Pygame using time.sleep to wait for x seconds not executing code above it

Question

I am trying to recreate Pong in pygame and have tried to change the color of the net to red or green, based on who scores. I am able to keep it red or green after someone scores

Answer 1

You can't use sleep() in PyGame (or any GUI framework) because it stops mainloop which updates other elements.

You have to remember current time in variable and later in loop compare it with current time to see if 3 seconds left. Or you have to create own EVENT which will be fired after 3 second - and you have to check this event in for event.

It may need more changes in code so I can show only how it can look like

---

Using time/ticks

# create before mainloop with default value 
update_later = None


elif pong.hitedge_right:     
   game_net.color = (255,0,0)     
   update_later = pygame.time.get_ticks() + 3000 # 3000ms = 3s


# somewhere in loop
if update_later is not None and pygame.time.get_ticks() >= update_later:
   # turn it off
   update_later = None

   scoreboard.sc1 +=1
   print(scoreboard.sc1)
   # ... rest ...

---

Using events

# create before mainloop with default value 
UPDATE_LATER = pygame.USEREVENT + 1

elif pong.hitedge_right:     
   game_net.color = (255,0,0)     
   pygame.time.set_timer(UPDATE_LATER, 3000) # 3000ms = 3s

# inside `for `event` loop
if event.type == UPDATE_LATER:
   # turn it off
   pygame.time.set_timer(UPDATE_LATER, 0)

   scoreboard.sc1 +=1
   print(scoreboard.sc1)
   # ... rest ...