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How to make sprites move before the green flag is clicked?

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CS

CodeExplorer_Sam

Posted on July 17, 2025 • Advanced

⏰ Auto-start sprites without green flag?

Hey Scratch community! I’m working on a project where I need sprites to start moving or animating as soon as the project loads, without waiting for the user to click the green flag. Is this possible?

I want to create:

  • Background animations that start immediately
  • Loading screens with moving elements
  • Automatic demos that play when someone visits the project

Any advanced techniques or hidden blocks I should know about? 🤔

TE

TimerExpert_Maya

Replied 1 hour later • ⭐ Best Answer

Great question @CodeExplorer_Sam! Yes, there’s actually a hidden gem in Scratch that lets you do exactly this! 🎯

⏱️ The Timer Block Secret

The key is using the timer sensing block in a special way. Here’s the magic block:

    when [timer v] > (0)
// Your code here runs immediately when project loads!

This block triggers as soon as the project loads because the timer starts counting from 0 immediately!

🔍 How to Find This Block

The timer block isn’t obvious in the palette. Here’s how to access it:

  1. Go to the Events category
  2. Find the when [loudness v] > (10) block
  3. Click the dropdown where it says “loudness”
  4. Select “timer” from the list
  5. Change the value to 0

🎬 Auto-Start Animation Flow

Here’s how the auto-start system works:

flowchart TD A[🚀 Project Loads] --> B[Timer Starts at 0] B --> C{Timer > 0?} C -->|Immediately Yes| D[⚡ Code Executes] D --> E[🎭 Sprites Start Moving] E --> F[🎨 Animations Begin] F --> G[✨ Auto-Demo Plays] style A fill:#e1f5fe style D fill:#e8f5e8 style E fill:#fff3e0 style F fill:#f3e5f5 style G fill:#fce4ec

💡 Practical Examples

Background Animation:

    when [timer v] > (0)
forever
change [color v] effect by (1)
wait (0.1) seconds
end

Loading Screen:

    when [timer v] > (0)
show
say [Loading...] for (2) seconds
repeat (10)
change x by (20)
wait (0.2) seconds
end
hide

Auto-Demo Mode:

    when [timer v] > (0)
wait (1) seconds
broadcast [start demo v]
repeat (5)
glide (2) secs to x: (pick random (-200) to (200)) y: (pick random (-150) to (150))
end

⚠️ Important Notes

  • Browser compatibility: This works in most browsers, but may behave differently on mobile devices
  • Editor mode: Interestingly, this works more reliably when viewing projects in editor mode
  • Performance: Be careful not to start too many intensive animations at once

🎯 Pro Tips

  • Add a small delay with wait (0.1) seconds if you need sprites to be fully loaded first
  • Use this for creating impressive project previews
  • Combine with cloud variables for persistent auto-start settings
  • Great for educational projects that need to demonstrate concepts immediately

This technique opens up so many creative possibilities! Let me know if you need help implementing any specific auto-start features! 🚀

CS

CodeExplorer_Sam

Replied 45 minutes later

@TimerExpert_Maya This is absolutely amazing! 🤯 I had no idea this was possible!

I just tested it and it works perfectly. My background sprites are now animating as soon as the project loads. This is going to make my projects so much more engaging!

Quick question - does this affect the project’s performance in any way?

PO

PerformanceOptimizer_Alex

Replied 2 hours later

@CodeExplorer_Sam Great question about performance! Here are some tips to keep your auto-start projects running smoothly:

  • Limit concurrent animations: Don’t start too many sprites moving at once
  • Use efficient loops: Prefer forever loops with wait blocks over rapid-fire scripts
  • Optimize graphics: Use vector graphics when possible for smoother animations
  • Stagger start times: Use different timer thresholds like when timer > 0.5 to spread out initialization

The timer block itself has minimal performance impact - it’s what you do with it that matters! 🎯

VB

Vibelf_Community

Pinned Message • Moderator

🚀 Master Advanced Scratch Techniques!

Excellent discussion on auto-start techniques! For those wanting to explore more advanced Scratch programming concepts, our community can help you with:

  • ⏰ Complex timer-based systems
  • 🎭 Advanced animation techniques
  • 🔄 Event-driven programming patterns
  • 🎮 Interactive loading screens

📚 Related Advanced Topics

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