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While Loop Hell

(44 posts) (7 voices)

Started 3 years ago by Kalub
Latest reply from nichaey

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Kalub
Member

Post Count: 13

So recently, while taking a Flash class at school, I've become interested at making simple games. So far I've created a basic platform engine, but I wanted to make it better. So I decided to try to implement slope detection into my engine, with a while loop. Though, all it seems to do is freeze up the flash player. Anyone wanna tell me how or why? Here is my code:
`

onClipEvent (load) {
	speed = 3;
	gravity = 0;
	r = _height/2;
	jumping = false;
	jumpheight = 20;
}
onClipEvent (enterFrame) {
	if (Key.isDown(Key.UP) && !jumping) {
		gravity = -jumpheight;
		jumping = true;
	}
	if (Key.isDown(Key.RIGHT)) {
		_x += speed;
	}
	if (Key.isDown(Key.LEFT)) {
		_x -= speed;
	}
	if (!_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y, true)) {
		gravity++;
		_y += gravity;
	} else {
		jumping = false;
		gravity = 0;
	}
	while (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y-1+r, true)) {
		jumping = false;
		_y--;
	}

}

Posted 3 years ago #

nichaey
Member
Post Count: 171

I think you're misunderstanding how the while loop works in flash. As long as the condition "_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y-1+r, true)" is true, then it will continue to loop all of the code in the while loop without going on to the next frame. So what the computer sees/does is

is (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y-1+r, true)) true....ok then
jumping = false;
_y--;
is (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y-1+r, true)) true....ok then
jumping = false;
_y--;
is (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y-1+r, true)) true....ok then
jumping = false;
_y--;
.
.
.

Your code would just fine if you changed the while to an if.

Edit: welcome to the forum Kalub

Posted 3 years ago #
Kalub
Member
Post Count: 13

Hey thanks, nice to meet you.

Anyways, I used an if statement, and that seemed to work although it was "jittery" with the detection. (The character continuously bounced slightly)

Weird thing is, I'm following this(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY3J30FHkpk&feature=related) small tutorial and it seems to work fine for him. Is it possible that I've just missed a small step?

And can some one tell me if these markup's that we're allowed to use are bbcode or html?

Posted 3 years ago #
Kalub
Member
Post Count: 13

Update:
Got the loop to work properly, however, is there a way to set the rotation of my character to constantly be prependicular to the ground? Any help would be appreciated, and I do remember reading about it somewhere on here but I can't find it again.

a

Posted 3 years ago #
Thefox
Member
Post Count: 249

heh, thats the hard part. If you aren't having huge slopes or loop de loops then you could use a bbuilt in function called "atan2" in flash. If you look around on adobe's site/google you should find some great tuts.
If you want stuff like loop de loops...thats a bit harder heh

Posted 3 years ago #
VideoGuy
Spielberg
Post Count: 8720

We actually have a few threads in the Game Development section here about slope detection, might want to check those out.

Just got back on the internet after losing my access for a week. Read more on Random Discussion.

Posted 3 years ago #
Kalub
Member
Post Count: 13

Ive looked at them, there are a few methods that I've seen and tried to implement, though I can't get any of them to work. However, I'll look at the math.atan2 and see what I can come up with.

I know the other methods include two hitPoints either defined by movie points or just regular points defined in the hitTest, and some bit of work.

EDIT: Here is my FLA, I can't seem to figure out how to use the atan correctly. If someone could plase take a look at what Ive got and help me correct it all would be appreciated. Thanks.
http://www.2shared.com/file/5259697/cadb2329/platformTest.html

Posted 3 years ago #
nichaey
Member
Post Count: 171

sorry, that's a no go for me; I'm running flash 8. But, I'll try to help anyways.
''
if (!_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y, true)) {
gravity++;
_y += gravity;
} else {
jumping = false;
gravity = 0;
}
while (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y-1+r, true)) {
jumping = false;
_y--;
}
''

^here's where your jumpiness is being caused, you could try condensing it and using the same point.

''
if (!_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y-1+r, true)) {
gravity++;
_y += gravity;
} else (_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y-1+r, true)) {
jumping = false;
//this wont put you at ground level if its more then 1 y level above
//_y--;

///this code whould put you to the top point on the ground if its within 10 up
for (var i=-1;i>=10;i--){
///^makes a for loop that runs ten times (i-- is i=i-1)
if (!_root.ground.hitTest(_x, _y-1+r+i, true)){
_y +=i+1
//this makes your y the last known height that touches the ground (_y = _y+i+1)
i=-11
//this exits the for loop

}
}
}
}
''

Edit :sorry about the indentation, when I post it automatically unindents all of my stuff

Posted 3 years ago #
Kalub
Member
Post Count: 13

Sorry if you guys can't open my code, it's in Flash CS4. I think I'll just start over.

