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The easy way for kids to get started with video game design
Is your youngster a designer at heart? Read on! Designing Digital Games helps children apply their design skills to video game design using Scratch-and this book! Introducing simple programming concepts over the course of three easy-to-follow projects, it shows your child how to use the free Scratch platform to create a video game from the ground up.

An extension of the trusted For Dummies brand, this juvenile book has a focus on accomplishment and provides all the steps to help young readers learn basic programming concepts to complete cool projects. From using sprites to create a game with a digital pet snake to creating maze games and cloning sprites to create a fun, attack-style game, this approachable guide offers simple, friendly instruction while building kids´ confidence in designing digital games.

Features a design that is heavy on eye-popping graphics your child will love
Content is focused on the steps to completing each of the projects
Offers a small, full-color, non-intimidating package that instills confidence in readers
Includes basic projects that set the young learner on the road to further exploration of video game design
If there´s a kid aged 7-11 in your life who has an interest in using Scratch to design digital games, this book provides the building blocks they need to take their hobby to the next level.



Table of Contents

Introduction: ALL ABOUT SCRATCH 2

About This Book 3

Icons Used in This Book 3

Access Scratch on Your Computer 4

Create online account 4

Use Scratch offline 5

Project 1: Design a Classic Videogame 7

Create a New Project 7

Change the Background Color 8

Add a Bouncing Ball 9

Change the ball color 10

Make the ball move 10

Make blocks repeat 11

Bounce off edges 12

Change the bounce angle 12

Set the ball starting position and size 13

Add the Paddles 14

Move paddle with the keyboard 15

Make the Ball Bounce Off the Paddle 17

Add a Second Player 18

Update the Player Left code blocks 19

Update the ball code 19

Make the bounce more random 20

Keep Track of Player Scores 21

Create score variables 21

Increase the score 22

Reset scores when the game starts 24

Check for the Winning Score 24

Add an end-of-game code 25

Project 2: Super Snake 28

Create a New Project 28

Use Gradient for Background 29

Construct Your Snake 30

Select a sprite costume 31

Create a snake body 31

Sculpt the snake´s head 32

Set the Snake in Motion 32

Make the sprite move forward 33

Add turning blocks 33

Add Body to the Snake 34

Create body cloning loop 34

Make clones different 35

Add Food for the Snake 38

Create food sprite 38

Randomize food location 39

Set Up Game Collisions 40

Check for snake and snackcollision 40

Make the edge of the Stage deadly 41

Make the snake´s body deadly 42

Delay body collision 43

Troubleshoot snake collision 44

Code Snake Growth 45

Create the snake´s length variable 46

Control the snake´s length with code 47

Track Player Score 48

Hide the length variable 48

Create the player´s score variable 48

Project 3: A-Maze-ing Game 51

Create a New Project 51

Choose Game Characters 52

Resize characters with code 53

Copy blocks between sprites 53

Design Maze Background 54

Place rows of cheese using clone blocks 55

Fill the Stage with cheese bits 56

Create maze walls 58

Cut through maze walls 59

Duplicate wall openings 60

Complicate the maze with dead ends 61

Remove cheese inside walls 62

Add Player Keyboard Controls 63

Duplicate code blocks 65

Make walls stop the mouse 66

The Mouse Eats the Cheese 67

Connect score to snacking 67

Keep track of the cheese left 69

Program Enemy Patrol 70

Give the enemy marching orders 70

Adjust the sprite length 72

Change the center of rotation 73

Track Player Lives 73

Give Player a Chance to Win 75

Project 4: Attacking the Clones 79

Create a New Project 79

Choose a Game Background 80

Create Player and Enemy Sprites 81

Resize and position the spaceship 81

Create alien invaders 82

Modify a sprite from the Sprite Library 83

Clone a Bunch of Aliens 83

Evenly position alien clones 84

Give clones their marching orders 87

Broadcast message to turn 87

Change a sprite´s rotation style 88

Straighten alien clone columns 90

Make aliens move down, too 92

Add Laser Blaster to Spaceship 93

Create a laser sprite 94

Fire the laser with the spacebar 95

Create laser clones 96

Enable Spaceship Movement 97

Use Collision to Destroy Aliens 98

Delete the laser on impact 98

Program Enemies to Drop Bombs 100

Create an enemy bomb sprite 100

Randomize enemy attacks 101

Add Sound to Your Game 105

Make lasers a blast 105

Play sound when an alien is hit 106

Give the Player Three Lives 107

Create a variable to track player lives 107

Destroy a Player on Impact 108

Play sound when the player is hit 108

Animate the player explosion 109

Keeping Score 110

Author Notes 114

Share Your Scratch Projects Online 114

Share project from online Scratch editor 114

Share project from offline Scratch editor 116

Publish Scratch Games on Any Website 116