Do you want to hear a ghost story?  Even better – do you want to create your very own spooky fun paranormal game?

Here at Vilros, we love showing you the most current DIY projects and games that Raspberry Pi has to offer.  There have been movies, television shows, an arcade game, and even a song written about Ghostbusters or those who hunt ghosts, so now it can be your turn to make your own Paranormal Activity game!

Before we start, you will need to…

• Install Scratch 2 or 3 Software (Online or Offline) &
• Ensure your computer can run it.
• (If necessary, you can find and download the software here).

1.  Start from ‘Scratch’

·       You can animate sprites using random numbers, set a reaction to mouse clicks, and make a timer. It all starts with opening a brand-new Scratch project.

2. Design a Game with a Ghost that’s the Most!

• Choose a ghost sprite from the Library.
• Set it against a logical backdrop taken from the Library.
• Code your ghost to hide and then show when the green flag is clicked and the sprite is caught before it disappears forever.
• Name your file, save it, and test it.  If using Offline Scratch, be sure to save the file to your computer so a player can open it – this way you can have fun with the sprites even without a Wifi or internet connection!

3.…Who’s Minding the Score?

• Create a new variable called “Score” and code it to increase by one, or a regular value, each time a ghost is captured.

4.…But There’s Time Now!

• We at Vilros recommend starting with a 10 second high-speed ghost chase, but you can set however long you’d like each ghost game to last.

5. Does a Player Stand a Ghost of a Chance at Winning?

• Which types of sprite are designed to gain or lose points? How many types are there?
• Play with the size of your ghosts, how well and how long they hide, and the randomness of their paths. Use “Set Size,” “Wait” and “Go To” coding to add details to your ghostly games.
• Add a sound when you hunt each ghost, and change how many are in each round of the game.

If you have any more questions, you can find more details about this project on this tutorial.

There are so many combinations of rules for this game; the only limit is your imagination.  Alterations are limitless, so be sure to pass your project along once it’s done. A game is only as good as the number of players it reaches, so let all your tech-savvy friends, neighbors, and teachers know about your handiwork s they can get in on the gam too! 

And when you’re through editing this game to fit your own unique rules and style, we would love it if you would share your success story with us here at Vilros!  As always, our team here at Vilros wants to keep you updated with super fun and cutting-edge Raspberry Pi  and Arduino projects.  Thanks for reading and have fun being a Code Wrangling Ghostbuster!