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+---- Thread: CHAPTER 19 — Practical Project: Building a Mini Python Game (/showthread.php?tid=237)
CHAPTER 19 — Practical Project: Building a Mini Python Game - Leejohnston - 11-15-2025
Chapter 19 — Practical Project: Building a Mini Python Game
Now that you understand the fundamentals, it’s time to build a real project — a playable Python game mixing logic, maths, randomness, and your new programming skills.
This project gives beginners a HUGE confidence boost and teaches real-world thinking.
---
19.1 Game Overview
You’ll build:
THE DUNGEON ESCAPE GAME
Features:
• choose a hero
• fight random enemies
• use attacks or healing
• manage health
• win or lose based on decisions
• random variation each playthrough
Uses:
• variables
• input
• loops
• if statements
• functions
• lists
• random module
• simple OOP (optional upgrade)
---
19.2 Step 1 — Setup
Create a new file:
dungeon_escape.py
Add:
Code:
import random
print("=== DUNGEON ESCAPE ===")---
19.3 Step 2 — Player Stats
Code:
player = {
"name": "",
"health": 100,
"potions": 3
}
player["name"] = input("Enter your hero name: ")---
19.4 Step 3 — Enemy List
Code:
enemies = ["Goblin", "Skeleton", "Bandit", "Wolf"]---
19.5 Step 4 — Attack Function
Code:
def attack():
return random.randint(8, 15)---
19.6 Step 5 — Enemy Attack
Code:
def enemy_attack():
return random.randint(5, 12)---
19.7 Step 6 — Main Game Loop
Code:
while player["health"] > 0:
enemy = random.choice(enemies)
enemy_health = random.randint(20, 35)
print(f"\nA wild {enemy} appears with {enemy_health} HP!")
while enemy_health > 0 and player["health"] > 0:
print(f"\n{player['name']} HP: {player['health']}")
print(f"{enemy} HP: {enemy_health}")
print("1. Attack")
print("2. Use Potion")
print("3. Run")
choice = input("> ")
if choice == "1":
damage = attack()
enemy_health -= damage
print(f"You hit the {enemy} for {damage} damage!")
elif choice == "2":
if player["potions"] > 0:
player["potions"] -= 1
player["health"] += 20
print("You drink a potion and regain 20 HP!")
else:
print("No potions left!")
continue
elif choice == "3":
print(f"You escaped from the {enemy}!")
break
else:
print("Invalid choice.")
continue
if enemy_health > 0:
damage = enemy_attack()
player["health"] -= damage
print(f"The {enemy} hits you for {damage}!")---
19.8 Step 7 — Ending the Game
After the loop:
Code:
if player["health"] <= 0:
print("\nYou have fallen in the dungeon...")
else:
print("\nYou escaped the dungeon safely!")---
19.9 Full Working Game (Copy/Paste Ready)
Code:
import random
print("=== DUNGEON ESCAPE ===")
player = {
"name": "",
"health": 100,
"potions": 3
}
player["name"] = input("Enter your hero name: ")
enemies = ["Goblin", "Skeleton", "Bandit", "Wolf"]
def attack():
return random.randint(8, 15)
def enemy_attack():
return random.randint(5, 12)
while player["health"] > 0:
enemy = random.choice(enemies)
enemy_health = random.randint(20, 35)
print(f"\nA wild {enemy} appears with {enemy_health} HP!")
while enemy_health > 0 and player["health"] > 0:
print(f"\n{player['name']} HP: {player['health']}")
print(f"{enemy} HP: {enemy_health}")
print("1. Attack")
print("2. Use Potion")
print("3. Run")
choice = input("> ")
if choice == "1":
damage = attack()
enemy_health -= damage
print(f"You hit the {enemy} for {damage} damage!")
elif choice == "2":
if player["potions"] > 0:
player["potions"] -= 1
player["health"] += 20
print("You drink a potion and regain 20 HP!")
else:
print("No potions left!")
continue
elif choice == "3":
print(f"You escaped from the {enemy}!")
break
else:
print("Invalid choice.")
continue
if enemy_health > 0:
damage = enemy_attack()
player["health"] -= damage
print(f"The {enemy} hits you for {damage}!")
if player["health"] <= 0:
print("\nYou have fallen in the dungeon...")
else:
print("\nYou escaped the dungeon safely!")---
19.10 Challenge — Advanced Version
Upgrade the game by adding:
• armour items
• critical hits
• special enemy types
• inventory system
• save/load game using JSON
BONUS:
Convert the entire game into an OOP version using a Player and Enemy class.
---
19.11 Chapter Summary
• you created a full playable game
• applied loops, lists, functions, randomness
• used a main game loop
• managed health, items, decisions
• learned real-world game structure
Next:
Chapter 20 — Final Project: A Complete Python Application
The last chapter ties EVERYTHING together into a polished, multi-file, multi-feature application worthy of your course finale.
---
Written and Compiled by Lee Johnston — Founder of The Lumin Archive