Can Alice be used to simulate 1-player Pong (2D)

ElwoodPDowd · **Can Alice be used to simulate 1-player Pong (2D) -** 06-20-2007, 03:42 PM

I have some students for whom Alice might provide a good starting point for programming. I know they'd be very interested in developing "action" games, and would find it very motivational.
Is the Alice environment capable of being used to simulate the single-player pong game (2D)? The user would use up/down arrow to control a paddle on the left, and "block" a ball that bounces off the other three "walls". If the ball hits the paddle, it bounces. If the ball "hits" the left wall (misses the paddle), then the player loses a point.

islandfever · 07-14-2007, 12:13 PM

In Alice it is possible but probably hard-core programming (at least for me

)
to randomize ball movements.

DrJim · **Possible Starting Point -** 07-14-2007, 01:01 PM

This is one application I'd suggest starting with Scratch (http://scratch.mit.edu/) first. There are several examples in the forum - both of Pong and of some "tennis" games. You can look at these first to get the ball movement and basic physics code right - then recode in Alice to get the 3D effects.

(If you're not familiar with Scratch - it's a simpler (free) program than Alice and aimed mainly at younger users. It uses the same "drag and drop" interface as Alice but it's strictly 2D and fairly limited in the command set it supports. Wouldn't recommend it as a primary tool for a programming course, but worth looking at for application ideas.)

ShaunHBGAcad · 09-05-2007, 06:37 AM

I'm creating a pong game now. You'll be faking a lot of things, like collision detection, and the AI will be extrememly limited, but it is coming along nicely. I'll post a finished version here when it is done. Within a day or so.

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	(#1)
ElwoodPDowd Junior Member Status: Offline Posts: 1 Join Date: Jun 2007	Can Alice be used to simulate 1-player Pong (2D) - 06-20-2007, 03:42 PM I have some students for whom Alice might provide a good starting point for programming. I know they'd be very interested in developing "action" games, and would find it very motivational. Is the Alice environment capable of being used to simulate the single-player pong game (2D)? The user would use up/down arrow to control a paddle on the left, and "block" a ball that bounces off the other three "walls". If the ball hits the paddle, it bounces. If the ball "hits" the left wall (misses the paddle), then the player loses a point.

	(#2)
islandfever Senior Member Status: Offline Posts: 106 Join Date: Jul 2007	07-14-2007, 12:13 PM In Alice it is possible but probably hard-core programming (at least for me ) to randomize ball movements.

	(#3)
DrJim Senior Member Status: Offline Posts: 1,389 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Allentown, PA (Melbourne, FL in the winter)	Possible Starting Point - 07-14-2007, 01:01 PM This is one application I'd suggest starting with Scratch (http://scratch.mit.edu/) first. There are several examples in the forum - both of Pong and of some "tennis" games. You can look at these first to get the ball movement and basic physics code right - then recode in Alice to get the 3D effects. (If you're not familiar with Scratch - it's a simpler (free) program than Alice and aimed mainly at younger users. It uses the same "drag and drop" interface as Alice but it's strictly 2D and fairly limited in the command set it supports. Wouldn't recommend it as a primary tool for a programming course, but worth looking at for application ideas.) Beware the Jabberwock - Beware the Jujub Bird And SHUN the Frumious Bandersnatch!

	(#4)
ShaunHBGAcad Junior Member Status: Offline Posts: 7 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Harrisburg PA	09-05-2007, 06:37 AM I'm creating a pong game now. You'll be faking a lot of things, like collision detection, and the AI will be extrememly limited, but it is coming along nicely. I'll post a finished version here when it is done. Within a day or so.