Encode-A-Pong

Pong controlled by a rotary encoder. Mainly Built for Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W.

Quick Start

# 1. Install pygame
sudo apt install python3-pygame

# 2. Download the game
git clone https://github.com/TheCodingSoldier/encode-a-pong.git

# 3. Play
cd encode-a-pong
python3 pong.py

That's it. Scroll your encoder to move the paddle.

Controls

Action	Input
Move paddle	Scroll wheel up / down
Restart	Press R
Quit	Press ESC or Ctrl+C

How It Works

Your rotary encoder is already configured as a system scroll wheel via uinput. This game reads pygame.MOUSEWHEEL events — the same events your encoder produces. No custom drivers, no GPIO polling, no code changes needed.

Hardware

• Board: Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W
• OS: Raspberry Pi OS (Debian Trixie)
• Display: Kuman 3.5" touchscreen (480x320)
• Input: Rotary encoder → uinput scroll wheel (A=GPIO20, B=GPIO21, Switch=GPIO6)

Troubleshooting

Blank screen? Run from the desktop, not headless. If using Pi OS Lite, enable KMS: sudo raspi-config → Advanced → GL Driver → GL (Fake KMS).

Encoder not moving the paddle? Check your uinput service is running:

sudo evtest /dev/input/eventX

Scroll the encoder — you should see events.

Ctrl+C left the terminal weird? Fixed — the game always calls pygame.quit() on exit.

Technical Docs

For architecture details, optimization explanations, collision physics, memory analysis, and tunable constants, see DOCUMENTATION.md.

License

All Rights Reserved. See LICENSE.

Copyright (c) 2026 TheCodingSoldier. No copying, modification, distribution, or forking without written permission.