Know a kid who is getting the itch to invent their own block-coding projects with Tynker Blocks, MakeCode, or Scratch? Here is some advice you can share.
By Tynker
August 8, 2022
Your first game should be simple. Think about arcade classics or mobile games. Yes ✔️ Space Invaders, Crossy Road, or Pong No ❌ Sandbox games like RPGs or 3D open-world games
Some coders like to sketch on pen and paper, while others like writing pseudocode. Once you have a plan, get coding!
Take a big problem and try turning it into several smaller problems. Make sure you have a plan for each actor. Programmers call this process "breaking down" a problem decomposition.
Develop Feature-by-Feature
Once you have the basic game working, add things like: – Levels or difficulty settings – New bad guys, powerups, or collectibles – Menus and tutorials – Artwork and animations
Use the Save As feature to save different versions of your Project. Tynker's Backpack can share scripts — or even entire actors — between Projects.
– Organize your code with functions and Tynker levels – Run your code as you add each feature (don't write everything at once!) – Save As before making big changes, in case you need to revert
Find a bug? Try to produce the bug using the smallest amount of code you can, in order to track down your error. You can find more debugging tips including how to work Tynker's Debugger Tool at the link below.
Get a good night’s sleep and try again tomorrow! The best debugger is a well-rested mind. Don't forget you can ask a teacher or another coder for help, too.