# Falling Duck II Skillmap -- Blocks, JavaScript, AND Python **URL:** \ **Category:** Show & Tell\ **Created:** [January 18, 2026, 2:37am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/falling-duck-ii-skillmap-blocks-javascript-and-python/41584 "2026-01-18T02:37:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AlexK](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.makecode.com/alexk/32/33339_2.png) [@AlexK](https://forum.makecode.com/u/AlexK)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 2:37am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/falling-duck-ii-skillmap-blocks-javascript-and-python/41584/1 "2026-01-18T02:37:07Z")
This started off as a set of tutorials for Ima.notarobot’s journey to learn JavaScript > [@My Java Script learning journey](https://forum.makecode.com/t/my-java-script-learning-journey/40640/1): > > Hey. I decided it was time for me to learn Java script, so this is where I will post some related things. I might as for occasional help, and just post about something I learned today. Another reason I am making a topic for this is so I can stay dedicated to it. I will try and give at least one daily update on this topic. If you have any advice, I would love to hear it! Just prepare for a lot of questions. play_button Make Code mayhem my goals are: Code a game in Make Code arcade with 100 percent Java … I’ve finally finished the skillmap for an advanced version of _Falling Duck_. You can build the project in all three languages – Blocks, JavaScript, and Python – and each language has five levels. Along the way, you learn to use Richard’s **Mini Menu** extension as well as the **Settings** extension. There is a ton of planning that goes into these skillmaps … and all of that happens before any writing! Just planning out the activities for the skillmap took a couple dozen hours, and then each level takes another 18 to 24 hours of work to write, test, and debug (total for all three languages). I started each level in Blocks because that’s the hardest one to write – that usually took 12 to 16 hours. Writing the JavaScript and Python levels after that only took about 8 hours for both. And that’s with no artwork added to the skillmap! Sorry it looks so … plain. 😃 They’re _ **super fun** _ to write, which is why I like to create them. Have fun! [https://arcade.makecode.com/--skillmap#github:robo-technical-group/pxt-tutorials/falling-duck-skillmap](https://arcade.makecode.com/--skillmap#github:robo-technical-group/pxt-tutorials/falling-duck-skillmap) ---
**Author:** ![TheEarth](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.makecode.com/theearth/32/34579_2.png) [@TheEarth](https://forum.makecode.com/u/TheEarth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 4:50am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/falling-duck-ii-skillmap-blocks-javascript-and-python/41584/2 "2026-01-18T04:50:51Z")
my goat @AlexK has done it ---
**Author:** ![redSprite](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.makecode.com/redsprite/32/34262_2.png) [@redSprite](https://forum.makecode.com/u/redSprite)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 4:54am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/falling-duck-ii-skillmap-blocks-javascript-and-python/41584/3 "2026-01-18T04:54:12Z")
W @AlexK for acknowledging the existence of JavaScript and Python I’m going to do the skill map sometime, hope it gets on the main page to. ---
**Author:** ![AlexK](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.makecode.com/alexk/32/33339_2.png) [@AlexK](https://forum.makecode.com/u/AlexK)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 5:05am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/falling-duck-ii-skillmap-blocks-javascript-and-python/41584/4 "2026-01-18T05:05:28Z")
That was my real motivation for writing these, redSprite. There aren’t many tutorials – and no skillmaps that I know of – that use the other two languages. Yes, I plan for all of my future tutorials and skillmaps to use all three languages. * * * When someone is ready to make the switch to one of the typing languages, I feel like this skillmap would be a good way to get started, as it includes some more advanced techniques along with most of the basics … and it does so without treating you like a beginner. ( **Nota bene** : Use the hints when you get stuck!) The Blocks path, too, is a good one to push your skills, as you learn about parallel arrays along with the two extensions that I mentioned earlier. The only “basic” thing that I don’t touch in this skillmap is tilemaps, but that’s just because of the style of the game. Have other ideas for tutorials and skillmaps? There’s a topic for that. 😉 > [@Tutorial and Skill Map Ideas](https://forum.makecode.com/t/tutorial-and-skill-map-ideas/38194): > > Do you have any ideas for tutorials or skill maps? Share them! They can be technical ideas or project ideas (or both). We have several forum users who are proficient at writing tutorials and skill maps, and I know I’m happy to produce content that would interest y’all. ---
