Creating a Pokemon Go-style game in Scratch can be an exciting way to learn game development basics, especially for beginners. Scratch’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create interactive games without requiring advanced coding knowledge. In this guide, we’ll walk you through building a simplified version of a Pokemon Go game using Scratch. This will include setting up a map, random Pokemon generation, and a basic catching mechanism.
1. Plan Your Game Structure
Before diving into Scratch, plan the structure of your game. Here are some basic features to consider:
- Player Movement: The player should be able to move around the map.
- Pokemon Spawning: Pokemon should randomly appear on the map.
- Catching Mechanism: The player should be able to “catch” a Pokemon when they are nearby.
- Scorekeeping: Track the number of Pokemon the player has caught.
2. Set Up Scratch Environment
To get started, log in to your Scratch account or create one if you don’t have one already. Once logged in:
- Go to the Scratch software and click on "Create" to start a new project.
- You’ll be greeted with the Scratch editor, which includes a stage, sprite panel, and code blocks.
3. Create the Game’s Sprites
Every object in Scratch is called a sprite. You’ll need a few sprites for your game:
- Player Sprite: This will represent the player moving around the map. Create or choose a sprite to represent the player. You can use the built-in Scratch library or draw your own.
- Pokemon Sprite(s): These will represent the Pokemon that spawn randomly. Pick a sprite for the Pokemon. You can create multiple costumes within a single sprite to represent different Pokemon.
- Background (Map): This will serve as the game map where the player moves and Pokemon appear. Design a simple map where the player can move around. You can draw it using the Scratch backdrop editor or upload your own image.
4. Program the Player Movement
Now that you have the player sprite ready, let’s program the movement. You’ll use the arrow keys to move the player around the map.
- Select the player sprite.
- Go to the "Events" category and drag the when [flag] clicked block to the coding area.
- Use the "Forever" loop from the "Control" category to continuously check for key presses.
- Inside the loop, use if [key right arrow] pressed blocks from the "Control" and "Sensing" categories to move the player. Pair these with change x by 10 or change y by 10 blocks from the "Motion" category to move the player sprite.
Here’s an example of what the code might look like:
This script will allow the player to move in all four directions on the map.
5. Randomly Spawn Pokemon
Next, let’s create the mechanism to randomly spawn Pokemon on the map. We’ll do this by making the Pokemon sprite appear at random locations.
- Select the Pokemon sprite.
- In the coding area, use the when [flag] clicked block to start the game.
- Use a forever loop to continuously spawn Pokemon at random intervals. Inside the loop:
- Use the go to x: [random number] y: [random number] block to make the Pokemon appear at random positions on the map.
- Use the wait [random number] seconds block to add variation in spawn times.
- Make sure to show the sprite when it spawns and hide it when it’s caught.
Example code:
This will make the Pokemon appear at random positions every few seconds.
6. Implement the Catching Mechanism
Now, let’s implement a way for the player to catch the Pokemon when they move close enough.
- Create a new variable called Score to keep track of the number of Pokemon caught.
- Use the if <touching [Player v]?> then block inside the Pokemon sprite’s forever loop to check if the player is close enough to catch it.
- When the player touches the Pokemon, hide the Pokemon sprite and increase the score by 1.
Example code:
This will hide the Pokemon when caught and increase the score.
7. Display the Score
To make the game more engaging, display the player’s score on the screen:
- Use the show variable [Score] block to display the score.
- Position the score in a visible location, such as the top left corner of the screen.
8. Add Game Over or Win Condition
You can add a game over or win condition based on the number of Pokemon caught or a time limit:
- If you want the game to end after a certain number of Pokemon are caught, create an if [Score = X] then block to trigger a victory message.
- You can also add a countdown timer using a Timer variable and end the game when time runs out.
Example:
This will broadcast a “Game Over” message when the player catches 10 Pokemon.
9. Test and Fine-Tune the Game
After building the core mechanics, playtest your game:
- Movement: Ensure that the player sprite moves smoothly.
- Pokemon Spawning: Verify that the Pokemon appear at random locations and can be caught.
- Scorekeeping: Check that the score increases correctly when Pokemon are caught.
Make any necessary adjustments, such as balancing the spawn rate of the Pokemon or fine-tuning player movement speed.
10. Expand the Game
Once the basic game is working, you can add more features to make it more engaging:
- Different Types of Pokemon: Use multiple costumes for the Pokemon sprite to represent different Pokemon.
- Difficulty Levels: Introduce levels with increasing difficulty, such as faster Pokemon or a shorter time limit.
- Background Music and Sound Effects: Add sound effects for catching Pokemon and background music to enhance the gaming experience.
- Power-Ups: Create power-ups that give players temporary speed boosts or make Pokemon easier to catch.
Conclusion
Building a Pokemon Go-style game in Scratch is a fun and educational project that introduces you to game development concepts like sprite movement, random spawning, and scorekeeping. Scratch’s beginner-friendly interface allows you to experiment and bring your game ideas to life, even if you have no coding experience. By following this step-by-step guide, you’ll have a playable version of a Pokemon Go-inspired game in no time. Once you’ve mastered the basics, feel free to add your own creative twists to the game.
Image Credit: Pokemon Go
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