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Flappy bird in python vex v5

hackread.official@gmail.com December 12, 2024

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Building a Flappy Bird Game in Python for VEX V5

Creating a Flappy Bird game on a VEX V5 robot is an exciting way to combine programming with gaming. This guide will walk you through the process of building a simplified version of Flappy Bird using Python, leveraging the VEX V5 Brain and its screen capabilities.

Overview of Flappy Bird

Flappy Bird is a simple but addictive game where a bird navigates through gaps in pipes by “flapping” upward each time the player taps a button. The challenge lies in keeping the bird afloat while avoiding obstacles.

Key Features:

Bird Movement: The bird falls due to gravity and rises when the player presses a button.
Pipes: Obstacles that scroll horizontally with gaps for the bird to pass through.
Scoring: Points are awarded for successfully navigating through gaps.

Requirements

VEX V5 Brain: For rendering graphics on the screen.
Python Programming: To implement game logic.
VEX V5 Controller: For user input (flapping).

Step-by-Step Implementation

1. Initialize the VEX Environment

First, set up the basic environment to use the VEX V5 Brain screen for graphics.

2. Define Game Variables

Create variables for the bird’s position, velocity, pipes, and score.

3. Draw the Game Elements

Write functions to draw the bird, pipes, and score on the screen.

4. Handle Bird Movement

Implement the logic for bird movement, including gravity and user input.

5. Generate and Update Pipes

Add new pipes and move them across the screen.

python

def update_pipes():

    global pipes, score, is_game_over

    new_pipes = []
    for pipe_x, pipe_top_height in pipes:

        # Move pipe

        pipe_x -= PIPE_SPEED
        # Check collision

        if SCREEN_WIDTH // 4 + BIRD_RADIUS > pipe_x and SCREEN_WIDTH // 4 - BIRD_RADIUS < pipe_x + PIPE_WIDTH:

            if bird_y - BIRD_RADIUS < pipe_top_height or bird_y + BIRD_RADIUS > pipe_top_height + PIPE_GAP:

                is_game_over = True
        # Add pipe if still on screen

        if pipe_x + PIPE_WIDTH > 0:

            new_pipes.append((pipe_x, pipe_top_height))

        else:

            score += 1  # Score increases when a pipe exits
    pipes = new_pipes

# Add new pipe if len(pipes) == 0 or pipes[-1][0] < SCREEN_WIDTH - 200: pipe_top_height = random.randint(30, SCREEN_HEIGHT - PIPE_GAP - 30) pipes.append((SCREEN_WIDTH, pipe_top_height))

6. Main Game Loop

Combine all components into the main game loop.

python

def main():

    global is_game_over, bird_velocity
    while not is_game_over:

        brain.screen.clear_screen()
        # Update game elements

        update_bird()

        update_pipes()
        # Draw game elements

        draw_bird()

        for pipe_x, pipe_top_height in pipes:

            draw_pipe(pipe_x, pipe_top_height)

        draw_score()
        # Refresh screen

        brain.screen.render()
        # Flap input

        if brain.controller.buttonA.pressing():

            bird_velocity = FLAP_STRENGTH
        # Delay for smooth gameplay

        time.sleep(0.03)

# Game over screen brain.screen.clear_screen() brain.screen.set_cursor(2, 2) brain.screen.print("Game Over!") brain.screen.set_cursor(3, 2) brain.screen.print(f"Final Score: {score}") brain.screen.render()

7. Run the Game

Call the main function to start the game.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve created a Flappy Bird game using Python for the VEX V5 system. This project showcases how game mechanics like gravity, collision detection, and scoring can be implemented with simple logic and graphics.

Feel free to expand on this project by adding new features, such as: