Some Tips

and challenges

Searching for Sprites and Animations

Google has an additional Tools setting that allows you to modify what it is you are specifically looking for.

By changing the Color to Transparent you are more likely to find existing images that already have the background removed (SUPER useful for adding sprites to your games).

Additionally, google has an option called Type that can be set to Animated. This is useful when searching for animations to take.

Refer to the lesson on 8/22 to remind yourself how to animate or incorporate the Sprites into your program.

THE MARIO CHALLENGE!

If you find yourself done with all of your assignments and fancy yourself a programming wiz try the following:

  • Find an NES mario sprite
  • Find an NES mario mushroom sprite
  • Introduce them into a program
  • Create code that makes the mushroom disappear when it contacts Mario
  • When this happens Mario should grow in size.

BONUS CHALLENGE:

  • Try to make the growth happen smoothly. How can you make the change gradual so there is the visualization of Mario increasing in size.
  • Even better try making the growth mimic the growth pattern from the original NES Mario (use your searching powers to find this online)
  • Even even better have the appropriate small mario transform into his big mario costume after doing the appropriate grow shrink grow shrink grow animation that exists in the NES classic game.

Double Check Your Project 1 Requirements

Make sure that you have the following for your project

Check each requirement off as you look through your code and take note of where you accomplish each requirement in your code:


  1. Animation depicts a full nursery rhyme (or approved smaller portion)
  2. Nursery rhyme is shown one line at a time
  3. Each line is accompanied by sprites depicting the story, and all action is related to the current line
  4. Clicking green flag starts animation from beginning
  5. Animation progresses at a reasonable pace
  6. User is able to restart animation when it concludes
  7. Program shows good creativity and effort
  8. At least two sprites participate in the action
  9. At least one sprite moves
  10. At least one sprite rotates
  11. At least one sprite changes costume
  12. At least one sprite hides and/or appears

Consider commenting your code so you can point to exactly where you do each of the required steps, below is an example of a code comment.

Commenting Code

Commenting code let's you write notes and hints/tips for whomever is going to find your code later. Be it the teacher grading your work, yourself one month from now, your neighbor who is helping with your code, or whatever random person you can imagine.

Or follow this link to see how my teachers explained it to me:

https://blog.codinghorror.com/coding-for-violent-psychopaths/