(05-30-2025, 08:02 AM)johnno56 Wrote:
I need to know which "basic" was used to create the game. I need to know 'if' the games actually works. If it works then I can run it using the original Basic and use it as a comparison for conversion. As it stands, the RCBasic conversion, does not work. I need to know if it is the problem is the listing or me... lol
You will not believe:
I plan to upgrade my game programmng skills in BASIC by developing very simple classic games in 70's or 80's. Thus I asked Copliiot to write a tutorial of a simple Snake game in RCBasic for me. Copliot really wrote a tutorial with source code of a simple Snake game. However, some syntax is not syntax of RCBasic. The current version of Snake is not the original version: more Syntax mistakes in the original version of Snake. I also asked Copliot to write a Pong tutorial in RCBasic for me.
Copliot's Pong tutorial is here:
In this tutorial, we will cover:
1. Setting up the game area and global variables
2. Handling input for moving the human paddle
3. Updating the ball’s movement and detecting collisions (including paddle bounces and top/bottom rebounds)
4. Implementing a very simple computer AI that moves its paddle toward the ball
5. Detecting when a score occurs, resetting the ball, and updating scores
6. Rendering the updated frame each loop iteration
## 1. Setting Up the Game Area and Global Variables
We first declare constants for the board dimensions and the paddle height. The human paddle is placed near the left side of the screen, while the computer paddle is near the right side. We also initialize the ball’s starting position (center of the playfield) and its movement direction (using variables `ballDX` and `ballDY`). Score variables for each side are initialized to zero.
Below is the code for this section:
```basic
' Pong Game in RCBasic – Human vs Computer
' Define the playfield dimensions and paddle size.
CONST boardWidth = 80
CONST boardHeight = 25
CONST paddleHeight = 4 ' Height of each paddle
' Initialize human paddle (left side).
humanPaddleX = 2
humanPaddleY = INT(boardHeight / 2)
' Initialize computer paddle (right side).
computerPaddleX = boardWidth - 1
computerPaddleY = INT(boardHeight / 2)
' Initialize ball position at the center and its velocity.
ballX = INT(boardWidth / 2)
ballY = INT(boardHeight / 2)
ballDX = 1 ' Horizontal speed factor (+1 moves right, -1 moves left)
ballDY = 1 ' Vertical speed factor (+1 moves down, -1 moves up)
' Initialize scores.
scoreHuman = 0
scoreComputer = 0
CLS
```
## 2. Handling Player Input
Within the game’s main loop the human player controls their paddle with the keyboard—using “W” to move up and “S” to move down. We also ensure that the paddle remains within the top and bottom boundaries.
The following snippet handles keyboard input and keeps the paddle within the screen’s limits:
```basic
DO
' Check keyboard input.
k$ = INKEY$
IF k$ <> "" THEN
IF k$ = "w" OR k$ = "W" THEN
humanPaddleY = humanPaddleY - 1
ELSEIF k$ = "s" OR k$ = "S" THEN
humanPaddleY = humanPaddleY + 1
ENDIF
ENDIF
' Prevent the human paddle from leaving the playfield.
IF humanPaddleY < 2 THEN humanPaddleY = 2
IF humanPaddleY > boardHeight - paddleHeight THEN humanPaddleY = boardHeight - paddleHeight
```
---
## 3. Updating the Ball’s Movement and Handling Collisions
Each iteration of the main loop first moves the ball by adding its directional factors to its current coordinates. Next, we check for collisions with the top and bottom boundaries—reversing the vertical direction (by negating `ballDY`) when needed. We then check whether the ball meets one of the paddles. If the ball’s horizontal coordinate is just past a paddle edge and its vertical coordinate falls within that paddle’s range, we reverse the horizontal direction (by negating `ballDX`).
Finally, if the ball moves past the left or right boundaries, a score is recorded for the opposing side and the ball is reset to the center with an appropriate starting direction.
Below is the ball update and collision detection code:
```basic
' Update ball position.
ballX = ballX + ballDX
ballY = ballY + ballDY
' Bounce the ball off the top and bottom boundaries.
IF ballY < 2 THEN
ballY = 2
ballDY = -ballDY
ENDIF
IF ballY > boardHeight - 1 THEN
ballY = boardHeight - 1
ballDY = -ballDY
ENDIF
' Check collision with the human paddle.
