Workshop › Pinball › Step 36 of 42

Launch on letting go

What we are doing

A real launcher is a spring: you pull it back and let go. So Space launches when it is released, and only if it was really held: pressed.launch remembers that.

```js
let pressed // { left, right, launch }

  pressed = { left: false, right: false, launch: false }

    if (down && state === 'over') reset()
    else if (!down && pressed.launch) launch()
    pressed.launch = down
```

What it means

• pressed.launch is true while the launch key is held.
• On the way up (!down), if the key was held, we launch. Then pressed.launch = down records the new state.
• After game over, the press that restarts the game also starts holding the new ball's launcher: letting go launches it.

Your turn

1. Add launch to the comment of let pressed and to the pressed object in reset.
2. In key, replace else if (down) launch() with the two lines.

Skills: Keyboard and mouse input

← Remember the best score Pull the spring →

All steps

1. Paint the table
2. Draw one wall
3. A list of walls
4. The game loop
5. A ball in the lane
6. Draw the ball
7. Move by the velocity
8. Launch with Space
9. Gravity
10. Does the ball touch a wall?
11. Push the ball out
12. Bounce off the wall
13. Small steps and a speed limit
14. Ready or playing
15. The next ball
16. Three bumpers
17. The ball meets a bumper
18. A bumper kicks
19. A score and a fresh start
20. Points for every hit
21. Remember which bumper was hit
22. Light it up
23. Lit for a moment, points once
24. Two flippers
25. Where is the tip?
26. Flippers stop the ball
27. Which keys are held?
28. Which way to turn
29. Flip!
30. A moving wall
31. The flipper throws
32. Three balls
33. Balls left and game over
34. Play again
35. Remember the best score
36. Launch on letting go
37. Pull the spring
38. Show the spring
39. Two thumbs
40. Pull with a finger
41. Tap to play again
42. Build it yourself: slingshots