Many games have enemy-to-enemy collisions and other similar things, and they are extremely hard to recreate in Scratch because it doesn't have a few cloning features. This suggestion is for a clone index and counter, and a few more clone-related blocks, to make it easier to make such projects.

1. Built-In Clone Index and Counter
   
   A clone index would be a variable local to each clone of a sprite. The actual sprite would have a clone index of 0, and all the clones would have a clone index increasing by 1 depending on the order of creation, i.e. the original sprite would have a clone index of 0, the first clone created would have a clone index of 1, the second a clone index of 2, and so on. It would be in the “Sensing” category, and it would look like this:
   

   clone index :: control reporter

   
   A clone counter would report the number of clones created by a particular sprite, so if Sprite A had cloned 8 times, its clone counter variable would report 8, and if Sprite B had cloned twice, its clone counter would report 2. It would look like this:
   

   clone count :: control reporter

   
   
2. Modify ([…] of [sprite]) block for clones
   This would look like this:
   

   [... v] of clone index (0) of [sprite v] :: sensing reporter

   This would work as the currently existing block, but it would also include sensing for clones. You can use a clone index of 0 to get information about the original sprite.
   
   
3. Modify the <touching > block for clones
   This would look like this:
   

   touching clone index (0) of [sprite v] ? :: sensing boolean

   This would function the same as before and would include sensing for clones. As in suggested block #2, using a clone index of 0 would check for the original sprite.
   
   
4. Modify the (distance to [sprite]) block
   This would look like this:
   

   distance to clone index (0) of [sprite v] :: sensing reporter

   It would function the same , and the modifications work the same way as in block #2 and #3.
   
   
5. Modify these three motion blocks
   Pretty self-explanatory by now.
   

   point towards clone index (0) of [sprite v] :: motion
   
   go to clone index (0) of [sprite v] :: motion
   
   glide (1) secs to clone index (0) of [sprite v] :: motion

If this would be too complicated for New Scratchers, it should probably be an extension, as suggested by @Yellowsheep43.

Please reply with your ideas and suggestions.

I think clone indexes should be added as an extension, since I'm not sure if new scratchers would understand them

Support! This is needed by lots of people!

Yellowsheep43 wrote:

I think clone indexes should be added as an extension, since I'm not sure if new scratchers would understand them

Alternatively, it could be changed to “clone number”

These can all be worked around with variables.

Clone index and counter:

when green flag clicked
set [clone id v] to [0]
repeat (5)
create clone of [myself v]
change [clone id v] by [1]
end
when I start as a clone
forever
if <(clone id) = [1]> then
...
end
...
end

Why would you want to change the clone ID?

I can't think of a simple workaround for the rest of the blocks, I think they should be added. But I mean there wouldn't be a use for them really

I think clone indexes should be an extension of the sprite naming system used in blocks:

// each clone has a unique id associated with it, like Sprite1#1, Sprite1#2, etc...
// Sprite1#0 refers specifically to the original sprite in things like touching blocks,
// unlike Sprite1 which would refer to both Sprite1 and its clones
// the editor would probably block names that end with #[number], like
// it already does with _mouse_, _stage_, _myself_ and _random_

// blocks added:
(clone (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: control) // returns Sprite1#[id of nth clone created that currently exists]
([first v] clone of [Sprite1 v] :: control) // returns Sprite1#[id of first clone created that exists]. options: first, last, random
(number of clones of [Sprite1 v] :: control)

// if the sprite has no clones, the above 2 blocks would return empty strings


// a sprite name with its clone id can be substituted for a sprite name in blocks:

go to (clone (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: control)

create clone of (clone (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: control) // creates a clone with that clone's sprite, position and properties
([x position v] of (clone (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: control))
<touching  (clone (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: control)?>

iBump

I think it's kinda a duplicate…

Here's a question though:
Given this code on sprite Sprite1:

when green flag clicked
repeat (3)
create clone of [myself v]
end
wait (2) secs
say (join <touching clone index (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: sensing> <touching clone index (3) of [Sprite1 v] :: sensing>)

when I start as a clone
wait (clone index :: sensing reporter) secs
delete this clone

What would the sprite say?

TheSecondGilbert wrote:

Here's a question though:
Given this code on sprite Sprite1:

when green flag clicked
repeat (3)
create clone of [myself v]
end
wait (2) secs
say (join <touching clone index (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: sensing> <touching clone index (3) of [Sprite1 v] :: sensing>)

when I start as a clone
wait (clone index :: sensing reporter) secs
delete this clone

What would the sprite say?

It would say “falsetrue”.

-Valtren- wrote:

dupe?

Euglena73 wrote:

I think it's kinda a duplicate…

No, the blocks I suggested are different from the blocks suggested in the linked topic.

CT-7569 wrote:

TheSecondGilbert wrote:

Here's a question though:
Given this code on sprite Sprite1:

when green flag clicked
repeat (3)
create clone of [myself v]
end
wait (2) secs
say (join <touching clone index (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: sensing> <touching clone index (3) of [Sprite1 v] :: sensing>)

when I start as a clone
wait (clone index :: sensing reporter) secs
delete this clone

What would the sprite say?

It would say “falsetrue”.

Do new-created clones use vacant clone slots? For example, when clone #1 is deleted while there's still clone #2 as the most recent clone, if I create a new clone here, will it become the 1st clone or the 3rd clone?

CST1229 wrote:

I think clone indexes should be an extension of the sprite naming system used in blocks:

// each clone has a unique id associated with it, like Sprite1#1, Sprite1#2, etc...
// Sprite1#0 refers specifically to the original sprite in things like touching blocks,
// unlike Sprite1 which would refer to both Sprite1 and its clones
// the editor would probably block names that end with #[number], like
// it already does with _mouse_, _stage_, _myself_ and _random_

// blocks added:
(clone (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: control) // returns Sprite1#[id of nth clone created that currently exists]
([first v] clone of [Sprite1 v] :: control) // returns Sprite1#[id of first clone created that exists]. options: first, last, random
(number of clones of [Sprite1 v] :: control)

// if the sprite has no clones, the above 2 blocks would return empty strings


// a sprite name with its clone id can be substituted for a sprite name in blocks:

go to (clone (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: control)

create clone of (clone (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: control) // creates a clone with that clone's sprite, position and properties
([x position v] of (clone (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: control))
<touching  (clone (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: control)?>

The second block has a workaround using the first block

-ErrorPurpl_157 wrote:

The second block has a workaround using the first block

I was thinking there would be a random and last option too, which specifically choose from existing clones (as opposed to all clone IDs, which might choose a clone ID that no longer exists).

TheSecondGilbert wrote:

CT-7569 wrote:

TheSecondGilbert wrote:

Here's a question though:
Given this code on sprite Sprite1:

when green flag clicked
repeat (3)
create clone of [myself v]
end
wait (2) secs
say (join <touching clone index (1) of [Sprite1 v] :: sensing> <touching clone index (3) of [Sprite1 v] :: sensing>)

when I start as a clone
wait (clone index :: sensing reporter) secs
delete this clone

What would the sprite say?

It would say “falsetrue”.

Do new-created clones use vacant clone slots? For example, when clone #1 is deleted while there's still clone #2 as the most recent clone, if I create a new clone here, will it become the 1st clone or the 3rd clone?

It would be the 3rd clone.

support.

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