I need some serious help

[ntomanelli90]

Hello there,

I may have bitten off more than I can chew with this one. Here’s the background, I’m an education major with close to no experience with programming taking an online elective course that basically involved following the getting started guide. I now have to create an educationally based game as my final assignment and although I completed the 8 chapter tutorials; I feel like I don’t know enough to accomplish this. 

I’ve spent the whole weekend behind my computer attempting to make a simple game that I can submit as my final project. Here is what I am trying to do;

I took similar mechanics from the star explorer game and instead used a dart and three targets that will sit at the top of the screen. The goal is to have a game that places multiplication problems somewhere on the lower portion of the screen while three possible answers will be displayed above or on the three targets at the top. The player will then need to choose the correct target to hit and tap the dart to fire at one of the targets. 

As it stands I have all images on the screen and the dart is able to fire up to the top. I have been searching all weekend with no success to find out how I can add in multiplication problems from #'s 1-10, and the answers that correlate with specific targets. I also need a collision event to occur when the dart hits a target because right now it just passes it by and flies off screen. Please if there is anyone out there that can give me some advice you would be my hero.

Here is a copy of the code I currently have in the main.lua

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- -- main.lua -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- housekeeping stuff display.setStatusBar(display.HiddenStatusBar) local physics = require( "physics" ) physics.start() physics.setGravity( 0, 0 ) -- Initialize variables local background local dart local title local text local target local score = 0 local wrong = false -- Set up display groups local backGroup = display.newGroup() -- Display group for the background image local mainGroup = display.newGroup() -- Display group for the dart. local uiGroup = display.newGroup() -- Display group for UI objects like the score local background = display.newImageRect( backGroup, "bg.jpg", 620, 690 ) background.x = display.contentCenterX background.y = display.contentCenterY local dart = display.newImageRect( mainGroup, "dart.png", 37.5, 112.5 ) dart.x = display.contentCenterX dart.y = display.contentHeight-25 local title = display.newImageRect( backGroup, "title.png", 300, 100) title.x = display.contentCenterX title.y = display.contentHeight-325 local function createTarget() local newTarget = display.newImageRect( mainGroup, "target.png", 85, 85 ) target.x = display.contentWidth-265 target.y = display.contentHeight-420 end local target = display.newImageRect( mainGroup, "target.png", 85, 85 ) target.x = display.contentWidth-265 target.y = display.contentHeight-420 local target = display.newImageRect( mainGroup, "target2.png", 85, 85 ) target.x = display.contentWidth-159 target.y = display.contentHeight-420 local target = display.newImageRect( mainGroup, "target3.png", 85, 85 ) target.x = display.contentWidth-55 target.y = display.contentHeight-420 local function throwDart() local newDart = display.newImageRect( mainGroup, "dart.png", 37.5, 112.5 ) physics.addBody( newDart, "dynamic", { isSensor=true } ) newDart.isBullet = true newDart.myName = "Dart" newDart.x = dart.x newDart.y = dart.y newDart:toBack() transition.to( newDart, { y=-150, time=500, } ) onComplete = function() display.remove( dart ) end end dart:addEventListener( "tap", throwDart ) local function dragDart( event ) local dart = event.target local phase = event.phase if ( "began" == phase ) then -- Set touch focus on the dart display.currentStage:setFocus( dart ) -- Store initial offset position dart.touchOffsetX = event.x - dart.x elseif ( "moved" == phase ) then -- Move the dart to the new touch position dart.x = event.x - dart.touchOffsetX elseif ( "ended" == phase or "cancelled" == phase ) then -- Release touch focus on the dart display.currentStage:setFocus( nil ) end return true -- Prevents touch propagation to underlying objects end local function onCollision( event ) if ( event.phase == "began" ) then local obj1 = event.object1 local obj2 = event.object2 if ( ( obj1.myName == "dart" and obj2.myName == "target" ) or ( obj1.myName == "target" and obj2.myName == "dart" ) ) then -- Remove both the dart and target display.remove( obj1 ) display.remove( obj2 ) end end end dart:addEventListener( "touch", dragDart )

I tried starting a function to create each target but I don’t think I have enough knowledge and whatever I’ve watched or read over the past two days hasn’t helped me understand

here is a pic for reference 

[remiduchalard]

Hello,

You have a lot of problems your code. I am too lazy to read you first paragraph, do you already know how to code in any language?

I am asking you that because you define 4 times the same value (target). If you want to have many target, they need to have a different name or to be in an array.

ex:

local target={} target[1]=display... target[2]=display..

Lua is one of the most simplest language to learn. Spend one hour to understand it and you will be able to code whatever you want

[sporkfin]

Hi,

Every object needs to have a unique name.  If you name everything “target”, each new target will overwrite the previous target.  Use names like “target1”, “target2”, “target3”.

 1. As you are using transitions to move objects around the screen, you can simplify your code by removing physics objects. In fact, you don’t need physics, collisions or dragDart()

2.   Look into math.random( ) to make your multiplication problems 

[lua]   

local function presentProblem(  )

    local num1 = math.random( 10 ) – generate a random number from 1 to 10

    local num2 = math.random( 10 ) – generate a random number from 1 to 10

    local correctAnswer = num1 * num2

    local falseAnswer1 = math.random( 10 ) * math.random( 10 )

    local falseAnswer2 = math.random( 10 ) * math.random( 10 )

end

[/lua]

Use display.newText to present num1 and num2 on screen to the user

your 3 answers are: correctAnswer, falseAnswer1 and falseAnswer2

3.  You don’t need collision detection.  Use the onComplete parameter in your transition.to( ) method to tell you when the transition has completed.

