Game Prep

We'll start off with a pre-made scene in which the basics of the character sprite, animation, and movement have been created, just so we can focus on level design.

Open this link in the Chrome browser to get going: MCA_ruby_level_0

Click the Show Code button.

Then, click the Edit button to open the code into the editor.

Add Background

We'll add a background image first. Click the Scene category, and then add the set backround image block to the on start block.

Click on the empty sprite block to open the sprite editor and then paint and draw your background image. Note that this is a 160x120 pixel sprite, which is the full screen size of the MakeCode Arcade game screen.

It can be tricky to paint accurately on the small canvas, but after some trial and error I came up with a background I liked.

Create Tile Map

Now we'll create the tile map, which is the foundation of our level.

From the Scene category, drag a set tile map block from the Tiles sub-heading into the on start block.

We'll open the sprite editor for the tile map in order to draw out the level. The first thing we'll notice is that the default canvas is the wrong size and shape for a side scrolling platformer. Currently, it reads 10x8. Click on that resolution button multiple times to get to the size we want, which is 32x8.

Let's create a ground running across the bottom of the level. Use the blue color index and a single pixel pencil tool to draw the two ground layers. You can hold the shift key on the keyboard to constrain the tool to straight lines, which is very helpful! If you make any errors, just use the eraser tool to correct them.

Add Platforms

Click on the tile map to open it again into the sprite editor. Place purple tiles onto the map as shown, then click the Done button.

Now we can see in the simulator the purple platforms in the visible portion of the tile map.

Try moving the Ruby player sprite using the arrow keys to explore more of the level.

Uh oh, we can't! Ruby walks right off the edge of the screen!

This is because we haven't yet told the in-game camera to follow Ruby.

Camera Follow Sprite

From the Scene category, add a camera follow sprite block to the on start block.

Pick Ruby from the variable dropdown menu.

Add a set tile <index color> to <sprite> with wall block from the Scene category to the on start block.

Choose purple for the index color by clicking on the color swatch and selecting the purple swatch. This means that whatever sprite art we create and wall state will apply to all purple tiles in the tile map.

To create the block art, click on the sprite swatch and then use the pencil tool in the editor. You can get creative here, the block can look like anything you want inside of 16x16 pixels! (You can actually use other sizes, but for now we'll stick with this standard for most blocks for the best fit.)

Lastly, we want to indicate that our player sprite will not be able to overlap the purple tiles, but instead bump into them or jump onto them. Do so by flipping the with wall switch to on.

Ground Blocks

Let's give the ground tiles a sprite as well. You can duplicate the previous set tile block, then change the index color to the same blue you used for the ground tiles.

Create some artwork for these ground blocks in the sprite editor, and then click Done.

Add Gravity

Find the Function prepPlayer block in the scene.

In the set Ruby ay (acceleration y) block, change the value to 300.

Tile Sprite Sizing

Note how the single green tile is placed one tile unit above the ground and has clearance on it's right side -- this is because I created a larger, 32x32 pixel sprite for the pipe tile.

This means that the artwork occupies the space of four tiles and is a great way to create elements of different sizes, which can give your game level more visual interest than having every tile the same size.

Collision Effects

From the Scene category, add an on sprite of kind Player hits wall block to your canvas.

We'll set this one up to add points when the question mark tile is hit. Going back to our tile map we can see that the question mark tile index color is yellow, so we'll change the index color of this collision block to yellow as well.

Next, we'll add an effect block. From the Sprites category, add a mySprite start spray effect block to the collision block as shown.

Change the drop down menu to Ruby for the sprite and the effect to fountain.

Lastly, click the + plus sign to have the effect only last for 500ms.

Game Over

The last thing we'll do is set up the red tile (lava) collision to cause a game over of type "lose" and a light blue tile (flag pole) collision to cause a game over of type "win".

Create or duplicate two more on sprite of kind player hits wall collision blocks. Set one to red tiles and the other to light blue.

From the Game category add a game over block to each of the two new collision blocks.

Set the red collision game over to type "lose" and the light blue on to type "win" by flipping the toggle as needed. (Depending on the version of MakeCode Arcade you're using you may need to first click a + plus sign to see the toggle switch in the game over blocks.)