Level Up with Scratch: Super-Charge Your Game Design
Ready to level up a simple Scratch game? Join us to explore how to first create a game, and then, add layers of complexity involving concepts like gravity and a player health bar to challenge young coders who want to level up their game design, as well as make the game more engaging for players. We'll also investigate alternate ways to control the player sprite beyond just arrow keys, including controlling the object using your face or the volume of your voice, making your project more accessible and a fresh take on the usual keyboard games.
The Scratch Foundation is grateful to AT&T for its support of this workshop series. We have teamed up with The Achievery from AT&T to provide free beginner and intermediate creative coding lesson plans on a variety of topics for educators, caregivers, and learners. Sign up (for free!) by using our custom code "SCRATCH" when you register to support our work at theachievery.com.
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Downloads & Links
Tags
Platform
Scratch
Audience
Educators and FacilitatorsStudents and Learners
Experience Level
IntermediateAdvanced Concepts
Type
WorkshopVideoSlide Deck
Topic
Creative Learning: Experimenting and IteratingCreative Learning: Reusing and RemixingCreative Learning: Testing and DebuggingGames
Language
English
Related Resources
X and Y Coordinates, GridsCartesian coordinates are a way to describe the position of a point on a grid. The grid is made up of two lines called the x-axis and the y-axis, which intersect at a point called the origin. The x-axis runs horizontally, while the y-axis runs vertically. Each point on the grid has a unique pair of x and y-coordinates. The x-coordinate tells us how far left or right the point is from the origin, while the y-coordinate tells us how far up or down the point is from the origin. By using Cartesian coordinates, we can precisely identify and locate points on a grid, which will help us position sprites on the stage, etc.
Learn MoreGravity, Advanced Topics: Graphic EffectsHave you seen an animation or played a game where it looked like the sprites were affected by gravity? Perhaps, they fell to the bottom of the stage in a realistic way, slowly gaining speed as they fell. Perhaps, they bounced and those bounces got smaller and smaller over time. Have you wanted to create gravity in one of your projects? Let's explore how you can!
Learn MoreClonesCloning lets you create multiple copies of your sprite while your project is running. When each clone is produced, it has the same costumes, sounds, scripts, and variables as the original, but is otherwise independent. Clones can work for you, saving you coding time and helping you create dynamic and interactive projects. Let's explore how clones work and experiment with how you can use them in your projects.
Learn MoreFace Sensing ExtensionUse Face Sensing blocks to create games, interactive stories, and accessible projects. These AI-powered blocks use a machine learning model to detect if they see a face and where a nose, eyes, ears, mouth, etc., are. The blocks do not collect or store personal information, like recordings or images of your face, making it a safe, fun, and creative way to explore the possibilities of AI. (Learn more in our announcement blog post here.)
Is Face Sensing safe and private? Yes. When you are using the Face Sensing blocks, only your computer can sense your face. None of your data is stored or sent to Scratch or any other site. Face Sensing blocks detect faces using a technology called "machine learning" (a subset of AI that enables machines to learn from data), but it is not training on your data while you use it. It has already been trained to see faces using a large number of photos of faces.
If I use the "Set Thumbnail" button while my face is on-screen, will it capture an image of my face? No. When using the Face Sensing extension, none of your data is stored or sent to Scratch or any other site, and your camera view is not captured when setting your project thumbnail, so your data remains private.
What if I want to hide my face/hide the visible video feed without removing the Face Sensing blocks? Any “Backdrop” created in the Sprite Area on your Face Sensing project will be hidden by default and replaced with your video feed, but you can create backdrops/ backgrounds as sprites instead. If the backdrop sprite covers the entire screen, none of your video feed will be visible, but the program will still be able to “go to nose” or recognize face tilt and face size. You can also use the “set ghost effect” block on the background sprite, if you want your video feed somewhat visible through the backdrop. Or add the Video Sensing Extension and use the "set video transparency block" available there to adjust how visible your video is.
I changed my mind about using Face Sensing blocks in my project, but the video feed is still on my screen. How can I get rid of it? No problem! If you no longer want to use the Face Sensing extension blocks in your project, remove all of the extension's blocks from the script area (drag blocks to the block palette to delete). Make sure to turn off any stage monitors by ensuring all checkboxes are unchecked in the blocks palette (next to blocks like "face tilt"), too. Save your project. Then, reload the project by refreshing the browser, or closing and reopening the project.
Why doesn't it always sense my face? The technology behind the Face Sensing blocks is not perfect. It is best at seeing faces that are brightly lit and close to the camera. It will often recognize faces even if they are partly hidden by a mask, glasses, hat, headscarf, or other covering. It does not do well at seeing faces that are far away, in the dark, or hidden. Try testing the blocks in different conditions, with your head in different positions, etc., and see what happens!
Does it work with photos or drawings of faces? Can I use them with my action figure or plush toy? Try holding different things with faces up to your camera and see what happens! The Face Sensing blocks can detect faces in photos, and even in drawings. You can try making a smiley face drawing and holding it up to the camera to see if it works.
What if my camera is not working? When you load the Face Sensing blocks, you should see video from your computer camera on the Scratch stage. If it doesn't appear, you may need to give Scratch permission to use your camera. Click "allow" when Scratch prompts for permission to use the camera, or check your web browser's settings.
