Assignment 5

Progress so far:
This is a post updating my progress on the Assignment. I have completed the script for the Pac Man Sprite, as can be seen below. I can not be sure as to whether this script will be completely successful, until I complete the project. That is a negative aspect of the Scratch games.

As I am still attempting to work on the colour issue of this script, and add any instructions where needed, this is a work in progress image of my script of the Maze Sprite.

Assignment 4

Time Management
Time Management is a contributing factor to my performance in this assignment, and so  I have to take it into consideration. Along with study for exams, and extra curriculum , I planned my timetable in order to ensure that I  efficient complete work. Balancing time involves assessing my performance and confidence in this assignment so far. As I discussed in my earlier post, this Exercises provided on Student Net assisted my understanding of Scratch, and boosted my confidence. This had an effect on my timetable, and overall time management of this assignment.

Assignment 3

I have now successfully completed all the exercises provided in the PDF files on Student Net. They give sufficient knowledge, with which I can progress through this assignment more confidently. As these exercises cover a wide variety of games, it gives me more thorough knowledge with which to operate Scratch. Though many questions are still unsolved, the knowledge gained will help me when continuing with this assignment.

Assignment 2

As I have mentioned before, configuring the script is difficult. Many issues were encountered . However, as I could not identify the root of the flaw in the script, I had to resort to the step of restarting my project a few times, in order for some predicaments to be resolved.

One includes the elusive number, which keeps changing as I trial the game.
After a number of games, I realised that as the 'uip' or 'down' button is pressed, the number alters. The reason is still unknown.
These situations are usually solved based upon trial and error, taking up time, and energy, making me understand the complexity of programming a game. 

Assignment 1

I began my project today, and encountered some difficulties regarding the instructions. The fact that they have to be simple and straight forward is hard to phrase when programming the game.
Some other problems encountered include the colour tagging as part of an instruction. When the Sprite is multi toned in colour, choosing the exact colour is again difficult. An example is this, which was predicament faced when working on my Pac man game :

To overcome this problem, I ensured that the Sprite had a single colour tone.

Scratch

This lesson I have begun the tutorials in order to learn Scratch. Scratch is a program which allows amateurs to create games. This program is quite difficult to operate, when initially learning it. I am now going to attempt the harder tutorials.

This is an attempt to follow the program as instructed by the PDFs files provided in school. The file name is Keep Score. The video tutorials are too blurry to comprehend without listening to it through headphones. Unfortunately I did not bring headphones today, and so decided to follow the PDFs files.

Sample Flowcharts

Questions on Flowcharts

For each of the flowcharts below describe in words what you think they will do.

The First Flowchart:

This flowchart gives instructions on how to label a set temperature.

The Second Flowchart:

This flowchart gives instructions on how to time a one second response of a switch. 

Convert one of the algorithms you have created in the previous task into a flowchart, e.g.  opening a door, moving through a traffic light.

Scratch Tutorial



Control Panel



 This Scratch Tutorial will demonstrate how to use Scratch, as well as the ease of use.

This is the control panel, seperates the possible motions, looks, sounds and other options which can be applied on the Sprite. The blocks which create the program must specifically state what the Sprite should do.





Stage Menu, as well as Start and Stop





The Script allows you to program the actions of the Sprite

The Costumes change the appearance of the Sprite



Add caption



Computers never do what you want them to do, they only do what you tell them to!

1.       Algorithms

Algorithms is method expressed in a finite list of well-defined instructions, for calculating a function.  Algorithms are used to process calculations, data, and automated reasoning.

2.       Pseudocode

 The pseudocode is a compact and informal heigh-level description of the operating  principle of a computer program, or other algorithms.

3.       Machine Language

 Machine Language is a system of atomic instruction executed directly by a computer's central processing unit. Each instruction performs a very specific task, typically either an operation on a unit of data, of a jump opertion.

4.       High Level Computer Language

 A high-level programming language is a programming language with strong abstraction from the details of the computer. In comparision to low-level programming languages, it may use natural language elements, be easier to use, of be from the specification of the program, making the process of developing a program simpler and more understandable with respect to a low-level language.

5.       Flowchart

A flowchart is a type of diagram that represents an alogrithm or process, showing the steps as boxes of various knids, and their order by connecting these with arrows, giving a step-by-step solution to a given problem. 



A flowchart of how use a non-functioning lamp



6.       Sequence

An infinte sequences of real numbers (in blue). This sequence is neither increasing, nor decreasing, nor convergent, nor Cauchy. It is however bounded.

 A sequence is an ordered list of objects (or events). Like a set, it contains mebers (also known as elements or terms), and the number of terms (possibly infinite) is called the legnth of the sequence. Unlike a set, order matters and exactly the same elements can appear multiple times at different positions in the sequence. A sequence is a discrete function.

7.       Selection

Selection is where you make a choice between options. It usually contians 'if': such as IF the green light is still on.

8.       Repetition

Repitition is the act of repeating a process, or single task/job.

 

Then with the aid of class discussions, write an algorithm for the following processes;

1.       opening a door and entering a room.

Turn 180 degrees. Move two steps to 90 degrees right. Grasp the door handle. Turn the door handle 90 degrees right and hold this position. Holding the previous position, push the door.

2.       Negotiating traffic lights as you drive down a street.

Whilst driving towards the traffic light check the colour of the light about 20m before reaching the traffic lights. If the light is green continue at the same speed . If the light is orange gradually slow down to stop at the traffic lights. If the light is red, quickly slow the pace of the vechile, to ensure that you halt at the traffic lights.

In your algorithm write each step of the process on a new line. Remember not to assume the computer knows anything.