Cheats for Lightbot
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Lighting up a Square
This a really important action to learn, since having your robot light up boxes is pretty much the whole point of the game! The action block for this looks like a lightbulb. You only want to use this action once your robot is already standing on the square that needs to be lit up. If you put this action in your program when the robot is not on a blue square, it just creates a ineffective step in your program. Later, when you’re on higher levels, having an extra step might be the reason you run out of room in your program before you actually accomplish the challenge.
Taking a Step
This action block looks like an arrow. It’s important to remember with this action that each block is only 1 step. So if your robot needs to take 3 steps, you’ll need 3 of these action blocks in your program. Another aspect of this block that is important to keep in mind, is that your robot will only step in the direction he is facing. Be sure he is facing the correct way! As with all of the action blocks, using an uneeded stepping block, only adds to your program and in higher levels could prevent you from finishing the level.
Turning
There are two versions of this action block. They both look lik rounded arrows. One points to the left, and the other block’s arrow points to the right. Use these blocks to make sure your robot is facing the correct way before you have him take a step. One of these blocks turns you robot a 1/4 turn in the direction of the arrow (in some levels, you may have to use more than one block to get him to turn the correct way). The left arrow makes your robot turn counterclockwise, or to the left of whatever direction the robot is facing (which could be different than where you are facing- that gets tricky sometiems!) The right arrow turns your robot clockwise, or to the right of whatever direction he is facing.
Jumping
This action block looks like a little spring. You use this block in your program if your robot needs to jump up to a higher box, as well as to jump down to a lower block. This block only has your robot jump up or down one block. If your robot needs to jump up/down several times in a row, you don’t need to add any step blocks, just the jumping block as many times as he needs to jump.
Procedures
This block comes in handy when you will need to repeat the same steps more than one time, or if your main program has a limit on how many blocks you can put in. The Procedure blocks have a “P1” or a “P2” on them. When you program in the P1/P2 section, you put the blocks in that section. Then, when you put the P1/P2 block in your Main program section, with just that one block, your robot will do everything that is listed in the P1/P2 program. So you can have multiple steps in just one block in your main program! When you get to the higher levels, you will need to set up your P1 block to be part of your P2 program, meaning that they’ll be even more steps contained in just one of your procedure blocks!
Running Your Program
Run
In order to see what you have programmed your robot to do, you press the “run” button. This is the green button with a white arrow. You can press this button as often as you’d like, at any point. Sometimes I’ll press this when I’ve done a few blocks, just to be sure I’ve programmed my robot just the way I want.
Stop
The stop button is red with a white square in the middle. You can press this if you start running your program and want it to stop. If you press this button, your robot will go back to the beginning and that button will turn into the green Run button again.
Restart
The restart button is orange with two white arrows pointing to left. You use this button once your robot has run through your program (or what you have so far) to get your robot back to the beginning.
Helpful Hints
Don’t get discouraged if your program doesn’t work at first!
Look at what you have in your program and see if there are any mistakes, or places where you may have put in a wrong block (having him turn the wrong way, an extra step, etc.). Sometimes I have to run my program several times in order to find the mistake(s). Once you figure your problem out, you can use that knowledge for the next level.
Remember the direction of turns is important!
This one happens a lot! Make sure the direction arrows you choose are correct for the directiont he ROBOT is facing, not the way you are facing.
There can be multiple correct solutions for each level.
Your program doesn’t have to look like someone else’s to work!
Procedures can be difficult to learn, but they are necessary for the higher levels.
Keep working with them until you really understand how they work. Remember, P1 is an extension of the Main program, and you can use P2 as another extension that includes the program for P1 in it.
Patience is key!
In order to get through all the levels of Lightbot, you will need patience. Even when it seems like you are blowing through the levels, at some point you’ll get stuck. When this happens, be patient, don’t give up! Slow down your thinking, look at things from a new angle, and keep trying. You’ll figure it out!
Conclusion
We love Lightbot! We think it’s a great way to introduce logic and sequential thinking to kids (and grown ups). Plus, it’s FUN! We hope our Cheats for Lightbot have been helpful!
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