console(*)(like ComputerCraft, Tic-80 or Pico-8).

Try and make a game, or a 3d rendering engine.(mostly *)(like OpenGL). Or a ray caster/tracer(mostly *)

* means I have done it.

Also I realize some of my suggestions might not be considered useful. Maybe not to others, but to you for learning reasons? Yes.

@coolq I think I'll try the 3d engine thing. I once started watching a tutorial series (I love doing that, but never try the things out) on youtube.

You know what, since you're intereated I'd _really_ recommend searching: Making a 3d engine from scratch by DLC Energy.

By the end, you'll have made a simple 3d engine.

It's a quick video, but it might help with other tutorials to already know some of the concepts.

since it only takes like half an hour to watch and follow the video, for a good lengthy tutorial, try the one by benny(I think it's TheBennyBox), he has a tutorial series that (I think) is in Java.

Commenting just to follow the rant 😅 because I have almost same kind of experience! Bingo 😄