**Author:** ![AlexK](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.makecode.com/alexk/32/33339_2.png) [@AlexK](https://forum.makecode.com/u/AlexK)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 6:49am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/falling-duck-ii-skillmap-blocks-javascript-and-python/41584/5 "2026-01-18T06:49:37Z")
OK, the timing of this thread is just _wildly_ coincidental, as I haven’t seen Friday’s stream yet. If you ever wondered how we start planning a tutorial or skillmap, the dev team did a great job of walking through the brainstorming process of what goes into building the concept for a skillmap or tutorial. I just started the stream. I’ll watch the rest of it tomorrow. Great video as always! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/H_AVUEk2WMQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Making a tutorial game in MakeCode Arcade!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_AVUEk2WMQ) I ramble a bit on this process in my always-in-progress set of articles on building skillmaps. > **[MakeCode instructions and ramblings](https://robo-technical-group.github.io/pxt-instructions-lab/)** > > MakeCode instructions and ramblings laboratory Crazy timing, dev team! Love the unintended synergy this weekend! 😆 ---
**Author:** ![redSprite](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.makecode.com/redsprite/32/34262_2.png) [@redSprite](https://forum.makecode.com/u/redSprite)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 9:39pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/falling-duck-ii-skillmap-blocks-javascript-and-python/41584/6 "2026-01-18T21:39:41Z")
Uhm… ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/makecode/original/3X/3/2/32af76d76fddbd3cedea255da095d1ab182a42e1.png) This is in JavaScript step 6 level 2, apparently it says the asset doesn’t exist? ---
**Author:** ![AlexK](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.makecode.com/alexk/32/33339_2.png) [@AlexK](https://forum.makecode.com/u/AlexK)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 9:59pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/falling-duck-ii-skillmap-blocks-javascript-and-python/41584/7 "2026-01-18T21:59:58Z")
A post was merged into an existing topic: [Tutorial and Skill Map Ideas](https://forum.makecode.com/t/tutorial-and-skill-map-ideas/38194/53) ---
**Author:** ![AlexK](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.makecode.com/alexk/32/33339_2.png) [@AlexK](https://forum.makecode.com/u/AlexK)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 10:04pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/falling-duck-ii-skillmap-blocks-javascript-and-python/41584/8 "2026-01-18T22:04:57Z")
Thanks, redSprite. ~~I’ll fix that.~~ I’ve made that correction. It seems that constant is not consistently available in JavaScript and Python. Replace the constant with an array of images: ```typescript animation.runImageAnimation( heroSprite, [ sprites.duck.duck3, sprites.duck.duck4, sprites.duck.duck5, sprites.duck.duck6, sprites.duck.duck1, sprites.duck.duck2, ], 100, true ) ``` I’ve published a new version with that correction. ---
**Author:** ![redSprite](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.makecode.com/redsprite/32/34262_2.png) [@redSprite](https://forum.makecode.com/u/redSprite)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 1:50am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/falling-duck-ii-skillmap-blocks-javascript-and-python/41584/9 "2026-01-20T01:50:44Z")
I have done it ![JavaScript and Python routes finished!](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/makecode/original/3X/8/b/8bc66584812630036119ec44a924d4360fd94710.png) I feel very educated now ---
**Author:** ![glasgowlibcoders](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.makecode.com/glasgowlibcoders/32/33159_2.png) [@glasgowlibcoders](https://forum.makecode.com/u/glasgowlibcoders)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2026, 4:26pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/falling-duck-ii-skillmap-blocks-javascript-and-python/41584/10 "2026-06-27T16:26:52Z")
Thanks for making this AlexK! I run a group of coding clubs for kids/teenagers in libraries and its hard to find something to bridge the gap for the older ones between purely block-based games coding and text-based systems, so this is great. I also like the way you can’t cut and paste the code in which will no doubt annoy the kids, but will be good for them 😆