Learn Kodu

Learn Kodu Game Lab

Kodu Guide

New World

When you first open a new world you will start with a square piece of land that you can add on to.

Toolbar

On the bottom of the screen is the toolbar which contains all the different ways to add to and modify your world.

Camera View

The mouse can be use to change the camera view. Make sure the hand from the toolbar is selected before trying to change camera view.

Object Tool

The object tool is used to add characters, decorations, and other objects into the game. To add an object start by selecting the robot (Kodu) from the toolbar and then click on your world where you want to add the object

Object Menu

Once you click on the place you want the object to go, the object menu will pop up. Some selection on this menu are single objects like Kodu or Rover. Others are collections of objects that will open a new menu containing multiple objects. For example, the selection directly below the apple is a collection of robot characters. To navigate to the previous menu press the 'esc' key on the keyboard

Programming Characters

To program a character to move and interact with its environment start by selecting the object tool from the toolbar. Then right click on the object you want to program. Once you do that, a menu will pop up and you can click on program.

Programming Menu

The programming menu is divided up into two sections, the 'WHEN' section and the 'DO' section

WHEN Section:

  • Are events that will be used to trigger the 'DO' section
  • Can be inputs from the computer such as key presses
  • Can be interactions from the environment such as collisions with other objects

DO Section:

  • Are actions that happen after the statements in the WHEN section become true
  • Can cause changes in the environment such as eating objects
  • Can cause changes in the character such as movement

Other Actions

Not all available coding options are displayed on the first menu. Some actions are collected in sub-menus inside other categories. If you don't find what you are looking for, explore these others sections. To navigate to a previous menu press the 'esc' key on the keyboard.

Ground Brush

The ground brush is used to add or delete land in your world. Once selected, a purple region will appear that will move around the screen with your mouse. If you want to add land simply move the purple region to the desired location and then left click the mouse. You can change the size of this region by using the left and right arrow keys on they keyboard. To delete land use the same process but instead of left clicking, right click on the area you want to remove. Different types of land can be selected by clicking the the colored cubes above the ground brush and using the arrow keys to navigate the choices.

Example of world map

The ground brush can be use to create the desired layout for your world where the characters and objects can move around.

Options for ground

Different textures for the land can be used by first clicking on the ground brush, then the colored cubes near the brush. To navigate to the different blocks use the left and right arrow keys

Hills and Valleys

The hills and valleys tool can be used to elevate land to make mountainous areas. Left clicking raises land and right clicking lowers land.

Examples of different hills


Water

Water can be added into the world by selecting the water tool from the toolbar

Path Tool

Delete Tool