What Replaced the Touching Block in Scratch?
Scratch, a popular visual programming language for kids, has been around for over a decade. One of its iconic blocks was the "touching" block, which allowed users to detect if two sprites were touching each other. However, with the introduction of newer Scratch versions, the touching block has been replaced by a more versatile block: the "Touching?" block.
Why Was the Touching Block Replaced?
The "touching?" block offers several advantages over the old touching block. It provides:
- Clarity: The "Touching?" block is more descriptive and clearly indicates that it is asking a question about whether the sprite is touching something.
- Specificity: Unlike the touching block, which only allowed you to detect if a sprite was touching the edge of the stage, the "Touching?" block allows you to specify what the sprite is touching. You can choose to detect if it's touching another sprite or a specific color on the stage.
- Flexibility: The "Touching?" block can be used with different types of data, not just sprites. For instance, you can use it to detect if a sprite is touching a specific costume of another sprite.
How to Use the "Touching?" Block
The "Touching?" block is relatively simple to use. It takes two arguments:
- Sprite: This specifies the sprite you want to check.
- Target: This specifies what you want to check if the sprite is touching. This could be another sprite, a color, or a specific costume.
The block returns a Boolean value:
- True: If the sprite is touching the target.
- False: If the sprite is not touching the target.
Example: Detecting a Collision
Here's an example of how you can use the "Touching?" block to detect a collision between two sprites:
when green flag clicked
forever
if then
say [Ouch!]
end
end
In this example, the sprite will say "Ouch!" if it is touching another sprite named "other sprite."
Tips for Using "Touching?"
Here are some tips for using the "Touching?" block:
- Consider the context: The type of target you choose will depend on the specific situation. If you want to detect a collision between two sprites, you'll use a sprite as the target. If you want to see if a sprite is touching a specific color, you'll use a color as the target.
- Use Boolean operators: You can use Boolean operators like "and" and "or" to create more complex conditions. For example, you could check if a sprite is touching both another sprite and a specific color.
Summary
The "Touching?" block is a powerful tool that can be used to create more complex and engaging Scratch projects. It offers greater clarity, specificity, and flexibility compared to the old touching block. By understanding how to use the "Touching?" block, you can create projects with more interactive elements and realistic behaviors.