Nicholas Sceusa

Gameplay and Level Designer

nicksceusa@gmail.com

Python Game Prep

Recently I have been learning more about pygame and how to use it. This is for a few reasons:

It is good practice and will help reinforce my programming skills
I can utilize the module in my python classes
Faster programming will allow me to focus on making the game and iterate more quickly!

In line with that: I really recommend the youtube channel "Clear Code". It was suggested on the Pygame - CE page as a good place to start. He did a solid job covering the different aspects of pygame, as well as some good programming practice. Here is a link to his channel in case you are interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY9MnQ4x3zk.

Here is a screenshot of the game that was made. It is a "running" game where you need to avoid the oncoming obstacles for as long as possible. A fun little exercise that is very similar to google's "dinosaur" game.

I still recommend reading the additional articles on pygame as they will cover related topics such as how images are created and transferred to a screen. Good background knowledge to have. You can check out the Pygame documentation here: https://pyga.me/docs/. Just make sure to go to the community version. The regular pygame version is not updated as regularly and may not be compatible with the current version of python.

A quick screen shot of my 'default file'. It already has the primary game loop and some game variables to ensure frame rate independence (deltatime).

One thing occurred to me during this process: it would take a significant amount of time to recreate a file from scratch every project. There are a few important steps to ensure pygame is working correctly. I sure wasn't about to memorize all of the syntax and making the file each time seemed to be a waste.

So I decided to create a 'default file' that I could pull up and use as a starting point. You often see 'starter projects' in other game engines, such as Unreal, which allow users to get a jump start on projects instead of tediously recreating the basics. I figured I might as well use this process to speed up my own production.

I also created another file which I consider a reference document. It contains common syntax for functions and classes that I will be using regularly. Of course the python documentation is available for reference, but this 'cheat sheet' will help me find the essentials a bit quicker. I can also put in links to other websites and videos if I need a refresher on certain topics.

Feel free to check out the default file via the google drive link below. While I recommend that you go through the tutorial and make your own, feel free to reference it to help you build your own file.

As I continue to explore pygame and start experimenting with making my own games, I will update both files to help speed up production and time. Work smarter not harder if you can! Saving time is a big factor, particularly if you need to do a lot of testing.

Alright! Lets see where we go next with pygame.

-Nick

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