How To Add Lives To A Scratch Game

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• Keep your maze simple. If it is too complex the object moving through it will have to be too small.
• Choose a maze that has lines that are all the same colors.
• Drag it onto your desktop.

Step #2: Upload your image as your background in Scratch:

Step #3: Adjust the size of the background by using the select tool:

• Select your maze image by dragging over it. Then you can make adjustments by moving the corners.

Step #4: Choose a sprite to move through your maze:

• Use one from Scratch Library, Draw your own or Upload one from your computer/Internet.

Step #5: Make your sprite move using the arrow keys:

• Drag blocks into the script area so that the arrow keys can be used to move the sprite through the maze.
• Write a separate script for each arrow key.
• Use the duplicate (stamp) icon to make copies and save time.

If your sprite is 'jumping around', try using the following script to stop rotation:

• Drag it to the starting point. Notice the x and y coordinates.
• Write a script that tells the sprite to 'go to' those coordinates when the 'green flag is clicked'.

Step #7: Stop the sprite from moving through the lines:

Option #1: You can make the sprite jump back to the start of the maze:

Option #2: Or you can make it bounce off of the lines:

• Create a finish line in a new sprite using the drawing tool (paintbrush).

• Create a finish line that is a different color than the lines of your maze.
• If your maze lines are black, do not choose a black finish line.

Step #9: Create the words that will appear when you win the game:

• Create another new sprite that says 'You Win', 'Great Job' or something like that.

• Create a New Sprite by clicking on the drawing tool (paintbrush) in Scratch.

• Click the 'T' for text when creating the new sprite.

• Type the word(s) that you want to appear when someone wins the game.

Step #10: Tell your words to hide at the start of the game:

• Write a script that tells your text sprite to 'hide' at the start of the game (when green flag is clicked).

Important: This script goes into your Text Sprite, not the sprite that is moving through the maze!

Step #11: Tell your words to show up when they receive the broadcast:

Important: This script goes into your Text Sprite, not the sprite that is moving through the maze!

• Write a script that tells your text sprite to 'show' when it receives the broadcast 'win'. You must name the broadcast/message.
• A broadcast/message is an invisible signal sent out to the rest of the program. You do not see the broadcast.

Step #12: Make your sprite react to the finish line:

• In the sample below, the finish line is red.
• When the sprite touches the red line, it goes back to the start of the maze, and sends out an invisible broadcast called 'win'.
• This broadcast triggers the words you created above to appear on the screen.

Important: This script goes into the sprite that is moving through the maze. It does not go in the Text Sprite you created above!

(this makes your game viewable by the public)

Step #14 Post the Link to your game here.

How to add points to your maze.

Add Points - Step #1

Choose an object/sprite that can be touched to earn points.

Make your new sprite bounce back and forth in the maze.

Create a variable named 'Points' ( you can name it something else too)

A. Click on the orange 'Data' blocks.

C. Name your variable 'Points'

Add Points - Step #4

Make your points reset to '0' when the green flag is clicked.

Add Points - Step #5

Make your sprite that is moving through the maze earn points by touching the new sprite.

In this example, the squirrel touches an acorn and earns one point.

This script goes in your new sprite. In this example, this script would go into the script of the acorn.

How to Create Lives for your Sprite

You can modify the program above to record 'lives' instead of points - just name your variable 'lives' and change points by '-1' when they touch another sprite.

Other ideas for your game:

• Add objects to avoid inside the maze (like PacMan ghosts).(see above)
• Add objects to collect as you move through the maze. (see above)
• Create a second level.
• Create 'lives' that can be lost.(see above)
• Create a timer.
• Add sounds.

Sample Game - Rocket Maze

Scratch Maze Assessment