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How to Position Sprites in the Center of the Screen

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PD

PositionPro_Dana

Posted on July 23, 2025 • Beginner

📍 Need help positioning my sprite in the center of the screen

Hey everyone! I’m working on a drawing project and I want my sprite to draw shapes in the center of the screen, but I can’t figure out the right coordinates. Right now my drawings appear off to one side. I need help with:

  • Understanding how Scratch coordinates work
  • Centering sprites and drawings on the stage
  • Making sure graphics appear in the right place
  • Calculating offsets for complex shapes

I’ve tried different x and y values but nothing seems to work properly. Any help would be great! 🎯

CS

CoordinateSpecialist_Max

Replied 45 minutes later • ⭐ Best Answer

Great question @PositionPro_Dana! Understanding Scratch coordinates is super important for positioning. Let me break down everything you need to know:

🗺️ Scratch Coordinate System

Here’s how Scratch coordinates work:

flowchart TD A[📐 Scratch Stage: 480×360 pixels] --> B[Center Point: 0, 0] B --> C[Left Edge: X = -240] B --> D[Right Edge: X = +240] B --> E[Top Edge: Y = +180] B --> F[Bottom Edge: Y = -180] G[🎯 Positioning Methods] --> H[Absolute Positioning] G --> I[Relative Positioning] G --> J[Dynamic Centering] H --> K[go to x: 0 y: 0] I --> L[change x by 10] J --> M[Calculate Center Offset] style A fill:#e1f5fe style B fill:#f3e5f5 style G fill:#fff3e0 style M fill:#e8f5e8

🎯 Step 1: Basic Centering

The simplest way to center a sprite:

    when flag clicked
go to x: [0] y: [0]
show

📏 Step 2: Understanding Stage Boundaries

Know your stage limits for better positioning:

    // Stage boundaries
set [stage width v] to [480]
set [stage height v] to [360]
set [center x v] to [0]
set [center y v] to [0]
set [left edge v] to [-240]
set [right edge v] to [240]
set [top edge v] to [180]
set [bottom edge v] to [-180]

🖼️ Step 3: Centering Complex Drawings

For drawings and shapes, calculate the center offset:

    // Center a square drawing
define draw centered square (size)
set [half size v] to ((size) / [2])
go to x: (0 - (half size)) y: (half size)
pen down
repeat [4]
move (size) steps
turn right [90] degrees
end
pen up

🎨 Step 4: Dynamic Positioning System

Create a flexible positioning system:

    // Custom positioning block
define position sprite at (x percent) (y percent)
set [target x v] to (((x percent) - [50]) * [4.8])
set [target y v] to (((y percent) - [50]) * [3.6])
go to x: (target x) y: (target y)

// Usage examples:
position sprite at [50] [50]  // Center (0, 0)
position sprite at [25] [75]  // Top-left quadrant
position sprite at [75] [25]  // Bottom-right quadrant

📐 Step 5: Offset Calculations for Complex Shapes

When drawing complex shapes, calculate proper offsets:

    // Center any shape by calculating its bounds
define center shape with (width) (height)
set [x offset v] to ((width) / [-2])
set [y offset v] to ((height) / [2])
go to x: (x offset) y: (y offset)

// For your texture drawing:
define draw centered texture (texture size)
set [half texture v] to ((texture size) / [2])
set [start x v] to (0 - (half texture))
set [start y v] to (half texture)
go to x: (start x) y: (start y)
// Continue with your drawing code...

🎯 Step 6: Advanced Positioning Techniques

Some pro tips for better positioning:

Smooth Movement to Center:

    // Smooth glide to center
define glide to center in (seconds)
glide (seconds) secs to x: [0] y: [0]

Relative Centering:

    // Center relative to current position
define center from current position
set [current x v] to (x position)
set [current y v] to (y position)
set [offset x v] to (0 - (current x))
set [offset y v] to (0 - (current y))
change x by (offset x)
change y by (offset y)

Grid-Based Positioning:

    // Position on a grid centered on stage
define position on grid (grid x) (grid y) (cell size)
set [pos x v] to ((grid x) * (cell size))
set [pos y v] to ((grid y) * (cell size))
go to x: (pos x) y: (pos y)

The key is understanding that (0,0) is always the center of the stage, and calculating offsets based on your shape’s dimensions! 🎯✨

PD

PositionPro_Dana

Replied 1 hour later

@CoordinateSpecialist_Max This is exactly what I needed! 🎉

The offset calculation worked perfectly and now my texture drawing appears right in the center. One more question - how can I make my sprite follow the mouse but stay within the stage boundaries?

MT

MouseTracker_Sam

Replied 30 minutes later

@PositionPro_Dana Great follow-up question! Here’s how to constrain mouse following:

    // Mouse following with boundary constraints
when flag clicked
forever
set [target x v] to (mouse x)
set [target y v] to (mouse y)

// Constrain to stage boundaries
if <(target x) > [240]> then
set [target x v] to [240]
end
if <(target x) < [-240]> then
set [target x v] to [-240]
end
if <(target y) > [180]> then
set [target y v] to [180]
end
if <(target y) < [-180]> then
set [target y v] to [-180]
end

go to x: (target x) y: (target y)
end

This keeps your sprite following the mouse but prevents it from going off-stage! 🖱️

VB

Vibelf_Community

Pinned Message • Moderator

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  • 📐 Advanced coordinate transformations
  • 🎨 Complex drawing and animation systems
  • 🎮 Camera systems and viewport management
  • 📱 Responsive positioning for different screen sizes

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