Python for Kids: Coding a Fruit Machine Simulator

Introduction
Prerequisites
Setup
Creating the Fruit Machine Simulator
Running the Simulator
Conclusion

Introduction

Welcome to the tutorial on Python for Kids: Coding a Fruit Machine Simulator. In this tutorial, we will learn how to build a simple fruit machine simulator using Python. By the end of this tutorial, you will understand the basics of programming, including variables, functions, loops, conditionals, and more.

Fruit machines, also known as slot machines, are popular casino games that involve spinning reels with different symbols. The objective is to align the symbols in a way that results in a winning combination. Our simulator will recreate this experience using Python.

Prerequisites

To follow along with this tutorial, you should have a basic understanding of Python programming concepts such as variables, functions, loops, and conditionals. It is also helpful to have Python installed on your computer. If you don’t have Python installed, you can download and install it from the official Python website (https://www.python.org/downloads/).

Setup

Before we start coding, let’s set up the project. We will create a new directory for our project and initialize it as a Python project. Open your command line or terminal and follow these steps:

Create a new directory for the project:
```
 mkdir fruit_machine_simulator
```
Navigate into the project directory:
```
 cd fruit_machine_simulator
```
Initialize the project as a Python project:
```
 python -m venv venv
```
Activate the virtual environment:
```
 source venv/bin/activate     # for macOS/Linux
 venv\Scripts\activate       # for Windows
```
Now we are ready to start coding our fruit machine simulator!

Creating the Fruit Machine Simulator

Create a new Python file called fruit_machine.py in your project directory.
Open the fruit_machine.py file in your favorite code editor.
Let’s start by defining the symbols that will appear on the reels. In this example, we will use fruits as symbols. Add the following code to declare the symbols as a list:
```
 symbols = ['🍎', '🍌', '🍇', '🍊', '🍒']
```
Next, we need to generate a random combination of symbols for each spin. We can use the random module from Python’s standard library to achieve this. Add the following code at the top of the fruit_machine.py file to import the random module:
```
 import random
```
Now, let’s create a function called spin_reels that generates a random combination of symbols for each reel. Add the following code below the symbol declaration:
```
 def spin_reels():
     return [random.choice(symbols) for _ in range(3)]
```
This function uses a list comprehension to generate three random symbols by calling random.choice(symbols) three times.
After defining the spin_reels function, let’s create another function called display_result to display the result of each spin. Add the following code below the spin_reels function:
```
 def display_result(result):
     print('   '.join(result))
```
This function takes the generated result as input and prints the symbols on a single line, separated by three spaces.
Now that we have the necessary functions, let’s create a main function called play_game to simulate the fruit machine game. Add the following code below the display_result function:
```
 def play_game():
     print('Welcome to the Fruit Machine Simulator!')
     print('Press Enter to spin the reels...')
     while True:
         input()
         result = spin_reels()
         display_result(result)
         print('Press Enter to spin again or type "quit" to exit.')
         if input().lower() == 'quit':
             break
     print('Thanks for playing!')
```
This function starts by printing a welcome message and instructions. Then, it enters a loop where the player can spin the reels by pressing Enter. Each spin generates a result using the spin_reels function and displays it using the display_result function. The loop continues until the player types “quit” instead of pressing Enter.
Finally, add the following code at the end of the fruit_machine.py file to call the play_game function when the script is executed directly:
```
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     play_game()
```
This code ensures that the game starts only when the script is run directly and not when it is imported as a module.

Running the Simulator

To run the fruit machine simulator, follow these steps:

Make sure you are in your project directory and have activated the virtual environment.
Execute the fruit_machine.py script:
```
 python fruit_machine.py
```
The simulator will start and display a welcome message. Press Enter to spin the reels. The result will be displayed, and you will be prompted to spin again or exit by typing “quit”.
Have fun spinning the reels and see if you can get a winning combination!

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have learned how to create a simple fruit machine simulator using Python. We used basic programming concepts such as variables, functions, loops, and conditionals to build the simulator. By following along, you should now have a better understanding of how Python works and how to create interactive programs.

Feel free to experiment and add more features to the simulator, such as scoring, betting, or sound effects. The possibilities are endless, and you can continue to expand and improve your fruit machine simulator as you learn more about Python programming.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and found it helpful. Happy coding!

Published: 9 September 2019