U1L1 Click Alonzo BJC bug

For Teachers
#1

In BJC U1L1P4, the instructions end with #7 'if (ghost effect == 100) {clear graphic effect; stop all}' But midway up the same page, the students are instructed to 'change ghost effect by -5' every time a click is missed, so they very well might land in an unwinnable situation.

Since there is no >= operator built-in, and custom blocks are just about to be introduced in U1L2, I'm instructing my students to test 'if (ghost effect > 99)'.

In other contexts, this bug might be considered a teachable moment, but right out of the gate Unit 1 Lab 1 I think it would be better if the students were not instructed to code bugs.

I don't know if there's any editing process for BJC, but for new teachers, it would be helpful to be aware of this. At a minimum, I think this deserves a note in the teacher's guide

#2

Good point. I tested this increasing by 5 when hit, so it was always a multiple of 5, and forgot that the instructions didn't specify how many percent to increase. I'll fix this tonight.

#3

Hey thanks!

#4

's my job. :~)

EDIT: Whew! It's actually not a problem. The effect values max out at 100; if you set it to 103 or 110 or whatever, and then read it with the reporter, you get 100.

#5

Interesting. I could have sworn in testing I was getting to an invisible alonzo that I couldn't find to click

#6

Oh, probably you were getting a 99% invisible Alonzo or something like that. As a refinement, someone might want to make it IF ((GHOST EFFECT) > 90) ... so it'll be easier to win while you can still see him.

#7

Looks like you're right (of course); also the -5 doesn't go negative. However, I had alonzo say the ghost effect whenever he's clicked, and it's pretty common for him to say like 44.99999999999 or 55.0000000001. When does Snap! use ints vs floats?

#8

Interesting. Did you use a non-integer increment or decrement? Or divide it by something? Otherwise I don't know why.

#9

The only numbers around are 100, 25 and -5