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How to detect shift key in Scratch games

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CE

CodeExplorer88

Posted on May 1, 2022 • Intermediate

⌨️ Need help with shift key detection

Hey fellow Scratchers! I’m working on a platformer game and I want to add a sprint feature that activates when the player holds the shift key. I remember seeing some games that had working shift key detection, but I’m not sure how to implement it.

Is there a way to detect the shift key in Scratch? Any workarounds or techniques would be greatly appreciated! 🙏

KM

KeyboardMaster_Pro

Replied 45 minutes later • ⭐ Best Answer

Great question @CodeExplorer88! Shift key detection in Scratch has some limitations, but there are several workarounds you can use. Let me break down the different approaches:

🚫 The Official Scratch Limitation

Unfortunately, the official version of Scratch 3.0 doesn’t allow direct detection of modifier keys like Shift, Ctrl, or Alt by themselves. This is a security feature to prevent potential issues.

💡 Workaround Methods

Method 1: Detect Shift-Modified Characters

You can detect characters that require the shift key to be pressed:

    when flag clicked
forever
if <key [!] pressed?> then
say [Shift + 1 detected!] for (1) seconds
end
if <key [@] pressed?> then
say [Shift + 2 detected!] for (1) seconds
end
if <key [#] pressed?> then
say [Shift + 3 detected!] for (1) seconds
end
end

You can also use variables for cleaner code:

    set [shift char v] to [!]
if <key (shift char) pressed?> then
// Shift key is being held with 1
end
Method 2: Create a Virtual Shift Key

Design a visual shift key that players can click:

    // On the shift key sprite
when this sprite clicked
set [shift active v] to [true]
change [transparency v] effect by [-30]

when flag clicked
forever
if <not <mouse down?>> then
set [shift active v] to [false]
set [transparency v] effect to [0]
end
end
Method 3: Alternative Key Mapping

Use a different key as your “shift” key:

    // Use spacebar or another key as sprint
when flag clicked
forever
if <key [space v] pressed?> then
set [sprint mode v] to [true]
change [speed v] by [3]
else
set [sprint mode v] to [false]
set [speed v] to [5]
end
end

🔧 Advanced Solution: State Management

For more complex games, create a comprehensive input system:

flowchart TD A[🎮 Input Check] --> B{Key Pressed?} B -->|Special Char| C[Detect Shift State] B -->|Regular Key| D[Normal Input] B -->|No Key| E[Reset States] C --> F[Set Sprint Mode] F --> G[Increase Speed] G --> H[Play Sprint Effect] D --> I[Regular Movement] E --> J[Default Speed] H --> K[🔄 Continue Loop] I --> K J --> K K --> A style A fill:#e1f5fe style C fill:#fff3e0 style F fill:#e8f5e8 style H fill:#fce4ec 
    // Main input handler
define handle input
set [shift detected v] to [false]

// Check for shift-modified characters
if <<key [!] pressed?> or <key [@] pressed?>> then
set [shift detected v] to [true]
end

// Apply sprint if shift detected
if <(shift detected) = [true]> then
set [player speed v] to [8]
set [sprint particles v] to [true]
else
set [player speed v] to [5]
set [sprint particles v] to [false]
end

🎯 Pro Tips for Better Implementation

  • User Instructions: Clearly tell players which keys to use for special actions
  • Visual Feedback: Show when sprint/special mode is active
  • Alternative Controls: Provide multiple ways to activate features
  • Testing: Test on different devices and browsers

🚀 TurboWarp Alternative

If you’re using TurboWarp (a Scratch mod), you can directly detect the shift key:

    // Only works in TurboWarp
if <key [shift v] pressed?> then
// Direct shift detection
end

Note: Projects using TurboWarp-specific features won’t work in official Scratch.

Hope this helps with your platformer! Let me know if you need clarification on any of these methods! 🎮

CE

CodeExplorer88

Replied 1 hour later

@KeyboardMaster_Pro This is incredibly helpful! Thank you so much! 🎉

I implemented the special character detection method and it works perfectly for my sprint feature. The visual feedback tip was especially useful - I added a speed trail effect when sprinting is active.

One question: Is there a way to make the detection more responsive? Sometimes there’s a slight delay.

PO

PerformanceOptimizer

Replied 30 minutes later

@CodeExplorer88 For better responsiveness, try these optimizations:

    // Use turbo mode and optimize your forever loop
when flag clicked
set [turbo mode v] to [true]
forever
handle input :: custom
update player :: custom
wait (0.016) seconds // ~60 FPS
end

Also, avoid using “wait” blocks in your input detection - they can cause delays! 🚀

VB

Vibelf_Community

Pinned Message • Moderator

⌨️ Master Advanced Input Systems!

Excellent discussion on input handling! For those wanting to create even more sophisticated control systems, our community can help you implement:

  • 🎮 Multi-key combinations
  • ⚡ Custom input managers
  • 🔄 Input buffering systems
  • 🎯 Context-sensitive controls

📚 Related Topics

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