About 80’s Rockstar Maze!

A page for Educators & Parents

The 80’s Rockstar Maze! map uses basic code blocks in MakeCode Arcade to implement simple game concepts.

In this short set of activities, students set a rockstar sprite in a backstage maze where it must collect instruments and avoid fans after a show. This map is intended for students who are new to MakeCode with little or no previous coding experience.

Designed for students between the ages of 11 & 14, this experience contains a total of 3 tutorials (approximating 22 minutes of instruction). At the end of the learning path, students receive a certificate of completion.

* Minutes are approximate, based on time to follow instructions as written. Times do not include time spent on designing elements or re-aquainting with previously-written code. Providing extra time for creativity and debugging is encouraged.

Objectives

After completing 80’s Rockstar Maze, students will have gained exposure to computer science and game design elements using MakeCode Arcade.

Specifically, they will experience the following topics:

• Events
• Movement
• Collisions
• Game Score
• Timer

Projects

As students progress through these projects, they will progressively build a game where the rockstar navigate backstage, gains points when collecting instruments, and loses points when running into an avid fan.

pxt-tilemaps=github:microsoft/pxt-tilemaps/

1. Trapped Backstage

Activity	Trapped Backstage (7 min)
	Create a rockstar backstage after the show and keep an eye on them as they navigate the set.
Blocks used	[let mySprite = sprites.create(img`.`, SpriteKind.Player)] [let mySprite: Sprite=null; controller.moveSprite(mySprite)] [tiles.placeOnRandomTile()] [let mySprite: Sprite=null; scene.cameraFollowSprite(mySprite)]
Solution option	Trapped Backstage Project

2. Gather Your Gear

Activity	Gather Your Gear (8 min)
	Give your rockstar the ability to collect points while grabbing instruments and a way to finish the game.
Blocks used	[scene.onOverlapTile()] [tiles.setTileAt(location, assets.tile`transparency16`)] [info.changeScoreBy(1)] [game.over(true)]
Solution option	Gather Your Gear Project

3. Avoid the Fans!

Activity	Avoid the Fans! (7 min)
	Add functionality for some crazed fans who will steal points as souvenirs unless the rockstar can avoid them.
Blocks used	[scene.onOverlapTile()] [tiles.setTileAt(location, assets.tile`transparency16`)] [info.changeScoreBy(-1)] [info.startCountdown(0)]
Solution option	Avoid the Fans! Project