Why Does My Pong Ball Wobble Instead of Bouncing Off the Paddle?

Ball Fails to Bounce Off Paddle in Pong Game

In a classic Pong game, players control paddles to deflect a ball back and forth across the screen. However, some users have encountered an issue where the ball sometimes fails to bounce off the paddle, instead wobbling and sliding along its surface.

Cause:

This problem arises when the ball collides with the paddle's top or bottom edge. Detecting this collision and reversing the ball's direction is correct. However, at times, the ball penetrates the paddle so deeply that it remains within the collision area during its next move. Consequently, a second collision is detected, overturning the ball's direction again, creating a zigzag effect along the paddle's front.

Solutions:

1. Reverse Direction Instead of Multiplying Speed:

Instead of multiplying the ball's speed by -1, which results in reversing its direction, assigning a positive speed when it hits the right paddle and a negative speed when it hits the left paddle will produce a more consistent bounce.

if ball.colliderect(paddleLeft):
    move_x = abs(move_x)
if ball.colliderect(paddleRight):
    move_x = -abs(move_x)

2. Adjust Ball's Position:

Alternatively, adjusting the ball's position after a collision can ensure it remains in bounds. When the right paddle is hit, move the ball's right edge to the left of the paddle, and vice versa for the left paddle.

if ball.colliderect(paddleLeft):
    move_x *= -1
    ball.left = paddleLeft.right
if ball.colliderect(paddleRight):
    move_x *= -1
    ball.right = paddleRight.left

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