Does Face Sensing work on all devices? Our goal is to make Face Sensing blocks work on all devices and web browsers supported by Scratch. Currently, Face Sensing blocks may not work on some Android and iOS devices. They may run slowly on some Chromebooks or older computers.
What can I do if Face Sensing feels slow or laggy? Face Sensing may run slowly on some devices. You can try closing other applications and browser tabs. If you are using your webcam in another app while Face Sensing is running (for example, a video call) try turning off your camera in that app.
Can I use Face Sensing blocks without a camera? While you can see and edit the code inside Face Sensing projects without a camera, you will need to use your device's camera in order to use Face Sensing functions.
I made a Face Sensing project in Scratch Lab. Can I share it on Scratch? Yes! You can upload and share any Scratch Lab projects you previously created and saved that used those experimental Face Sensing blocks. Just choose File>Load from My Computer to load your previously saved file in the project editor.
When will Face Sensing be available in languages other than English? Scratch's volunteer translators are working on translating Face Sensing blocks into multiple languages. This work is still in progress, and we hope to share more with you soon.
When will Face Sensing be available offline? Our team is hard at work making Face Sensing blocks available for downloadable Scratch Apps. We'll be sure to share an update with you as soon as we have it.
Learn MoreLevel Up with Scratch: Make Some Music with ScratchUsing sound in a game, animation, story, or interactive project can add depth and emotion. The Scratch sound library is full of a variety of sound effects, instrument notes, and music loops, or there is an option to upload your own sound clips. And by adding the music extension blocks, you can use the sounds of a variety of instruments and actual notes with customizable beat lengths to create digital instruments, songs, and more! Join us to explore some of the ways you can use sound and add another element of creativity to Scratch projects.
The Scratch Foundation is grateful to AT&T for its support of this workshop series. We have teamed up with The Achievery from AT&T to provide free beginner and intermediate creative coding lesson plans on a variety of topics for educators, caregivers, and learners. Sign up (for free!) by using our custom code "SCRATCH" when you register to support our work at theachievery.com.
Workshop Series Sponsor:
Learn MoreLevel Up with Scratch: Boring Backdrops Begone: Animating Backdrops with CodeBackgrounds/backdrops in Scratch can be more than just static images. They can set the tone of a project, change with the scene or the mood or the lighting, and even move so your characters can explore an expanded world. And don't worry, you don't need to be the world's greatest artist to create unique backdrops that add texture and life to your project. Join us to explore tips and tricks for designing your own backdrop and animating it with code.
The Scratch Foundation is grateful to AT&T for its support of this workshop series. We have teamed up with The Achievery from AT&T to provide free beginner and intermediate creative coding lesson plans on a variety of topics for educators, caregivers, and learners. Sign up (for free!) by using our custom code "SCRATCH" when you register to support our work at theachievery.com.
Workshop Series Sponsor:
Learn MoreLevel Up with Scratch: Create Dynamic Scratch Projects with the Power of Conditional StatementsCreate dynamic games, customized stories, and more using conditional statements paired with reporter and operator blocks in Scratch, which hold valuable information about sprite positioning, costumes, user input, and more. Learn about the computational concept of conditional statements, which allow for a variety of project outcomes that keep players coming back for more. And embrace getting stuck and unstuck while experimenting, iterating, testing, and debugging. Join us to make dynamic Scratch programs that build computational thinking skills while you are having fun.
The Scratch Foundation is grateful to AT&T for its support of this workshop series. We have teamed up with The Achievery from AT&T to provide free beginner and intermediate creative coding lesson plans on a variety of topics for educators, caregivers, and learners. Sign up (for free!) by using our custom code "SCRATCH" when you register to support our work at theachievery.com.
Workshop Series Sponsor:
Learn MoreLevel Up with Scratch: Create Interactive Art with ScratchMake art come alive by creating interactive art pieces that are unique each time a Scratch project is run. Create art by stamping images on the stage or drawing with your voice or your nose! Or reimagine a famous artist's work that can speak or change color or dance. Join us to make art in unique and fun ways with code.
The Scratch Foundation is grateful to AT&T for its support of this workshop series. We have teamed up with The Achievery from AT&T to provide free beginner and intermediate creative coding lesson plans on a variety of topics for educators, caregivers, and learners. Sign up (for free!) by using our custom code "SCRATCH" when you register to support our work at theachievery.com.
Workshop Series Sponsor:
Learn MoreLevel Up with Scratch: Squash “Bugs” and Conquer Challenges: Creative Problem-SolvingAs Scratchers begin exploring computational concepts that are common in many programming languages (sequence, loops, parallelism, events, conditionals, operators, and data), they may run into common errors that will challenge their problem-solving skills and reinforce the importance of iteration and a growth mindset. As facilitators, we want to support playful learning and tinkering mindset values, so that participants can experiment, share, and celebrate ideas, as well as develop a mindset that is comfortable with the discomfort of getting stuck and thinks critically about strategies for getting unstuck. Join us to see some examples of coding and debugging challenges you can explore with your learners, as we discuss debugging strategies and where they can look for help and inspiration on the Scratch platform.
The Scratch Foundation is grateful to AT&T for its support of this workshop series. We have teamed up with The Achievery from AT&T to provide free beginner and intermediate creative coding lesson plans on a variety of topics for educators, caregivers, and learners. Sign up (for free!) by using our custom code "SCRATCH" when you register to support our work at theachievery.com.
Workshop Series Sponsor:
Learn More