WEEK 3

YOU'RE IN
CONTROL

INPUT, GAME LOOPS & YOUR FIRST GAME

TODAY'S BIG IDEA

YOU ARE THE GAME DESIGNER!

PLAYERS
CONTROL A
CHARACTER
WITH ARROW
KEYS

THE GAME
KEEPS
RUNNING
FOREVER!

THE COMPUTER
KNOWS WHEN
YOU WIN
OR LOSE

WHAT WE'RE LEARNING

MOVE SPRITES
WITH ARROW
KEYS

CODE THAT
RUNS FOREVER
(GAME LOOPS!)

DETECT
WALLS AND
BOUNDARIES

CREATE WIN
AND LOSE
CONDITIONS

PLAY & DISCOVER

LET'S PLAY A SIMPLE MAZE GAME!

WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN YOU
PRESS THE
ARROW KEYS?

WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN YOU
TOUCH A
WALL?

WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN YOU
REACH THE
GOAL?

HOW DOES THE COMPUTER KNOW THESE RULES?

THE FOREVER LOOP

WHY DO GAMES KEEP CHECKING FOR YOUR ARROW KEYS?

FOREVER

CHECK IF
ARROW IS
PRESSED

CHECK IF
TOUCHING
WALL

CHECK IF
REACHED
GOAL

THIS RUNS OVER AND OVER UNTIL YOU STOP THE GAME!

DEMO: ARROW KEY MOVEMENT

WATCH AS I BUILD STEP-BY-STEP!

1. GREEN
FLAG SETUP
(START POS)

2. FOREVER
LOOP

3. UP &
DOWN
ARROWS

4. LEFT &
RIGHT
ARROWS

YOUR TURN: FOLLOW ALONG ON YOUR SCREEN!

ARROW KEYS: PART 1

UP AND DOWN MOVEMENT

WHEN GREEN
FLAG CLICKED

GO TO X: (-200)
Y: (0)

FOREVER

IF <UP ARROW
PRESSED?> THEN
CHANGE Y BY (5)

IF <DOWN ARROW
PRESSED?> THEN
CHANGE Y BY (-5)

ARROW KEYS: PART 2

LEFT AND RIGHT MOVEMENT

IF <LEFT ARROW
PRESSED?> THEN
CHANGE X BY (-5)

IF <RIGHT ARROW
PRESSED?> THEN
CHANGE X BY (5)

ADD INSIDE YOUR FOREVER LOOP!
TEST IT: PRESS GREEN FLAG AND TRY ALL FOUR ARROWS

DEMO: WALL DETECTION

MAKE THE GAME RESET IF YOU TOUCH A WALL!

1. PAINT
YOUR WALLS
A SPECIFIC
COLOR
(LIKE BLACK)

2. CHECK IF
SPRITE IS
TOUCHING
THAT COLOR

3. IF YES,
SEND PLAYER
BACK TO
START

WALL DETECTION CODE

ADD THIS INSIDE YOUR FOREVER LOOP

FOREVER

[... ALL YOUR
ARROW KEY CODE ...]

IF <TOUCHING
COLOR [BLACK]?>
THEN

GO TO X: (-200)
Y: (0)

CLICK THE COLOR SQUARE TO PICK
THE EXACT WALL COLOR!

WIN CONDITION

HOW DOES THE COMPUTER KNOW YOU WON?

OPTION 1: TOUCH SPRITE

IF <TOUCHING
[GOAL]?> THEN

SAY [YOU WIN!]
FOR (2) SECONDS

STOP [ALL]

OPTION 2: TOUCH COLOR

IF <TOUCHING
COLOR [GREEN]?>
THEN

SAY [YOU WIN!]
FOR (2) SECONDS

STOP [ALL]

GUIDED BUILD: STEPS 1-4

EVERYONE BUILDS TOGETHER!

STEP 1
CREATE YOUR
PLAYER
SPRITE

STEP 2
ADD GREEN
FLAG AND
START POS

STEP 3
ADD THE
FOREVER
LOOP

STEP 4
ADD UP &
DOWN ARROW
MOVEMENT

CHECKPOINT! TEST IT. CAN YOU MOVE UP AND DOWN?

GUIDED BUILD: STEPS 5-6

STEP 5
ADD LEFT &
RIGHT ARROW
MOVEMENT

CHECKPOINT! TEST ALL FOUR DIRECTIONS.

