Coding Ireland STEM Report 2024 Have Your Say
Scratch Game
Beginner
60 mins
170 points
What you need:
  • Computer/laptop

Paddle Ball Game

In this lesson you will program a game called Paddle Ball! You will learn about moving sprites, backdrops and using sensing blocks.    

1 - Create a new Scratch project

Create a new Scratch project and delete the cat sprite that's added by default.


2 - Add the paddle sprite

Add the sprite called 'Paddle' from the sprite library.

Drag the paddle to near the bottom of the stage area (by holding down the left mouse button and moving your mouse). Make sure to leave some space between the bottom of the stage area and the paddle (this is important later on as we'll be putting something there).



3 - Add the football sprite

Add the sprite called 'Soccer Ball' from the sprite library.


4 - Position the ball

At the start of the game we want the ball to start at the top center of the screen. We can do this by setting the X and Y coordinates of the ball.

The X and Y coordinates are like an address, they give the location of a point on the screen. The X number is the point on the X axis which runs vertically across the screen (left and right). The Y number is the point on the Y axis which runs horizontally across the screen (up and down). The very center of the screen is X:0 Y:0. As you move to the right the X number increases, as you move to the left the X number decreases. Similarly as you move up the Y number increases, as you move down the Y number decreases.

We want the ball to start at the top center of the screen which as at the location X:0 Y:170. To do this we add the following code to the ball sprite:

when green flag clicked go to x [0] y [170]

Once you've added this code and entered the correct X and Y coordinates, click on the green flag at the top right of your screen to run the code. Your ball should go to the top center of your screen.


5 - Make the ball bounce around

Now that we have the ball in the correct position for the start of the game, we want to make the ball start moving around the screen and bouncing of the edge of the screen when it touches it.

First we point the ball in a downwards diagonal direction and then we get it to continually move, if it touches the edge of the screen we want it to bounce. Add the following code underneath the go to x: 0 y: 170 block:

when green flag clicked go to x [0] y [170] // insert new code under here point in direction [120] forever move [10] steps if on edge bounce end

Run your code by clicking the green flag. The ball should start bouncing around the screen!

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Copyright Notice
This lesson is copyright of Coding Ireland. Unauthorised use, copying or distribution is not allowed.

Scratch is developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. It is available for free at https://scratch.mit.edu
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