' When the ball reaches one column to the right of the human paddle.
IF ballX = humanPaddleX + 1 THEN
IF ballY >= humanPaddleY AND ballY < humanPaddleY + paddleHeight THEN
ballDX = -ballDX
ENDIF
ENDIF
' Check collision with the computer paddle.
IF ballX = computerPaddleX - 1 THEN
IF ballY >= computerPaddleY AND ballY < computerPaddleY + paddleHeight THEN
ballDX = -ballDX
ENDIF
NEXTi
' Note: For RCBasic, end the FOR loop with NEXT [variable], as shown later.
' Check for scoring.
IF ballX < 1 THEN
' The ball passed the left edge: Computer scores.
scoreComputer = scoreComputer + 1
ballX = INT(boardWidth / 2)
ballY = INT(boardHeight / 2)
ballDX = 1 ' Relaunch ball toward the human side.
ballDY = 1
ENDIF
IF ballX > boardWidth THEN
' The ball passed the right edge: Human scores.
scoreHuman = scoreHuman + 1
ballX = INT(boardWidth / 2)
ballY = INT(boardHeight / 2)
ballDX = -1 ' Relaunch ball toward the computer side.
ballDY = 1
ENDIF
```
---
## 4. Implementing the Computer Opponent (AI)
A very simple AI is used for the computer paddle. In each frame the computer paddle “chases” the ball by checking whether its center is above or below the ball’s vertical position. It moves one step per frame, creating a challenge that is not perfect—allowing the human player a chance to score. We also make sure the computer paddle stays within the boundaries.
Here’s the computer paddle update code:
```basic
' Move the computer paddle toward the ball.
compCenter = computerPaddleY + (paddleHeight / 2)
IF ballY < compCenter THEN
computerPaddleY = computerPaddleY - 1
ELSEIF ballY > compCenter THEN
computerPaddleY = computerPaddleY + 1
ENDIF
' Keep the computer paddle within the top and bottom boundaries.
IF computerPaddleY < 2 THEN computerPaddleY = 2
IF computerPaddleY > boardHeight - paddleHeight THEN
computerPaddleY = boardHeight - paddleHeight
ENDIF
```
---
## 5. Rendering the Game
After updating the game state (paddle and ball positions, scores, etc.), we clear the screen and redraw the entire game frame. This includes:
- Drawing horizontal boundaries at the top and bottom (using the “-” character)
- Drawing the human paddle (a vertical column of “|” near the left)
- Drawing the computer paddle (a vertical column of “|” near the right)
- Drawing the ball (using an “O”)
- Displaying the current score near the top center
Below is the rendering code:
```basic
' Clear the screen.
CLS
' Draw the top border.
FOR x = 1 TO boardWidth
LOCATE 1, x
PRINT "-";
NEXT x
' Draw the bottom border.
FOR x = 1 TO boardWidth
LOCATE boardHeight, x
PRINT "-";
NEXT x
' Draw the human paddle.
FOR i = 0 TO paddleHeight - 1
LOCATE humanPaddleY + i, humanPaddleX
PRINT "|";
NEXT i
' Draw the computer paddle.
FOR i = 0 TO paddleHeight - 1
LOCATE computerPaddleY + i, computerPaddleX
PRINT "|";
NEXT i
' Draw the ball.
LOCATE ballY, ballX
PRINT "O";
' Display the scores.
LOCATE 1, INT(boardWidth / 2 - 10)
PRINT "You:"; scoreHuman; " Computer:"; scoreComputer;
' Delay to control the game speed.
