Video Game Design and Coding · PLECK lesson
PLECK lesson 75 · suggested week 15, day 5
Submit Relay Runner
Objective. Package a short platformer with measured and explainable behavior.
Godot Engine Standard desktop editor 4.7.2-stable, GDScript (Godot 4), Compatibility renderer. Headless Godot 4.7.2.stable.official.ed1daf0bf passed 106 assertions on the supplied scaffolds, including malformed JSON saves. Audio used the Dummy driver and a synthetic WAV, not a speaker. The visual editor, browser export, and signed-in submission were not tested. The desk still does not run a student's own upload.
About 55 minutes. The due date is chosen by a parent.
Difficulty curves, debugging, observation and a completed artifact
Suggested pace: Recall and predict 5 min; Read instruction and scaffold 12 min; Build or design the assigned artifact 25 min; Run acceptance tests 8 min; Explain and checkpoint 5 min.
Materials: Godot Standard 4.7.2 desktop editor (GDScript, Compatibility renderer), Local course folder and prior checkpoint, No paid assets or public account required.
Comes after VGC-L074.
Your final platformer needs a three-jump route, grounded jumping, a midpoint checkpoint, safe fall recovery, a clear goal and Restart. Include a diagram showing intended path and one alternate or assist option. The teacher should be able to inspect the movement script and reproduce a fall recovery from a restored project. Submit your difficulty measurements and repaired-bug evidence. Optional art is welcome, but it does not replace correct collision behavior or a coherent motion explanation.
Worked example
For a repeated route test, keep controls and start position fixed. A table of attempts helps distinguish a consistently hard landing from a one-time input mistake. Scaffold C-PLATFORM — A gravity-and-jump platform player Setup: CharacterBody2D root Player, child CollisionShape2D RectangleShape2D size (24,32), no scale changes. Layer 1 mask 2. StaticBody2D floor layer 2 mask 1 with rectangular collider. Add Input Map move_left, move_right and jump bound to Space. Place player above floor, not intersecting it. Coordinates use positive y downward. Attach script to Player. ```gdscript extends CharacterBody2D @export var speed: float = 160.0 @export var gravity: float = 900.0 @export var jump_speed: float = 340.0 func _draw() -> void: draw_rect(Rect2(-12, -16, 24, 32), Color.SKY_BLUE) draw_line(Vector2(-8, -4), Vector2(8, -4), Color.BLACK, 2.0) func _physics_process(delta: float) -> void: velocity.x = Input.get_axis("move_left", "move_right") * speed if not is_on_floor(): velocity.y += gravity * delta if Input.is_action_just_pressed("jump") and is_on_floor(): velocity.y = -jump_speed move_and_slide() ``` Scaffold C-CHECKPOINT — A safe checkpoint respawn Setup: Add this pattern to a separate Node2D level root with child Player using C-PLATFORM. Call set_checkpoint with a safe global position when a player reaches a checkpoint Area2D; call respawn when entering a fall zone. This code does not connect Area2D automatically; select the area body_entered signal in editor and call these methods from its handler after checking the player group. Respawn is deferred because a physics callback may be active. ```gdscript extends Node2D @onready var player: CharacterBody2D = $Player var checkpoint: Vector2 func _ready() -> void: checkpoint = player.global_position func set_checkpoint(safe_position: Vector2) -> void: checkpoint = safe_position func respawn() -> void: _apply_respawn.call_deferred() func _apply_respawn() -> void: player.global_position = checkpoint player.velocity = Vector2.ZERO ```
A gravity-and-jump platform player
GDScript (Godot 4, not Scratch, Python, JavaScript or C#). Scaffold C-PLATFORM. Copy starts from this text. The desk does not run it.
Scene and node setup
CharacterBody2D root Player, child CollisionShape2D RectangleShape2D size (24,32), no scale changes. Layer 1 mask 2. StaticBody2D floor layer 2 mask 1 with rectangular collider. Add Input Map move_left, move_right and jump bound to Space. Place player above floor, not intersecting it. Coordinates use positive y downward. Attach script to Player.
extends CharacterBody2D
@export var speed: float = 160.0
@export var gravity: float = 900.0
@export var jump_speed: float = 340.0
func _draw() -> void:
draw_rect(Rect2(-12, -16, 24, 32), Color.SKY_BLUE)
draw_line(Vector2(-8, -4), Vector2(8, -4), Color.BLACK, 2.0)
func _physics_process(delta: float) -> void:
velocity.x = Input.get_axis("move_left", "move_right") * speed
if not is_on_floor():
velocity.y += gravity * delta
if Input.is_action_just_pressed("jump") and is_on_floor():
velocity.y = -jump_speed
move_and_slide()
Checks to run in the editor
- Player lands without sinking.
- Holding jump does not repeatedly jump in air.
- Do not multiply the whole velocity by delta before move_and_slide.
Native Godot 4.7.2.stable.official.ed1daf0bf headless compile and representative node-tree/runtime tests passed; see native-qa-results.json. Visual UI, audible output, exports and website submission still need separate checks.
A safe checkpoint respawn
GDScript (Godot 4, not Scratch, Python, JavaScript or C#). Scaffold C-CHECKPOINT. Copy starts from this text. The desk does not run it.
Scene and node setup
Add this pattern to a separate Node2D level root with child Player using C-PLATFORM. Call set_checkpoint with a safe global position when a player reaches a checkpoint Area2D; call respawn when entering a fall zone. This code does not connect Area2D automatically; select the area body_entered signal in editor and call these methods from its handler after checking the player group. Respawn is deferred because a physics callback may be active.
extends Node2D
@onready var player: CharacterBody2D = $Player
var checkpoint: Vector2
func _ready() -> void:
checkpoint = player.global_position
func set_checkpoint(safe_position: Vector2) -> void:
checkpoint = safe_position
func respawn() -> void:
_apply_respawn.call_deferred()
func _apply_respawn() -> void:
player.global_position = checkpoint
player.velocity = Vector2.ZERO
Checks to run in the editor
- A fall returns to last safe point, not origin.
- Player has no leftover falling velocity on return.
Native Godot 4.7.2.stable.official.ed1daf0bf headless compile and representative node-tree/runtime tests passed; see native-qa-results.json. Visual UI, audible output, exports and website submission still need separate checks.
Submit Relay Runner — evidence task
- 1. Package the project, controls, route diagram and test logs.
- 2. Verify all required features after restoring the ZIP.
Deliverable. Relay Runner source artifact, route diagram, test log and motion explanation.
Acceptance checks
- VGC-L075-T1. Fresh launch through completion and restart works.
- VGC-L075-T2. Falling after checkpoint returns safely with zeroed velocity.
Understanding question. Which two variables should respawn restore for immediate physical safety?
Include a downloadable project ZIP with project.godot, .tscn, .gd and original asset files when code changes. A private, teacher-accessible download link to that ZIP is equivalent. Screenshots or a playthrough do not replace editable source.
If this is still shaky. Use the three-jump route and one checkpoint as the minimum game. Remove optional hazards until required tests pass. Start with the first assigned task and re-run its acceptance test before adding the remaining feature.
Optional extra. Create a second optional route using the same movement code. Document one changed parameter, your prediction, and the observed effect; optional, not required for completion.
- Your first 2D game
Free public tutorial; no account; external asset download is optional, not used by this course.
· Opening this link does not submit the lesson.
Name ____________________ Date ____________________