replit-play 0.0.1

The easiest way to make games and media projects in Python.

Python Play (beta)

The easiest way to start coding games and graphics projects in Python

Python Play is an open-source code library for the Python programming language that makes it as easy as possible to start making games. Here's the code to make a simple game using Play:

import play

cat = play.new_text('=^.^=', font_size=70)

@play.repeat_forever
async def do():
    cat.x = play.random_number(-200, 200)
    cat.y = play.random_number(-200, 200)
    cat.color = play.random_color()

    cat.show()

    await play.timer(seconds=0.4)

    cat.hide()

    await play.timer(seconds=0.4)

@cat.when_clicked
async def do():
    cat.show()
    cat.words = 'You won!'

play.start_program()

The code above makes a game where you have to click the cat to win:

You can try playing and changing this game on repl.it!

How to install Python Play

Run the following command in your terminal:

pip install replit-play

Or you can just go to repl.it and you won't have to install anything :)

How to use Python Play

All Python Play programs start with import play and end with play.start_program(), like this:

import play


play.start_program()

All other commands go between those two commands.

To try any of the following examples, go to repl.it and try pasting code in.

Basic Commands

To get images or text on the screen, use play.new_sprite() and play.new_text(). (Copy and paste the code below to try it out.)

play.new_sprite()

character = play.new_sprite(image='character.png', x=0, y=0, angle=0, size=100, transparency=100)

This will place an image in the middle of the screen. Make sure you have a file named character.png in your project files for the code above to work.

If you want to change where the image is on the screen, try changing x=0 (horizontal position) and y=0 (vertical position). Positive x is to the right and positive y is up.

play.new_text()

greeting = play.new_text(words='hey there', x=50, y=0, angle=0, font=None, font_size=50, color='black', transparency=100)

This will put some text on the screen.

If you want to change the font, you'll need a font file (usually named something like Arial.ttf) in your project files. Then you can change font=None to font='Arial.ttf'.

play.set_background_color()

You can also change the background color with the play.set_background_color() command:

play.set_background_color('light blue')

There are lots of named colors to choose from. Additionally, if you want to set colors by RGB (Red Green Blue) values, you can do that like this:

# sets the background to white
play.set_background_color( (255, 255, 255) )
# each number can go from 0 to 255

Animation Commands

@play.repeat_forever

To make things move around, you can start by using @play.repeat_forever, like this:

cat = play.new_text('=^.^=')

@play.repeat_forever
async def do():

    cat.turn(10)  

The above code will make the cat turn around forever. Sprites have other commands that you can see in the next section called Sprite Commands.

@play.when_program_starts

To make some code run just at the beginning of your project, use @play.when_program_starts, like this:

cat = play.new_text('=^.^=')

@play.when_program_starts
async def do():

    cat.turn(180)  

This will make the cat turn upside down instantly when the program starts.

await play.timer(seconds=1)

To run code after a waiting period, you can use the await play.timer() command like this:

cat = play.new_text('=^.^=')

@play.when_program_starts
async def do():

    cat.turn(180)  
    await play.timer(seconds=2)
    cat.turn(180)  

This will make the cat turn upside down instantly when the program starts, wait 2 seconds, then turn back up again.

play.repeat() and await play.animate()

To smoothly animate a character a certain number of times, you can use play.repeat() with await play.animate(), like this:

cat = play.new_text('=^.^=')

@play.when_program_starts
async def do():
    for count in play.repeat(180):
        cat.turn(1)
        await play.animate()

This code will animate the cat turning upside down smoothly when the program starts.

To break down the code:

• for count in play.repeat(180): runs the code 180 times.
• cat.turn(1) turns that cat 1 degree each time.
• await play.animate() makes the cat animate smoothly. Without this command, the cat would just turn upside down instantly.

Sprite Commands

Simple commands

Sprites (images and text) have a few simple commands:

• sprite.move(10) — moves the sprite 10 pixels in the direction it's facing (starts facing right). Use negative numbers (-10) to go backward.
• sprite.turn(20) — Turns the sprite 20 degrees clockwise. Use negative numbers (-20) to turn the other way.
• sprite.go_to(other_sprite) — Makes sprite go to another sprite named other_sprite's position on the screen.
• sprite.go_to(x=100, y=50) — Makes sprite go to x=100, y=50 (right and up a little).
• sprite.point_towards(other_sprite) — Turns sprite so it points at another sprite called other_sprite.
• sprite.hide() — Hides sprite. It can't be clicked when it's hidden.
• sprite.show() — Shows sprite if it's hidden.

Properties

Sprites also have properties that can be changed to change how the sprite looks. Here they are:

• sprite.x — The sprite's horizontal position on the screen. Positive numbers are right, negative numbers are left. The default is 0.
• sprite.y — The sprite's vertical position on the screen. Positive numbers are up, negative numbers are down. The default is 0.
• sprite.size — How big the sprite is. The default is 100, but it can be made bigger or smaller.
• sprite.angle — How much the sprite is turned. Positive numbers are clockwise. The default is 0 degrees (pointed to the right).
• sprite.transparency — How see-through the sprite is from 0 to 100. 0 is completely see-through, 100 is not see-through at all. The default is 100.

