Ping Pong Style Game

This is a simple two-player Ping Pong style game developed using Python's Tkinter library. The game is designed and tested for macOS. It allows two players to control paddles and hit a ball back and forth on a virtual ping pong table.

Prerequisites

Before running the game, ensure you have the following:

• Python 3.x installed on your system.
• Tkinter library (typically included with Python installations).

Getting Started

1. Download the Script

2. Run the Game

1. Open a terminal window.

2. Navigate to the directory where your script is saved.

3. Run the game by typing the following command:

   python3 ping_pong_game.py

4. The game window should open, displaying the welcome screen.

3. Start Playing

1. Click the "Start Game" button to begin the game.
2. Player 1 (Left) controls their paddle using the 'W' (up) and 'S' (down) keys.
3. Player 2 (Right) controls their paddle using the '↑' (up) and '↓' (down) arrow keys.
4. The goal is to prevent the ball from passing your paddle.

Explanation of the Code

• Outer and Inner Loops:

  • outerloop() initializes the game and displays the welcome screen.
  • innerloop() starts the game by setting up the game window and elements.

• Game Elements:

  • Canvas: A Canvas widget is used to draw the game elements, including the paddles and the ball.
  • Paddles (Buttons 1 and 2): These are controlled by the players using specific keyboard keys.
  • Ball: The ball moves across the screen, and bounces off the paddles and screen edges.

• Collision Detection:

  • The game includes logic to detect collisions between the ball and paddles, which causes the ball to bounce back.

• Score Tracking:

  • Scores for both players are tracked and displayed on the screen.

• Exit Button:

  • An "Exit Game" button allows players to quit the game and return to the welcome screen.

Notes

• Platform: The game should work on other platforms that support Python and Tkinter, but some adjustments may be needed.
• Game Speed: The game speed is controlled using time.sleep(0.005) in the run_game() loop. Adjust this value if the game runs too fast or too slow on your system.

Troubleshooting

• Game Not Starting:

  • Ensure that Python 3.x is installed and that you are running the script using python3.
  • Verify that Tkinter is installed on your system.

• Paddles Not Moving:

  • Make sure the game window is active and selected while pressing the control keys.

References

• Python Tkinter Documentation