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Geometry Dash levels not showing up - spike costume follows player and other levels disappear

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GG

GeometryGameDev_Pro

Posted on July 23, 2025 • Advanced

🎮 Geometry Dash levels not displaying properly

Hey everyone! I’m building a Geometry Dash-style game following Griffpatch’s tutorials, but I’m running into some really frustrating issues:

  • 🔺 Costume 2 has a spike that follows the player everywhere
  • 👻 Costumes 3, 4, 5… don’t show up at all
  • 🎭 Only 1-2 costumes display, then nothing else appears
  • 🔄 Manual costume switching doesn’t work
  • 🚩 Even “when green flag clicked → set costume to level” fails

I manually created each level as a costume (level1, level2, level3…) in one sprite. I’ve tried:

  • ✅ Switch costume to (level)
  • ✅ Next costume blocks
  • ✅ Manual costume switching
  • ✅ Setting costume on green flag

I’ve spent days on this and really don’t want to start from scratch! Has anyone experienced this before? 😰

SF

ScratchFencing_Expert

Replied 2 days later • ⭐ Best Answer

Excellent question @GeometryGameDev_Pro! You’ve encountered the classic “fencing” problem in Scratch. This is a well-known limitation that affects many platformer games. Let me explain what’s happening and how to fix it:

🔍 Understanding the Fencing Problem

Here’s what’s causing your issues:

flowchart TD A[🎮 Game Starts] --> B[Level Sprite Moves] B --> C{Sprite Reaches Stage Edge?} C -->|No| D[✅ Normal Movement] C -->|Yes| E[🚧 Fencing Activated] E --> F[❌ Sprite Stuck at Edge] F --> G[🔄 Repeat Loop Continues] G --> H[⚠️ Infinite Loop] H --> I[🔺 Spikes Follow Player] H --> J[👻 Costumes Don't Switch] H --> K[🎭 Levels Disappear] D --> L[✅ Game Works Normally] style A fill:#e1f5fe style D fill:#e8f5e8 style L fill:#c8e6c9 style E fill:#fff3e0 style F fill:#ffebee style G fill:#ffebee style H fill:#ffcdd2 style I fill:#ffcdd2 style J fill:#ffcdd2 style K fill:#ffcdd2

🔧 Solution 1: Anti-Fencing Technique

Here’s the classic anti-fencing method that works in regular Scratch:

    // Anti-fencing setup
when flag clicked
forever
// Step 1: Switch to blank costume
switch costume to [blank v]  // Create a completely transparent costume

// Step 2: Set size to infinity
set size to ((1) / (0)) %  // This creates infinite size

// Step 3: Switch to filled costume
switch costume to [solid v]  // Create a completely filled costume

// Step 4: Do your movement (sprite can now go anywhere)
change x by [-5]  // Your level scrolling movement

// Step 5: Switch back to normal costume and size
switch costume to (join [level] (current level))
set size to [100] %

wait [0.016] seconds  // ~60 FPS
end

🚀 Solution 2: Modern Approach with TurboWarp

If you can use TurboWarp, enable the “Remove Sprite Fencing” option:

    // In TurboWarp with fencing disabled
when flag clicked
forever
// Your original code works perfectly!
repeat until <(x position) < [-480]>
change x by [-5]
// Level scrolling logic
end

// Switch to next level
change [current level v] by [1]
switch costume to (join [level] (current level))
go to x: [480] y: [0]
end

🎯 Solution 3: Redesigned Level System

For the most reliable solution, redesign your level system:

    // Level Manager Sprite
when flag clicked
set [Level X v] to [0]
set [Current Level v] to [1]
forever
// Move level position instead of sprite
change [Level X v] by [-5]

// Check if level is complete
if <(Level X v) < [-480]> then
set [Level X v] to [0]
change [Current Level v] by [1]
broadcast [next level v]
end
end

// In Level Sprite
when I receive [next level v]
switch costume to (join [level] (Current Level))

when flag clicked
forever
go to x: (Level X) y: [0]
end

🔧 Solution 4: Clone-Based Levels

Use clones for each level section to avoid fencing entirely:

    // Level Generator Sprite
when flag clicked
set [Section Count v] to [0]
repeat [10]  // Create 10 level sections
create clone of [Level Section v]
change [Section Count v] by [1]
end

// In Level Section Clone
when I start as a clone
switch costume to (join [section] (Section Count))
go to x: ((Section Count) * (480)) y: [0]
forever
change x by [-5]  // Scroll left
if <(x position) < [-600]> then
delete this clone
end
end

🐛 Debugging Your Current Project

To fix your existing project immediately:

    // Quick fix for your current code
when flag clicked
set [Level v] to [1]
forever
// Anti-fencing before movement
switch costume to [blank v]
set size to ((1) / (0)) %
switch costume to [solid v]

// Your movement code
if <(x position) > [-480]> then
change x by [-5]
else
// Reset for next level
set [Level v] to ((Level) + (1))
go to x: [480] y: [0]
end

// Restore normal appearance
switch costume to (join [level] (Level))
set size to [100] %
end

The key insight is that Scratch prevents sprites from moving outside the visible stage area (“fencing”), which breaks infinite scrolling games. The anti-fencing technique temporarily makes the sprite infinitely large so it can move anywhere!

GG

GeometryGameDev_Pro

Replied 1 hour later

@ScratchFencing_Expert This is absolutely amazing! Thank you so much! 🎉

I implemented the anti-fencing technique and it works perfectly! The spike no longer follows my player and all my levels show up correctly now.

I had no idea about the fencing limitation in Scratch. This explanation makes so much sense - my repeat loop was getting stuck because the sprite couldn’t move past the stage edge!

You’ve saved me from starting over. My Geometry Dash game is finally working! 🚀

TW

TurboWarp_Helper

Replied 2 hours later

Great solution! Just wanted to add that if you’re using TurboWarp, you can also enable these helpful options:

  • 🚫 “Remove Sprite Fencing” - Fixes your exact problem
  • ⚡ “60 FPS” - Makes games smoother
  • 🖥️ “High Quality Pen” - Better graphics
  • 🔧 “Disable Limits” - Removes various Scratch restrictions

TurboWarp is perfect for advanced games like Geometry Dash clones! 🎮

PG

PlatformerGuru_Mike

Replied 1 day later

Fantastic explanation! For anyone building platformers, here’s a pro tip:

    // Create these costumes for anti-fencing:
// 1. 'blank' - completely transparent 1x1 pixel
// 2. 'solid' - completely filled rectangle
// 3. Your normal level costumes

// This makes the anti-fencing technique work reliably!

Also, consider using separate sprites for different game elements (player, obstacles, background) rather than putting everything in one sprite. It makes debugging much easier! 🎯

VB

Vibelf_Community

Pinned Message • Moderator

🎮 Master Advanced Game Development!

Excellent problem-solving everyone! Fencing is one of the most challenging aspects of Scratch game development. For those ready to create professional-quality games, our community can help you master:

  • 🚀 Advanced platformer mechanics
  • 🎯 Professional game architecture
  • ⚡ Performance optimization techniques
  • 🎨 Advanced visual effects and animations

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