🎮 WDC #12 Let's Play Whac-a-Mole™️

[domhnallohanlon]

Level Up

To keep things interesting, we’re going to try a game development challenge for #wdc 12

Very much inspired by @David_Wolber’s iconic “Mole Mash” game, this weekend the objective is to build a Whac-a-Mole™️ style game

Examples

In case anyone isn’t familiar with the arcade game, or any of the online versions of this game here are two examples.

ICT Games

In this version the moles have numbers on them. It’s aimed at younger players to help them with their counting skills. There are quite a lot of options here that are very straightforward in Thunkable. You can choose the starting number, the step size and whether you want to count up or down.

I think this is a nice spin on the original and could easily be adapted to use the alphabet rather than numbers. Or maybe there would be different rounds for each? You’re the developers, you can decide that.

Memory Training Games

Closer to the quintessential Whac-a-mole for me, it has sound effects, a timer, current score, high score, different points values and the graphics are really nice too. As with most of these challenges, I feel this is another one where you can get the functionality quite quickly and then spend more time on the art and design side of things to continually improve your game.

Character Selection and Naming

Whac-a-Mole™️ is a registered trademark to the best of my knowledge, so please try to come up with your own version of the name for this challenge.

Also, the original game is now almost 50 years old. When I was thinking about how I might approach this challenge myself it occurred to me that there are plenty of inanimate characters that might be more suitable for “whacking”.

For example:

• Whack-a-Bot-5000
• Bat-the-ball
• Snooze-the-alarm-clock

Anyway, you all have much better imaginations than I do - I’m sure you can come with plenty more yourselves too!

The GameJam will have a custom Sprite as a Prize!

The creator of the best game will get a custom Sprite (within reason!) designed for them by @jane . We will maintain a public gallery of these custom Sprites for use in future projects and games!

Spread the word

@luv.ak.tech @manyone @roumak-coder @kartik14 @thg @tatiang @muhaeminz @aanshi6 @jared @Chris @skulamester @muneer @cyberdriver @catsarisky @codeswept @codeemaker @eko.devs.apploroceo @japa6225a @jared @Chris @aanshi6 @muhaeminz @skulamester @jane @goutham @jmcmullan @Power_Thunkers @Joannie_Huang

[domhnallohanlon]

Summary of Entries

Mask a Face by @catsarisky

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Guac-a-mole by @codeswept

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Iced Tea Toss by @tatiang

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Retro Whac-a-Mole by @Thg

Whack a Beaver by @human

Summary of Previous Challenges:

Memory Game | Password Apps | Idea Generators

[domhnallohanlon]

List of resources

(bringing this one back because I think it will be useful this week)

• Tutorial for a bare-bones Mole Mash game by @David_Wolber
• Canvas/game help in the Drag and Drop Code text by @David_Wolber
• Beaver in a Mask Game by @christina_wong
• Thunkable Gaming Docs by @jane
• 2D Animation tutorial by @bokalvslund
• Space Game tutorial by @simran
• Donut Shop Game tutorial by @Sofia
• Lunapic Image Editor shared by @tatiang

[eko.devs.apploroceo]

similar to an recent wdc?
memory app wdc

[human]

@domhnallohanlon I did something like this before and its still saved in Thunkable

should i just submit it or modify it too?

[domhnallohanlon]

@eko.devs.apploroceo

similar to an recent wdc?

In the sense that you can get an MVP of this game out really quickly but that you could also spend a good bit of time after that finessing your project, improving the assets, adding extra game play features/levels etc.

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@human

should i just submit it or modify it too?

Totally up to you. If you submit it now you might get some feedback from the Community and be inspired to make some updates?

[tatiang]

Glad to see this WDC… I was going to suggest something that requires use of the canvas. This is a good stretch for me as I really haven’t made any games with Thunkable. I find the canvas hard to navigate and it feels like it’s the part of Thunkable that needs the most work. But I could just be saying that because I’m new to it!

It still gets me that my sprite does a little dance if I just simply drag a canvas onto the screen in the Design tab:

It does that during preview, too. Odd!

[David_Wolber]

Another resource: I have a tutorial for a bare-bones Mole Mash game at
https://draganddropcode.com/chapter-7-canvases-and-sprites/
and more canvas/game help in the Drag and Drop Code text

[codeswept]

Amazing! This looks like the best WDC yet!

@domhnallohanlon

Whac-a-Mole™️ is a registered trademark to the best of my knowledge, so please try to come up with your own version of the name for this challenge.

If Whac-A-Mole is registered, what about Guac-A-Mole?

[catsarisky]

@codeswept that’s perfect. I look forward to seeing it!

[codeswept]

Thanks! I’m done with the code (153 blocks), but need to make the UI at least bearable…

[catsarisky]

But definitely guacamole right?

[codeswept]

With tortillas.

[catsarisky]

Here’s my rather silly version:
https://thunkable.site/w/s2-EvC23W

UPDATED: New web link with actual mask application: https://thunkable.site/w/2_2c2TSzK

83 blocks on the main screen. Thunkable
Image updated - I fixed my people icons (from flaticon) to be a little less universally white. (Sigh.)

[tatiang]

Love it! Great theme, great use of physics.

[manyone]

you make it look like fun! this is the first time i see how to use canvas and sprites in thunkable. thanks for the nice example!

[codeswept]

Amazing app @catsarisky! A great game, with an important message too!
Stay safe everybody!

[catsarisky]

That was the first time I used the canvas and sprites, too, manyone! Thanks for your nice words.

[codeswept]

Done with mine! It’s called (drum roll) GUAC-A-MOLE!

Etymology
I’m all about word play, and when I replace the first two letter of Whac-A-Mole with Gu, I got Guac-A-Mole. Initially, it just started of as a joke, but I kept it after @catsarisky’s post:

@catsarisky

But definitely guacamole right?

About

So basically, there’s a 3x3 grid of tortilla-buttons. You select a start number and step. For example, my start number is 2 and step is 3, I should click the tortilla with the number 5, then 8, then 11, and so on.
You start the game with 5 moles waiting in queue to be fed with tortillas. Every time you click on the correct tortilla, one mole gets fed and disappears. If you click on the wrong tortilla, one mole gets added to the queue. Every 5 seconds, if there are still moles in your queue, then a new one gets added. The objective of the game is to feed all the moles in my queue with tortillas.

Screenshots

PLAY

Play Guac-A-Mole here.
If you can, play it on your phone, as it’s much better clicking there.
Link: Thunkable

OUT SOON

Am adding sound effects, a leaderboard, highest score of the user, better UI, and more. Will share the updated version once I’m done.

STATS

Blocks: 267
Time taken: 2 hours
Invisible components: Timer and 2 alerts
Icons:
Mole from Canva
Tortilla from Canva

Thanks @domhnallohanlon !

Thanks @domhnallohanlon for another great WDC! I had so much fun making my silly app😁
Can’t wait for next weekend. Also looking forward to seeing other participants’ submissions.

[codeswept]

Please do share your time and feedback.