Scratch the Card Game

Couldn't do video for this, but I am working to complete this for Maker Spaces fair this summer. Next steps will be to continue collaborating with my LCL2 group on creativity and design for helping others.

Description: A start to Scratch the Card GAME
Although I very much enjoy and found these helpful for beginning Scratch
http://info.scratch.mit.edu/Support/Scratch_Cards4, I thought for my final project on the LCL2 Mooc I would offer a game remixing Uno and Cranium.

Why:
1. I need a low tech way to introduce programming as an intergenerational activity (equaling playing field while still learning)
2. My church’s computer lab for kids has only 8 computers—this is okay for partners or triads to collaborate, but if I have larger numbers or want to keep interest of those not typing, I could still use this a productive offline experience
3. It is a nonthreatening way to introduce the programming without some adults freezing up about trying it or glazing over while watching children do it on computer.
4. There can be common ground in seeing what the code is without the large time commitment of trial and error to make a specific program—they build with whatever cards they’re dealt.
5. I would like participants to try things they might not usually (out of comfort zone), but in a way that doesn’t highlight who is tech savvy versus those who aren’t.

How:
By making the code pieces into playing cards (think cutting index cards into strips instead of halved squares), the cards can be played in front of each player on a table to make a sequence. To win, the person must be able to act it out his code (pretending to be the sprite) after playing last card in hand. The goal can be strategically competitive—allow a player during his/her turn to place a card on his or her code block or another person’s. It can be cooperative by building the longest code together in one before one person runs out of cards. It can be creative, allowing blank “say” cards for a statement that can be silly though not derogatory or offensive. (There is a limit of numbers though between 1-10 for the variable in order to prevent a player from having to do an impossible endless loop or overly long action—still working on how to figure in the 90 degrees etc.).

Here is a sample of the cards so far:
:

Suggested Rules (of course open to remixing)
1. Each player is dealt five cards to start and the rest of the deck placed in the center of the table.
2. On his or her turn, a player can place a card down to build a code block for himself or another player.
3. Each piece put down can go above, below or between already played pieces as long as it is possible to do in an action sequence. (Other players help determine a legal move such as not allowing a card above a start.)
4. If a player has a blank “say” card, it must go with a corresponding “say” piece, but the player must tell what the saying is when the card is played.
5. If a player has a number card, it must go with a corresponding piece that has a circle blank.
6. If a player can’t put down a card, he or she may switch a card with another player OR draw three from the deck. If a player still can’t put down a card after this, the player may start another code block in this turn for himself, but will have to act out each code block of his separately in order to win. Any blank circles need filled in with a statement or a number so a person may have to draw three cards if he runs out to keep playing.
7. If playing cooperatively to build only one code together, players may play as many cards as they want during each turn (instead of one at a time), but they start with seven cards each dealt them. They work to also have a code block that has a start piece and if players have pieces that cannot be played, they may also during their turn exchange one card with the deck before putting down any cards during each turn.
8. Player wins by placing down last card and being able to act out the code sequence(s) at his place. If he/she can’t due to a missing piece of code, three cards are drawn, the turn is over and play continues until someone can run out of cards and then act out the built piece of code (does not have to have a start piece unless players make this a requirement).

What a beautiful idea! I think I may adapt this for our department's learning lab. I think you can vary a lot with the rules, depending on experience to make the game more or less difficult. Additional rules that pop up in my mind:

• You are only allowed to start playing cards once you have a piece of working code (being able to act it out)
• Rummy adaptations:
  • cards have certain points, the less points you have in the end, the better
  • you have to play a certain number of points in the beginning
  • Joker cards (e.g. showing the Scratch cat ) could be used to replace missing pieces
• green flag / stop sign cards could be used to interfere with user actions
• costume cards can be used (e.g. giving students a scratch cat hat)
• ...

Let us know how you proceed!

Thank you so much! I really am intrigued by the joker and by the less points to win idea as a variation. That "less is best" idea made me wonder--do you advanced coders on Scratch ever play "shortest code wins"? For example, at this website, someone shared a code that only takes "130 lines."
http://www.playfuljs.com/realistic-terrain-in-130-lines/

Do you think Scratchers could make it in less or at least something that allows a landscape to be drawn as the action (I think it would be beautiful to watch) in order to visually show the beginning principles of what is happening? (Maybe there is something already like this on Scratch?) There is a tie-in to using "bounce" and some other Scratch items like the variables and if statements, but I'm not sure if the Scratch code would need some new pieces to be able to achieve this since I am learning code myself.

Thanks again for giving me some cool directions and ideas as I work out how to get the game to work for my group!