Project Summary

I used Scratch to create a storytelling project which explains the details of how compiler works. While it is well-known that computers run on code, how the code itself is understood by the computer isn't. 

I researched the various types of compilers, how each type works, and applied them the popular programming language, C. Along with a friend, we planned out a script for the project in Google Docs before transferring them to Scratch.

Reflection

• The most challenging part of this project was having to optimize the duration/speed of the speeches. When we simply copied the entire transcript into the project, everything was untimed and out-of-sync, and the majority of the time spent on the project was perfecting this. Additionally, it was also challenging to create the smooth speech effect which slowly reveals the speech as the characters in the story talk.

• I approached this project by first creating a transcript of the entire story with a classmate. We developed a script that involved a multitude of scenes, but we limited it to just three due to the limited time we had for the assignment. In Scratch, I created a function (custom block) that would automatically render and dispatch the speech and talking commands. This made it much easier to transfer all of the dialogue to Scratch. 

• I understood how to efficiently deal with the limitations of Scratch, for example using broadcasts to dispatch actions and events throughout multiple sprites. If I were to redo this project, I would create a much shorter dialogue sequence that is optimized for this project.

• I am particularly proud of including graphics in the project, which went beyond the assignment rubric. I also am proud of the content being taught, as I found it a great way of reinforcing my knowledge on compilers and how they work.