Getting Started

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Prerequisites

  • Python 3.13; download it here.

    • Python 3.14 HAS been tested and it does BREAK things. Please DO NOT use it.

  • A code editor with Python support; some recommendations:

    • VS Code/VSCodium with the Python extension published by ms-python

    • PyCharm

The Client Package

To begin patrolling the dark, dank halls of QBB, you must download the contents of this repository. You may do so in many ways… here are some:

Using Git’s built-in CLI

  1. In the directory you want to download to, run the following command:

git clone https://github.com/<user>/Byte-le-Engine-2026-Client-Package.git

Using GitHub CLI

  1. In the directory you want to download to, run the following command:

gh repo clone <user>/Byte-le-2026-Client-Package

Using GitHub Desktop

  1. Go to https://github.com/acm-ndsu/Byte-le-2026-Client-Package

  2. Press the <> Code button to drop down a menu:

_images/clone_repo.png
  1. Press “Open with GitHub Desktop”

    1. Allow the website to open GitHub Desktop if you have it downloaded already

    2. Once in GitHub Desktop, the URL to the repository will be provided

    3. Choose where you’d like it saved on your device

    4. Click Clone and you’re good to go!

_images/github_desktop.png

Download ZIP

  1. Go to https://github.com/acm-ndsu/Byte-le-2026-Client-Package

  2. Press the <> Code button to drop down a menu:

_images/clone_repo.png

  1. Click Download ZIP and find it in your Downloads.

  2. Extract the files somewhere on your device.

Installing Dependencies

It’s good practice to set up a virtual environment to separate Byte-le’s packages from any system-wide Python packages you might have installed. For more information on Python virtual environments, go here. In your project directory, run the following commands in a command line:

python -m venv .venv

To activate your virtual environment, run one of the following commands depending on your shell:

cmd
.\.venv\Scripts\activate.bat
PowerShell
 .\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
Bash/zsh
source .venv/bin/activate
fish
source .venv/bin/activate.fish

If you don’t see your shell or these don’t work, find the appropriate command for your shell here.

Note

If your virtual environment was activated, your shell might notice, adding “.venv” somewhere in your prompt like so:

cmd
(.venv) C:\path\to\Byte-le-2026-Client-Package\>
PowerShell
(.venv) PS C:\path\to\Byte-le-2026-Client-Package\>
Bash
(.venv) /path/to/Byte-le-2026-Client-Package $
fish
.venv /path/to/Byte-le-2026-Client-Package >

Alternatively, you can check your path to Python:

cmd
where.exe python
PowerShell
where.exe python
Bash/zsh
which python

If your virtual environment is activated, the output of these commands should include a path that looks something like /path/to/Byte-le-2026-Client-Package/path/to/venv/bin/python.

Once your virtual environment is activated, run the following command to install Byte-le’s packages:

pip install -r requirements.txt

More useful commands are listed in Useful Commands.

What Now?

To learn more about the game mechanic’s, read How To Play!

To get your team registered and learn how to submit your code, read The Server!

To learn how to make your lil’ guy do stuff, read Controlling your Avatar!

For tips on programming your client, read Tips & Tricks!

Submitting Issues

If you run into issues with the game, please submit an issue to the Discord server in the #bug-reporting channel or call a developer over!