https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/928354000/

Instructions:
Keep Jolly Jelly alive for one minute by avoiding all fish – do not let Jolly Jelly touch anything!
1 touch = 1 life lost
3 lives lost = dead

Background by Tartila, some guidance on the fish swimming tutorial by “Learn Scratch With Peter” on YouTube, and various codes learned throughout ENT3952 classes.

Coding the ‘Time’ Timer and ‘Lives’ Timer:

The game must be won within one minute, so I used the Timer code we learned in class, this time adding a prompt to end the game when the Timer reaches 60 seconds. Since the Jolly Jelly’s lives are limited, I input a countdown for each time Jolly Jelly touched another sprite, with a prompt for Jolly Jelly to think, “I’M DEAD” once all lives were depleted along with a prompt to end the game.

Coding the Jellyfish:

I used some of the codes we learned in class such as having the sprite follow the mouse, as well as the code for the jellyfish to respond when touching another sprite. For this game, I made the jellyfish change color when touching another sprite and the ‘Lives’ counter to count down until the game is lost.

Coding the Fish #1-4:

I used some of the code in class to create a base for the first fish to glide but some kept turning upside down when it bounced off the edge. Paired with some tinkering and reviewing the following tutorial on swimming fish, I was able to program each fish successfully. I also added multiple timed size increases for every fish, as well as an “excuse me” thought every time Jolly Jelly touched it. The size increase is to increase difficulty.

Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Tdbm7ODtQ

Coding the Pufferfish:

I used the same code we learned in the Dino Jump for the trees on the pufferfish, except I kept the pufferfish within the frame by bouncing it off the edges. The pufferfish also thinks, “excuse me” when touching Jolly Jelly.

Coding the music and sound effects:

I learned to do this on my own while tinkering in an earlier project. I included two sounds: background music and a bubble sound to create a feeling of being underwater. I also added some sound effects: a losing boing sound and a celebratory win sound.

     My 17 y/o daughter, A, is a homebody at heart and gravitates to her bed more than any other location in our home when it comes to completing schoolwork and unwinding. Sitting next to her bed is her actual desk, which has long been relegated to being used as a shelf. While observing her, I noticed that she shifts between books-laptop-food on her bed – often managing two things at once. Not an easy task, as she occasionally vocalizes frustration that the items in use move when she moves, or when our dogs jump on her bed; usually in the form of annoyed “tsks”.

    While I see that she does sometimes opt for the dining table or couch at the start, her time spent on them is short-lived and she ends up migrating to her bed. She has stated she can’t concentrate with other people – namely, her two sisters – also occupying the space. It also looks to me that, as an introvert, other areas of our home do not offer her the privacy and quiet she deeply craves after a long day of school, volleyball, and “peopling”. Also, while occupying a dining chair, I noticed that she leans back and props up her legs on another chair, replicating the manner in which she would sit on her bed. While sitting at an angle on the dining chair, she will sometimes rub her back and mention how her back hurts. She has also mentioned how her bed is comfy with all her pillows, and I have seen her customizing the placement of her numerous bed pillows to suit her sitting and resting needs.

     Research exists on the negative aspects of working in bed, but there is always a deviation from the norm. I see how a good bed setup is, by far, a sum total benefit for A’s personality, preferences, and productivity. Not having that affects her satisfaction and constantly relocating takes time away from output. Thus, the problem that I see exists for A is her struggle to find a consistent space where she can comfortably work and relax. This was confirmed in past years when we discussed and searched for bedtable options. Many are available, but none that works effectively with her bed setup, nor are they aesthetically appealing – another pain point for her.   To give insight into why traditional bed tables won’t work: her bed is pushed up against a corner with windows and she has storage underneath her bed. This means a bed table with legs that require space at the sides of her bed will not work, nor will tables with “C”-shaped legs that require under-bed space. Plus, the way her small room is set up, it doesn’t allow flexibility with her bed and furniture being rearranged.

During COVID, I bought her a folding tray table and laptop pillow per her request, but both have been rendered useless with all the shifting that she does. They now remain tucked away, gathering dust. Instead, I observed that she resigns to propping her laptop or book on a sleeping pillow and often opts to hold her plate/bowl/cup of food in her hands. I imagine this is what she considers to be her best option – for now. Of course, this impractical solution is accomplished with the occasional exasperated sigh or migration to another spot in our home.

DESIGN a unique and innovative physical product that will solve the problem in a non-trivial manner.

To solve A’s longtime problem, I pulled inspiration from other bed tables and designed a height-adjustable folding bed desk that rolls along a secured track installed on the side panels of her bed. I opted for lightweight birch wood material for its durability, light weight, and visual appeal.

Custom-fitted tracks save lots of space by eliminating the need for floor clearance:

The back and side perimeters have raised edges to stop items from falling off. Arched cutouts allow wiring to pass through to the two built-in charging ports on both sides with a retractable power cord. The front top and bottom of the desk have curved edges for comfort and to prevent forearm marks. Drawers with inverted handles give her a place to store small, loose items such as stationery or peripherals. An enclosed shelf at the center provides safekeeping of her laptop or books. The desk surface is smooth with the tiniest bit of texture for some gliding, as I have seen her slide things out of the way when using the dining table.

Lastly, hinges enable the desk to fold flat, making it easy to store if she wants the table out of the way.

I believe my bed-desk-on-a-track design thoughtfully and practically addresses A’s problem of not having a comfortable enough space to work and relax in. The highly personalized features were also designed with her needs in mind, maximizing her ease with accomplishing her various work-eat-relax activities. No longer will she have to settle for wrestling with her laptop and a bowl of cereal on her bed and, hopefully, this will also significantly reduce her need to constantly move her belongings from the dining table to the couch to her bed. She can finally enjoy her favorite space in comfortable peace!

—Random: I created bed slats underneath the mattress for funsies:

Tamagotchi toy. Egg-shaped (sort of) with some details.

Tamagotchi is a simple, egg-shaped keychain toy with the goal of keeping a virtual pet alive for a life cycle through feedings, cleanings, and training. I was twelve and in sixth grade when I got one, after many weeks of pleading and negotiating. Despite my confidence in my ability to be a caring older sister to my numerous younger siblings, none of my virtual pets made it to adulthood.

My poster is a capture of beach volleyball in action. I gathered inspiration for ambiguity from the guest speaker (Karin) and the gameplay and audience from two classmates (one who also chose volleyball and another who chose soccer).