SLEEP 50
LOOP
```
---
## 6. Complete Code Listing
Combining all the sections above, here is the full Pong game code in RCBasic:
```basic
' Pong Game in RCBasic – Human vs Computer
CONST boardWidth = 80
CONST boardHeight = 25
CONST paddleHeight = 4
' Initialize human paddle (left side).
humanPaddleX = 2
humanPaddleY = INT(boardHeight / 2)
' Initialize computer paddle (right side).
computerPaddleX = boardWidth - 1
computerPaddleY = INT(boardHeight / 2)
' Initialize ball position at the center and its velocity.
ballX = INT(boardWidth / 2)
ballY = INT(boardHeight / 2)
ballDX = 1
ballDY = 1
' Initialize scores.
scoreHuman = 0
scoreComputer = 0
CLS
DO
' ============ Input Handling ============
k$ = INKEY$
IF k$ <> "" THEN
IF k$ = "w" OR k$ = "W" THEN
humanPaddleY = humanPaddleY - 1
ELSEIF k$ = "s" OR k$ = "S" THEN
humanPaddleY = humanPaddleY + 1
ENDIF
ENDIF
' Keep the human paddle within bounds.
IF humanPaddleY < 2 THEN humanPaddleY = 2
IF humanPaddleY > boardHeight - paddleHeight THEN humanPaddleY = boardHeight - paddleHeight
' ============ Ball Movement & Collision ============
ballX = ballX + ballDX
ballY = ballY + ballDY
' Bounce off the top and bottom edges.
IF ballY < 2 THEN
ballY = 2
ballDY = -ballDY
ENDIF
IF ballY > boardHeight - 1 THEN
ballY = boardHeight - 1
ballDY = -ballDY
ENDIF
' Collision with the human paddle.
IF ballX = humanPaddleX + 1 THEN
IF ballY >= humanPaddleY AND ballY < humanPaddleY + paddleHeight THEN
ballDX = -ballDX
ENDIF
ENDIF
' Collision with the computer paddle.
IF ballX = computerPaddleX - 1 THEN
IF ballY >= computerPaddleY AND ballY < computerPaddleY + paddleHeight THEN
ballDX = -ballDX
ENDIF
ENDIF
' Check for scoring.
IF ballX < 1 THEN
scoreComputer = scoreComputer + 1
ballX = INT(boardWidth / 2)
ballY = INT(boardHeight / 2)
ballDX = 1
ballDY = 1
ENDIF
IF ballX > boardWidth THEN
scoreHuman = scoreHuman + 1
ballX = INT(boardWidth / 2)
ballY = INT(boardHeight / 2)
ballDX = -1
ballDY = 1
ENDIF
' ============ Computer AI ============
' Calculate computer paddle center.
compCenter = computerPaddleY + (paddleHeight / 2)
IF ballY < compCenter THEN
computerPaddleY = computerPaddleY - 1
ELSEIF ballY > compCenter THEN
computerPaddleY = computerPaddleY + 1
ENDIF
IF computerPaddleY < 2 THEN computerPaddleY = 2
IF computerPaddleY > boardHeight - paddleHeight THEN
computerPaddleY = boardHeight - paddleHeight
ENDIF
' ============ Rendering ============
CLS
' Draw top boundary.
FOR x = 1 TO boardWidth
LOCATE 1, x
PRINT "-";
NEXT x
' Draw bottom boundary.
FOR x = 1 TO boardWidth
LOCATE boardHeight, x
PRINT "-";
NEXT x
' Draw human paddle.
FOR i = 0 TO paddleHeight - 1
LOCATE humanPaddleY + i, humanPaddleX
PRINT "|";
NEXT i
' Draw computer paddle.
FOR i = 0 TO paddleHeight - 1
LOCATE computerPaddleY + i, computerPaddleX
PRINT "|";
NEXT i
' Draw the ball.
LOCATE ballY, ballX
PRINT "O";
' Display scores.
LOCATE 1, INT(boardWidth / 2 - 10)
PRINT "You:"; scoreHuman; " Computer:"; scoreComputer;
' Delay to control game speed.
SLEEP 50
LOOP
```
---
## Final Thoughts and Enhancements
- **Difficulty Adjustments:**
The simple computer AI presented here moves one step per game loop iteration. To adjust difficulty, you might add randomness or further limit its speed.
- **Game Improvements:**
You could add a winning score, sound effects (if your RCBasic version supports audio), or even a start/pause menu.
- **Additional Controls:**
Consider enhancing paddle movement (for example, supporting arrow keys if available) or allowing the game speed to ramp up as points accumulate.
This tutorial should give you a solid starting point for a Pong game in RCBasic with a human vs computer opponent. Experiment with the code and adjust parameters to suit your style. Happy coding!
The same syntax error happens in the code of Pong!
