You Know Python Basics—Now Let's Build Something Real

#python #programming #gamedev #beginners

Who this is for: You've completed a Python basics course or tutorial. You understand variables, loops, conditionals, and strings. But you haven't built anything real yet. This project is specifically for that stage.

You've learned variables, loops, conditionals, and string methods. Each concept made sense in isolation. But when you stared at a blank file and tried to build something... nothing came together.

This is the gap between knowing syntax and actually programming.

I just open-sourced a project specifically designed to bridge that gap: a text adventure game that combines all those foundational concepts into one playable program.

Repo: github.com/samuel-ochaba-dev/zero-to-ai-engineer-projects

What You'll Practice

This isn't just another tutorial—it's a consolidation project. Every Python basic you've learned has a job:

Concept	How It's Used
Variables & Data Types	Game state, rooms, player info
Dictionaries	Nested data for the game world
Operators	Health checks, item membership
String Methods	`.strip()`, `.lower()`, `.split()`, `.join()`
User Input	Interactive `input()` game loop
Conditionals	`if-elif-else` and `match/case` for commands
While Loops	Main game loop
For Loops	Iterating inventory with `enumerate()`
Type Hints	Self-documenting function signatures

The point isn't to learn new syntax. The point is to combine concepts you already know.

How to Get the Most from This

Don't just run the code. That's the mistake most people make with learning projects.

Instead:

1. Read the code without running it first

Trace through the main loop. Predict what happens when you type go north or take torch. Then run it to check your mental model.

2. Break something intentionally

Remove a line. Change a condition. See what error you get. This teaches you what each piece is actually doing.

3. Extend it

The repo includes practice exercises:

Add a new room with items
Implement a locked door puzzle (requires a key)
Add a scoring system
Create new random events

Building on existing code is how real projects work.

The Pattern You'll Keep Using

The main game loop looks like this:

while game_running:
    # Check win/lose conditions
    # Display current state
    # Get player input
    # Process command
    # Trigger random events

This pattern—a loop that reads input, processes it, updates state, and displays results—appears everywhere:

CLI tools
Chat applications
AI chatbots (read user message → send to LLM → display response → repeat)
Game engines
REPLs

Once you understand this pattern deeply, you'll recognize it in every interactive program you encounter.

Requirements

Python 3.10+ (required for match/case syntax)
No external dependencies

git clone https://github.com/samuel-ochaba-dev/zero-to-ai-engineer-projects.git
cd zero-to-ai-engineer-projects/dungeon-escape-text-adventure-game
python3 adventure_game.py

Sample Gameplay

========================================
       DUNGEON ESCAPE
========================================

You wake up in a dark dungeon.
Find the exit to escape!
Type 'help' for available commands.

You are in the Entrance Hall.
A dusty entrance with cobwebs covering the walls.
A faint light flickers from the north.

Exits: north, east
Items here: torch

Health: 100 | Inventory: empty

What do you do? >

Navigate through rooms, collect items, survive random events, and find the exit.

The mental shift from "I know what a while loop is" to "I can use a while loop to build a game loop" is significant. This project is designed to make that shift concrete.

Clone it. Break it. Extend it.

This is adapted from my upcoming book, Zero to AI Engineer: Python Foundations.
I share excerpts like this on Substack → https://substack.com/@samuelochaba