I've been watching videos of people making interesting projects with Raspberry Pi and similar devices, and I'd like to try building something of my own. My hands-on experience is limited—I assembled a PC once, although I needed help getting it working—and I only have a basic understanding of coding from a short boot camp about ten years ago.
I'm especially interested in creating a wall-mounted display a few feet wide and tall, showing a detailed 8-bit-style city skyline. I'd like to animate elements such as an elevated train passing at irregular intervals and lights in different windows turning on and off unpredictably, so it feels more like a living scene than a simple looping GIF.
What would be the best way to begin learning the necessary Linux, programming, and electronics skills? Would a Raspberry Pi be suitable for this project, or would another computer or microcontroller be a better starting point?
4 Answers
Your idea is essentially a small 2D simulation or game. You could create it with Python and a graphics library such as Pygame, where each window and train has its own state and a random timer determines when it changes. Begin with a small version on a normal computer, then move it to a Pi after the software works. That makes troubleshooting much easier and lets you learn programming without also dealing with wiring and display hardware.
A Raspberry Pi can work, but don’t assume it’s automatically the best or cheapest computer. A refurbished small desktop can offer more performance for less money and will run the same Linux, Python, and graphics software. If you already have an old PC, use that for learning and prototyping, then decide whether the final wall display needs the smaller size and lower power consumption of a Pi.
There are two common ways to use a Pi. As a tiny computer, it can run Linux, programs, animations, and a display much like a regular PC. As a controller, it can read sensors and operate lights, motors, or other hardware through its GPIO pins. Your skyline project mainly fits the first category unless you later add physical LEDs, buttons, or a moving train. Tutorials and coding assistants can help explain errors and provide step-by-step examples, but it’s still worth understanding the code rather than copying it blindly.
Start by treating the Raspberry Pi as a small desktop computer. Connect it to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, install or learn the basics of Linux, and work through beginner Python projects. Once you’re comfortable with files, programs, loops, timers, and basic graphics, you can build the skyline in stages: first a static image, then scheduled animations, and finally randomized events such as trains and window lights. For this particular project, you may not need any electronics or GPIO at all—the Pi could simply run the visual display on a monitor or LED panel.
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