If you were to do this would you create the two hit point mc's, and control those and just link it to the character, or would you control the character and link the mc's to him?

I'll think on it for sometime and then make a decision. Thanks for the help guys.

Posted 3 years ago #
Thefox
Member
Post Count: 249

I remember doing something with atan2 a while back lemme see if I can find the file.....
Ah here it is

It will have some bugs but that should give you the general idea.

If you have any q's about it shoot me a pm

Posted 3 years ago #
DrNeroCF
aka Brad Borne
Post Count: 703

Well honestly, I'd do it something like this:

http://www.bornegames.com/miniTutorial.fla.zip

(That's in 8, btw, that's as low as I can get it on this computer...)

I'd just post the code here, but I like to work in different frames for different states of being (idle, walking, jumping). Helps when animating, also.

Checked out your newer file... I don't see where there's any actual slope detection, so ATAN isn't doing to really do much for you.

If that file helps, I can try to add to it, I think I see what you're trying to do there...

Doodle, sketch, draw, design, fill notebooks with elaborate scenes, funny character designs, and gameplay ideas.
Find your own personal style and run with it. Craft characters and stories that you love.
Enjoy your own work, and donâ€™t be afraid to show it off. Create.

Posted 3 years ago #
nichaey
Member
Post Count: 171

Sorry if you guys can't open my code, it's in Flash CS4.

You can use the save as function to save it as flash 8 if you want to

If you were to do this would you create the two hit point mc's, and control those and just link it to the character, or would you control the character and link the mc's to him?

Instead of using hitpoint mc's you could simulate two points by hittesting _x + 5 and _x - 5

Posted 3 years ago #
Kalub
Member
Post Count: 13

Hey thanks for the replies. I just got around to looking at your code and setups, and I find it that Brad's is more orgnized - being in dfferent frames - however, I find it slightly confusing because I'm still fairly new to this.

Anyways, just a few questions for Brad. Why would you use math.abs? I know it's for absolute values, but why would those be needed unless you returned a negative and wanted to just use the positive value. That may be the case after all thinking about it...

I'll continue tinkering with this and go from there. Thanks for everything.

Posted 3 years ago #
Thefox
Member
Post Count: 249

heh, declaring variables for the character on the root timeline. Thats what classes are for brad ;P .

And he's doing that because either you're moving in the negative (left) or positive (right) direction, and we just want to see if you're going slow enough to make the char stop moving.

Posted 3 years ago #
nichaey
Member
Post Count: 171

"heh, declaring variables for the character on the root timeline. Thats what classes are for brad ;P ."
What if he want another char with a jumpheight of 30? ;D

Posted 3 years ago #
Moony Suan
Member
Post Count: 155

You can use the save as function to save it as flash 8 if you want to

With CS4 you can save it in a flash 8 format, but it still won't open in flash 8.
I found this out a while back when I downloaded the trial to see if it was worth the upgrade. I guess you could still try it but I'm pretty sure it won't work.

"Eat a live toad the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day."

Posted 3 years ago #
VideoGuy
Spielberg
Post Count: 8720

That may have just been because it was a trial. I can't imagine Adobe would put that in if it didn't actually do anything.

Just got back on the internet after losing my access for a week. Read more on Random Discussion.

Posted 3 years ago #
DrNeroCF
aka Brad Borne
Post Count: 703

Classes? PSH!

A number divided by it's absolute value will return either 1 or -1, a little trick NegativeOne told me about a few years back.

10 / 10 = 1

-10 / 10 = -1

So subtracting a number by that will bring it one step towards 0.

Just don't do it when the number is 0: 0 / 0 = "OH NOEZ!"

Doodle, sketch, draw, design, fill notebooks with elaborate scenes, funny character designs, and gameplay ideas.
Find your own personal style and run with it. Craft characters and stories that you love.
Enjoy your own work, and donâ€™t be afraid to show it off. Create.

Posted 3 years ago #
VideoGuy
Spielberg
Post Count: 8720

I thought classes were only for AS3. Or maybe there's a part of AS2 I'm missing completely.....

Just got back on the internet after losing my access for a week. Read more on Random Discussion.

Posted 3 years ago #
nichaey
Member
Post Count: 171

Yup there are classes. I don't know how to use them, but I know they exist.

Posted 3 years ago #

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