6.02 Your idea

Use this step to plan your virtual environment.

What will you make?

Think about the simulation you want to create, and how the user will interact with the project.

It could be:

• A nature simulation with on-screen controls to move around the scene
• A room in a house where different sprites, such as a TV, can be clicked to make them work
• A vehicle simulator with a steering wheel, pedals, and a gearstick

Who is it for?

Think about who you will make your simulation for (your audience). Is it an educational simulation to teach people? Is it a game for entertainment? Maybe it’s a series of puzzles that need to be solved.

Get started

Open a new Scratch project. Scratch will open in another browser tab.

Use a notes app or pen and paper, or both to plan ideas for your simulation. Try to jot down as many ideas as you can, and discuss them with a friend. Then pick the idea that you like the most.

This simulation is going to need quite a few graphics. How will you get the images you need to build your project? You could:

1. Use the sprites and backdrops that already exist in Scratch
2. Use the tools in Scratch to draw your own sprites and backdrops
3. Download images from websites and then upload them to Scratch

Here are some ingredients that you might find useful:

Create a new backdrop in the Paint editor

Go to the Choose a Backdrop menu and click on Paint:

You will be taken to the Paint editor, where the new backdrop will be highlighted in the list. If you have other backdrops in your project, you will also see them in the list.

To set the main colour of the backdrop, click on the Rectangle tool, then use the Fill colour chooser to select a colour, then drag the shape over the full backdrop canvas:

If you want to add more details to your backdrop, you can use the Rectangle tool, Circle tool, or Brush tool, or a combination of all three!

When you have finished, make sure that you give your new backdrop a name that makes sense:

Your new backdrop will be shown on the Stage and will be available to use in Looks blocks.

Copy parts between sprite costumes

Click on the Costumes tab for your sprite.

Tip: Duplicate the costume that you want to edit — so that you can still use the original costume if you need to. To do this, right-click (or on a tablet, tap and hold) on the costume and choose duplicate. You will now have a copy of the costume:

To remove any part of the costume that you do not need any more, click on the part to select it, then click on Delete:

The duplicated costume with parts removed should look something like this:

Tip: If you make a mistake in the Paint editor, you can click on Undo:

Go to the costume with the part that you want to add and click on the part that you need, then click on Copy:

If you want to add a part from a costume that is not already shown in the Costumes tab, you need to add the costume to your sprite first. Click on the Choose a Costume icon, then find the costume that you want and click on it to add it to your sprite:

When you have copied the part that you need, go back to the duplicated costume and click on Paste. The duplicated costume should now look something like this:

Now, switch to the Code tab. You will be able to use the new costume in your code blocks:

Create backdrops and sprites using shapes

You can create backdrops and costumes for sprites in the Paint editor, using just shapes.

Go to the Choose a Sprite or Choose a Backdrop menu and choose the Paint option:

Select which tool(s) to use to make the shape(s) that you want:

• Circle: Click on the Circle tool to draw a circle. Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard to draw a perfect circle.

• Rectangle: Click on the Rectangle tool to draw a rectangle. Press and hold the Shift key to draw a square.

• Triangle: Use the Rectangle tool to draw a rectangle or a square. Click on the Reshape tool and select the corner that you want to remove. Click on the Delete tool to turn your shape into a triangle.

You can use the Fill tool to change the colour of a shape:

You may need to use the Forward and Backward tools to move your shapes forward or backward so that they are positioned correctly within your image:

You can select all the shapes and Group them together so that you can adjust them or move them as one shape:

Here is an example of a sprite created with the Circle and Rectangle tools:

Pig: See inside

Remember to name the costumes and backdrops that you create in the Paint editor.