STEP 6
PAINT YOUR
MAZE
BACKDROP

BLACK FOR WALLS • WHITE FOR PATHS • GREEN FOR GOAL

GUIDED BUILD: STEPS 7-8

STEP 7
ADD WALL
DETECTION
(TOUCHING
BLACK = RESET)

STEP 8
ADD WIN
CONDITION
(TOUCHING
GREEN = WIN)

FINAL TEST! PLAY YOUR GAME START TO FINISH!

MAZE DESIGN TIPS

MAKE IT FUN, NOT FRUSTRATING!

GOOD DESIGN
START EASY,
GET HARDER
WIDE PATHS
CLEAR GOAL
TEST IT
YOURSELF!

BAD DESIGN
PATHS TOO
NARROW
NO CLEAR GOAL
SURPRISE
WALLS
TOO LONG

MAKER TIME: CHALLENGES

CHOOSE YOUR CHALLENGE LEVEL!

BRONZE
BASIC MAZE
4 DIRECTIONS
WALL DETECT
WIN CONDITION

SILVER
ADD A TIMER
SOUND FX
MOVING
OBSTACLES

GOLD
MULTIPLE
LEVELS
LIVES SYSTEM
COLLECTIBLES

BEYOND A MAZE

WANT TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT?

DODGE GAME
FALLING
OBJECTS
LEFT/RIGHT
ONLY
SURVIVE!

COLLECTION
GAME
COLLECT
ITEMS
SCORE UP
GET ALL!

RACE GAME
REACH THE
FINISH LINE
OBSTACLES
TIMER
CHALLENGE

PLAYTEST SWAP

SWAP WITH A PARTNER!

AS THE
PLAYER:
PLAY WITHOUT
TALKING
TRY TO WIN!
NOTICE WHAT
FEELS GOOD

AS THE
CREATOR:
WATCH
SILENTLY
NOTICE WHERE
THEY GET
STUCK

PLAYTEST FEEDBACK

TELL YOUR PARTNER:

ONE
COMPLIMENT
"I LIKED
WHEN..."

ONE
SUGGESTION
"WHAT IF
YOU..."

GOOD FEEDBACK HELPS EVERYONE IMPROVE!

DEBUGGING CLINIC

COMMON PROBLEMS AND FIXES

TOO FAST?
CHANGE (10)
TO (5)
OR (3)

STOPS AFTER
ONE PRESS?
PUT CODE
INSIDE THE
FOREVER LOOP

WALL DETECT
WON'T WORK?
USE COLOR
PICKER ON
EXACT COLOR

MORE DEBUGGING FIXES

STUCK IN
THE WALL?
MOVE RESET
POSITION
FARTHER
FROM WALLS

GAME WON'T
STOP?
ADD STOP
[ALL] AFTER
WIN MESSAGE

WRONG START
SPOT?
CHECK YOUR
GO TO X Y
NUMBERS

WHAT WE LEARNED

ARROW KEYS
USE IF KEY
PRESSED
BLOCKS

FOREVER
LOOPS KEEP
CODE RUNNING
NONSTOP

COLOR
DETECTION
CHECKS IF
SPRITES
TOUCH COLORS

GAMES NEED
CLEAR WIN
AND LOSE
CONDITIONS

COMPUTERS CHECK CONDITIONS 60+ TIMES PER SECOND!

NEXT WEEK PREVIEW

WEEK 4: "SMART SPRITES"

SPRITES
MAKE
DECISIONS

IF/THEN/
ELSE
LOGIC

FIND &
FIX BUGS
LIKE A PRO

ENEMY
BEHAVIORS
THAT REACT

YOUR GAMES ARE ABOUT TO GET SMART!

REFLECTION

TURN AND TALK WITH A NEIGHBOR:

WHAT WAS
THE TRICKIEST
PART OF
TODAY?

WHAT
SURPRISED
YOU ABOUT
HOW GAMES
WORK?

IF YOU HAD
10 MORE
MINUTES
WHAT WOULD
YOU ADD?

WHO WANTS TO SHARE THEIR ANSWER?

SAVE YOUR WORK!

MAKE SURE YOUR PROJECT IS SAVED

1. CLICK
FILE >
SAVE NOW

2. NAME IT
"MAZE
NAVIGATOR
- [NAME]"

PLAY YOUR GAME AT HOME!
ASK FAMILY TO TEST IT!

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK, MAKERS!