Making a basketball game in Scratch is a fun way to learn about programming concepts like motion, collision detection, and score tracking. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create a simple basketball game in Scratch:
Step 1: Set Up Your Scratch Project
1. Open Scratch: Go to [scratch.mit.edu](https://scratch.mit.edu) and log in or create an account. If you’re not logged in, you can still create and save projects.
2. Create a New Project: Click on “Create” to start a new project.
3. Delete the Cat Sprite: You can remove the default cat sprite by right-clicking it and selecting “delete”.
Step 2: Add Sprites
1. Basketball Hoop: You can either draw your own hoop or find a hoop sprite from the Scratch library or online.
– To add a hoop, click the “Choose a Sprite” button, then select a sprite or upload one. You can search for a hoop if it’s available in the Scratch library.
– Position the hoop at the top of the screen.
2. Basketball: Add a basketball sprite by either drawing it or selecting one from the library.
– Position the basketball at the bottom of the screen, where it will start.
3. Background: You can create or choose a simple background. For a basketball game, a court-like background works best.
Step 3: Code the Basketball
Now, we’ll program the basketball to move in a throwing motion.
1. Basketball Movement:
– Select the basketball sprite, go to the “Code” tab, and drag the following blocks to make it respond to key presses (like spacebar) to throw the ball:
– When green flag clicked:
– Set the initial position of the ball at the bottom.
– Set the basketball to not move initially.
– When space key pressed:
– Make the basketball move up and forward (a throwing motion).
– Use `change y by 10` and `change x by 5` to create an arc.
Example code:
“`scratch
when green flag clicked
go to x: 0 y: -140
set rotation style [left-right v]
set [is thrown v] to [false]
when [space v] key pressed
if
set [is thrown v] to [true]
repeat until
change y by 10
change x by 5
wait 0.05 seconds
end
set [is thrown v] to [false]
end
“`
Step 4: Add Collision Detection (Ball Goes Through Hoop)
You will need to detect if the ball goes through the hoop. This can be done using `if touching [Hoop]` blocks to check if the basketball touches the hoop. If it does, increase the score.
1. Detect when the ball goes through the hoop:
– Create a variable called “Score”.
– When the ball touches the hoop, increase the score by 1.
Example code:
“`scratch
when green flag clicked
set [Score v] to [0]
forever
if
change [Score v] by (1)
go to x: 0 y: -140 // Reset ball position
end
end
“`
Step 5: Add a Timer (Optional)
To make the game more challenging, you can add a timer. Use a variable called “Time” and count down every second. When the timer reaches zero, the game can end.
1. Timer setup:
– Create a variable called “Time”.
– When the green flag is clicked, set the timer to a specific value (e.g., 30 seconds).
– Use a forever loop to decrease the time by 1 every second.
Example code:
“`scratch
when green flag clicked
set [Time v] to [30] // 30-second timer
forever
wait (1) seconds
change [Time v] by (-1)
if <[Time v] = [0]> then
broadcast [Game Over v]
stop all
end
end
“`
Step 6: Display the Score and Timer
To make the game interactive, you should display the score and the timer on the screen. Both variables (“Score” and “Time”) will automatically appear if you have them in the “Variables” section.
1. Show the score and timer:
– Ensure both the score and time are shown on the screen by default. You can adjust their positions by dragging them around.
Step 7: Add Game Over Logic
Once the timer reaches 0, you can display a “Game Over” message and stop the game.
1. Game Over Broadcast:
– When the timer reaches 0, broadcast a “Game Over” message.
– Add a script for a “Game Over” sprite (like a text sprite) that will show when the game ends.
Example code for “Game Over” sprite:
“`scratch
when I receive [Game Over v]
say [Game Over! Your score is [Score]]
“`
Step 8: Final Touches
You can add more features to make the game more interesting:
– Add different levels or increase the difficulty as the game progresses.
– Add sound effects when the ball goes through the hoop.
– Create an animated basketball player or crowd for more visuals.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You now have a simple basketball game in Scratch. As you get more comfortable with Scratch, you can add more complex features like a moving hoop, improved physics, or different difficulty levels. Keep experimenting and improving your game!