These properties can changed to do the same things as the commands above. For example,

sprite.go_to(other_sprite)

# the line above is the same as the two lines below

sprite.x = other_sprite.x
sprite.y = other_sprite.y

You can change the properties to animate the sprites. The code below makes the cat turn around.

cat = play.new_text('=^.^=')

@play.repeat_forever
async def do():
    cat.angle += 1
    # the line above is the same as cat.turn(1)

Other info

Sprites also have some other useful info:

• sprite.width — Gets how wide the sprite is in pixels.
• sprite.height — Gets how tall the sprite is in pixels.
• sprite.left — Gets the x position of the left-most part of the sprite.
• sprite.right — Gets the x position of the right-most part of the sprite.
• sprite.top — Gets the y position of the top-most part of the sprite.
• sprite.bottom — Gets the y position of the bottom-most part of the sprite.
• sprite.distance_to(other_sprite) — Gets the distance in pixels to other_sprite.
• sprite.distance_to(x=100, y=100) — Gets the distance to the point x=100, y=100.
• sprite.is_clicked() — Returns True if the sprite has just been clicked, otherwise returns False.
• sprite.is_hidden() — Returns True if the sprite has been hidden with the sprite.hide() command. Otherwise returns False.
• sprite.is_shown() — Returns True if the sprite has not been hidden with the sprite.hide() command. Otherwise returns False.

Mouse Commands

Working with the mouse in Python Play is easy. Here's a simple program that points a sprite at the mouse:

arrow = play.new_text('-->', font_size=100)

@play.repeat_forever
async def do():
    arrow.point_towards(play.mouse)

play.mouse has the following properties:

• play.mouse.x — The horizontal x position of the mouse.
• play.mouse.y — The vertical y position of the mouse.
• play.mouse.is_clicked() — Returns True if the mouse is clicked down, or False if it's not.

@sprite.when_clicked

Probably the easiest way to detect clicks is to use @sprite.when_clicked.

In the program below, when the face is clicked it changes for 1 second then turns back to normal:

face = play.new_text('^.^', font_size=100)

@face.when_clicked
async def do():
    face.words = '*o*'
    await play.timer(seconds=1)
    face.words = '^.^'

@play.when_sprite_clicked()

If you wanted to run the same code when multiple sprites are clicked, you can use @play.when_sprite_clicked():

face1 = play.new_text('^.^', font_size=100)
face2 = play.new_text('^_^', font_size=100)

@play.when_sprite_clicked(face1, face2) # takes as many sprites as you want
async def do(sprite):
    starting_words = sprite.words
    sprite.words = '*o*'
    await play.timer(seconds=1)
    sprite.words = starting_words

In the above program, clicking face1 or face2 will run the code for each sprite.

@play.mouse.when_clicked

To run code when the mouse is clicked anywhere, use @play.mouse.when_clicked.

In the code below, when a click is detected, the text will move to the click location and the coordinates will be shown:

text = play.new_text('0, 0')

@play.mouse.when_clicked
async def do():
    text.words = f'{play.mouse.x}, {play.mouse.y}'
    text.go_to(play.mouse)

Keyboard Commands

@play.when_key_pressed()

You can use @play.when_key_pressed() to run code when specific keys are pressed.

In the code below, pressing the space key will change the cat's face, and pressing the enter key will change it to a different face.

cat = play.new_text('=^.^=')

@play.when_key_pressed('space', 'enter') # if either the space key or enter key are pressed...
async def do(key):
    if key == 'enter':
        cat.words = '=-.-='
    if key == 'space':
        cat.words = '=*_*='

play.key_is_pressed()

You can also use play.key_is_pressed() to detect keypresses.

In the code below, pressing the arrow keys or w/a/s/d will make the cat go in the desired direction.

cat = play.new_text('=^.^=')

@play.repeat_forever
async def do():
    if play.key_is_pressed('up', 'w'):
        cat.y += 15
    if play.key_is_pressed('down', 's'):
        cat.y -= 15

    if play.key_is_pressed('right', 'd'):
        cat.x += 15
    if play.key_is_pressed('left', 'a'):
        cat.x -= 15

@play.when_any_key_pressed

If you just want to detect when any key is pressed, you can use @play.when_any_key_pressed.

In the code below, any key you press will be displayed on the screen:

text = play.new_text('')

@play.repeat_forever
async def do(key):
    text.words = f'{key} pressed!'

Other Useful Commands

play.random_number()

A function that makes random numbers.

If two whole numbers are given, play.random_number() will give a whole number back:

play.random_number(lowest=0, highest=100)

# example return value: 42

(You can also do play.random_number(0, 100).)

If non-whole numbers are given, non-whole numbers are given back:

play.random_number(0, 1.0)
# example return value: 0.84

play.random_number() is also inclusive, which means play.random_number(0,1) will return 0 and 1.

play.random_color()

Returns a random RGB color, including white and black.

play.random_color()
# example return value: (201, 17, 142)

Each value varies from 0 to 255.

play.repeat()

play.repeat() is the same as Python's built-in range function, except it starts at 1. 'Repeat' is just a friendlier and more descriptive name than 'range'.

list(play.repeat(10))
# return value: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

await play.animate()

When used in a loop, this command will animate any sprite changes that happen.

cat = play.new_text('=^.^=')

@play.when_program_starts
async def do():
    for count in play.repeat(360):
        cat.turn(1)
        await play.animate()

await play.animate() is the same as await asyncio.sleep(0) except it has a friendlier name for beginners.

What's with all this async/await stuff? Is this Python?

Yes, this is Python! Python added async and await as special keywords in Python 3.7. It's part of the asyncio module.

What that means for this library is that we can use async functions to help us run animations. For example,

import play

cat = play.new_text('=^.^=')

@play.repeat_forever
async def do():
    play.set_background_color('pink')
    await play.timer(seconds=1)

    play.set_background_color('purple')
    await play.timer(seconds=1)

    play.set_background_color('light blue')
    await play.timer(seconds=1)

@play.repeat_forever
async def do():
    cat.turn(1)

play.start_program()

Both of the @play.repeat_forever functions will run seemingly at the same time, which makes the code look a lot simpler for new programmers.

Although it's annoying to have to type async before procedure definitions, we think the trade-off is worth it. Plus, we'd hope your IDE would be good enough so that brand new programmers don't have to type this stuff.