4.  You don’t need to drag the dart.  Just have the user tap on the target and use the targets x and y position to set the transition for the dart.

look on the marketplace for sample projects.  Some are free, come cost a few bucks.

Get back to us with your changes and we’ll try to help some more.

[ntomanelli90]

I still don’t really understand how to display the presentProblem function. I’ve tried display.newText but I get an error when trying to implement num1 or num 2. I tried placing those variables into quotes and that just caused it to say “num1” on the screen. 

[remiduchalard]

Your base is wrong

local target = display... -- will display the object and you can edit the object via target value target = display... -- will display a new object and you can edit the object via target value but the previous target doesn't exist any more

local target=... local target=... -- it's not possible to define two times the same value local in the same {}. Lua isn't going to tell you to fuck off because you write something impossible

You need to know how to work value, function and array before go further

[nick_sherman]

It does show that these tutorials are great for explaining how things work when everything is done perfectly, but are useless for teaching what to do when things go wrong - how to read error messages, debug code, strip things back to the last known working point etc.

[remiduchalard]

Corona use lua to work. Lua is the language and corona the way to display things on every device.

Before learn corona you need to learn Lua or another langage as C,C++,C#,pyhton,php,java…

I haven’t seen your tutorial. It’s like you apply for a course if you haven’t prerequisite. It’s like began to do geometry before learn base of math. Spend one or two hour to learn lua and you will understand without any difficulties corona

For example when I began to work with corona I didn’t know lua but it wasn’t a problem because I have already code in an other language.

Lua is very simple that’s why it’s easy to switch from any language to lua.

[anon63346430]

It’s such a shame the forums are full of “I’m doing this for school and it’s not working”… sad times for sure

[sporkfin]

@ntomanelli

When is your project due?

[remiduchalard]

Hello,

You have a lot of problems your code. I am too lazy to read you first paragraph, do you already know how to code in any language?

I am asking you that because you define 4 times the same value (target). If you want to have many target, they need to have a different name or to be in an array.

ex:

local target={} target[1]=display... target[2]=display..

Lua is one of the most simplest language to learn. Spend one hour to understand it and you will be able to code whatever you want

[sporkfin]

Hi,

Every object needs to have a unique name.  If you name everything “target”, each new target will overwrite the previous target.  Use names like “target1”, “target2”, “target3”.

 1. As you are using transitions to move objects around the screen, you can simplify your code by removing physics objects. In fact, you don’t need physics, collisions or dragDart()

2.   Look into math.random( ) to make your multiplication problems 

[lua]   

local function presentProblem(  )

    local num1 = math.random( 10 ) – generate a random number from 1 to 10

    local num2 = math.random( 10 ) – generate a random number from 1 to 10

    local correctAnswer = num1 * num2

    local falseAnswer1 = math.random( 10 ) * math.random( 10 )

    local falseAnswer2 = math.random( 10 ) * math.random( 10 )

end

[/lua]

Use display.newText to present num1 and num2 on screen to the user

your 3 answers are: correctAnswer, falseAnswer1 and falseAnswer2

3.  You don’t need collision detection.  Use the onComplete parameter in your transition.to( ) method to tell you when the transition has completed.

4.  You don’t need to drag the dart.  Just have the user tap on the target and use the targets x and y position to set the transition for the dart.

look on the marketplace for sample projects.  Some are free, come cost a few bucks.

Get back to us with your changes and we’ll try to help some more.

[ntomanelli90]

I still don’t really understand how to display the presentProblem function. I’ve tried display.newText but I get an error when trying to implement num1 or num 2. I tried placing those variables into quotes and that just caused it to say “num1” on the screen. 

[remiduchalard]

Your base is wrong

local target = display... -- will display the object and you can edit the object via target value target = display... -- will display a new object and you can edit the object via target value but the previous target doesn't exist any more

local target=... local target=... -- it's not possible to define two times the same value local in the same {}. Lua isn't going to tell you to fuck off because you write something impossible

You need to know how to work value, function and array before go further

[nick_sherman]

It does show that these tutorials are great for explaining how things work when everything is done perfectly, but are useless for teaching what to do when things go wrong - how to read error messages, debug code, strip things back to the last known working point etc.

[remiduchalard]

Corona use lua to work. Lua is the language and corona the way to display things on every device.

Before learn corona you need to learn Lua or another langage as C,C++,C#,pyhton,php,java…

I haven’t seen your tutorial. It’s like you apply for a course if you haven’t prerequisite. It’s like began to do geometry before learn base of math. Spend one or two hour to learn lua and you will understand without any difficulties corona

For example when I began to work with corona I didn’t know lua but it wasn’t a problem because I have already code in an other language.

Lua is very simple that’s why it’s easy to switch from any language to lua.

[anon63346430]

It’s such a shame the forums are full of “I’m doing this for school and it’s not working”… sad times for sure

[sporkfin]

@ntomanelli

When is your project due?