Choppy Gameplay - GameCreators Forum

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Aarbear

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Joined: 29th Apr 2011

Location: New York

Posted: 29th Apr 2011 23:55 Edited at: 30th Apr 2011 01:57

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Hi, DBPRO is going to be part of school starting next week, so I thought I'd get a jump on it. I'm really new to this, so I'd appreciate any help

.

I'm in the process of building a space-invaders playalike. However, whenever I fire a bullet, the game gets really choppy. I suspect it has got something to do with sync, but I'm not sure. o.o
Like I said, I'm still in school, so the code probably isn't perfectly structured or totally efficient and easy to read.
Arrow keys move, space bar fires,

Thanks.

Rem Project: galaxy
Rem Created: Thursday, April 28, 2011

Rem ***** Main Source File *****
SYNC ON
SYNC RATE 60
HIDE MOUSE

gw=800
gh=600
SET DISPLAY MODE gw,gh,16
REM ---------------------

REM Load Images
LOAD IMAGE "C:\Program Files (x86)\The Game Creators\Dark Basic Professional\Media\Bitmaps\player.bmp",1
LOAD IMAGE "C:\Program Files (x86)\The Game Creators\Dark Basic Professional\Media\Bitmaps\bullet.bmp",2
LOAD IMAGE "C:\Program Files (x86)\The Game Creators\Dark Basic Professional\Media\Bitmaps\alien.bmp",3
REM ----------------------

REM Setup Variables
basePosX = 400
FiredBullet = 0
alienX = 1
REM -----------------------

REM Backround Color
 COLOR BACKDROP black

REM Load Sprites
SPRITE 1, basePosX, 580, 1
SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3
REM Main Loop
DO
REM Alien setup
 GOSUB move_alien 
REM Player control
 IF RIGHTKEY() = 1 THEN basePosX = basePosX + 10
 IF basePosX <= 0 THEN basePosX = 0
 IF LEFTKEY() = 1 THEN basePosX = basePosX - 10
 IF basePosX >= 730 THEN basePosX = 730
 SPRITE 1, basePosX, 500, 1
 REM Player fire
   IF SPACEKEY() = 1 and FiredBullet = 0 
	FiredBullet = 1
	bulletPosX = basePosX + 5
	bulletPosY = 580 - 16
   ENDIF
  IF FiredBullet = 1
	GOSUB bullet_fire
  ELSE
	SLEEP 1
  ENDIF
 SYNC
LOOP

REM Bullet firing and movement
bullet_fire:
 DEC bulletPosY, 40
 SPRITE 2, bulletPosX + 28, bulletPosY - 50, 2
	SLEEP 1
	SPRITE 2, bulletPosX + 28, bulletPosY - 50, 2
	GOSUB alien_hit
  IF BulletPosY <= 0 THEN FiredBullet = 0
RETURN
REM -----------------------------------------------

REM Alien hit detection
alien_hit:
SYNC
 IF SPRITE HIT(2,3) = 1 THEN
	DELETE SPRITE 3
RETURN
REM ------------------------

REM Alien movement
move_alien:
  REM Direction flag

changeDirection = 0
 
 
  SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3
  	alienX = alienX + 5

RETURN

+ Code Snippet

Rem Project: galaxy
Rem Created: Thursday, April 28, 2011

Rem ***** Main Source File *****
SYNC ON
SYNC RATE 60
HIDE MOUSE

gw=800
gh=600
SET DISPLAY MODE gw,gh,16
REM ---------------------

REM Load Images
LOAD IMAGE "C:\Program Files (x86)\The Game Creators\Dark Basic Professional\Media\Bitmaps\player.bmp",1
LOAD IMAGE "C:\Program Files (x86)\The Game Creators\Dark Basic Professional\Media\Bitmaps\bullet.bmp",2
LOAD IMAGE "C:\Program Files (x86)\The Game Creators\Dark Basic Professional\Media\Bitmaps\alien.bmp",3
REM ----------------------

REM Setup Variables
basePosX = 400
FiredBullet = 0
alienX = 1
REM -----------------------

REM Backround Color
 COLOR BACKDROP black

REM Load Sprites
SPRITE 1, basePosX, 580, 1
SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3
REM Main Loop
DO
REM Alien setup
 GOSUB move_alien 
REM Player control
 IF RIGHTKEY() = 1 THEN basePosX = basePosX + 10
 IF basePosX <= 0 THEN basePosX = 0
 IF LEFTKEY() = 1 THEN basePosX = basePosX - 10
 IF basePosX >= 730 THEN basePosX = 730
 SPRITE 1, basePosX, 500, 1
 REM Player fire
   IF SPACEKEY() = 1 and FiredBullet = 0 
	FiredBullet = 1
	bulletPosX = basePosX + 5
	bulletPosY = 580 - 16
   ENDIF
  IF FiredBullet = 1
	GOSUB bullet_fire
  ELSE
	SLEEP 1
  ENDIF
 SYNC
LOOP

REM Bullet firing and movement
bullet_fire:
 DEC bulletPosY, 40
 SPRITE 2, bulletPosX + 28, bulletPosY - 50, 2
	SLEEP 1
	SPRITE 2, bulletPosX + 28, bulletPosY - 50, 2
	GOSUB alien_hit
  IF BulletPosY <= 0 THEN FiredBullet = 0
RETURN
REM -----------------------------------------------

REM Alien hit detection
alien_hit:
SYNC
 IF SPRITE HIT(2,3) = 1 THEN
	DELETE SPRITE 3
RETURN
REM ------------------------

REM Alien movement
move_alien:
  REM Direction flag

 changeDirection = 0
 
 
  SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3
  	alienX = alienX + 5

 

	
RETURN

Str8^

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Aarbear

15

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Joined: 29th Apr 2011

Location: New York

Posted: 30th Apr 2011 02:01 Edited at: 30th Apr 2011 02:09

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Created this reply by mistake...

Str8^

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Hodgey

16

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Joined: 10th Oct 2009

Location: Australia

Posted: 30th Apr 2011 02:04

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I'm not sure why you are using the "sleep" command as this pauses the whole program for the specified time and I believe this is the reason for your choppyness. I'm assuming the sleep command was to fulfill a time related purpose so try looking into the "timer" command as this can be used to collect data on how much time has passed and pausing a specific element in your program without effecting the whole program.

One other thing, if you copy your media into the same folder as your project file, to load an image all you would have to do is load image "yourimage.format", 1 instead of load image "c:\\whatever\whatever\somefolder\anotherfolder\yourpicture", 1.

A clever person solves a problem, a wise person avoids it - Albert Einstein

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Aarbear

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Joined: 29th Apr 2011

Location: New York

Posted: 30th Apr 2011 02:07

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I removed the sleep command entirely, and it still has the exact same choppiness. Thanks for the bit about the images though.

Str8^

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TheComet

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Joined: 18th Oct 2007

Location: I`m under ur bridge eating ur goatz.

Posted: 30th Apr 2011 02:29

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I took out all of your sleep commands, and don't mind the bit at the start, that's just for generating some custom images because I don't have the images you used. I also found a sync command in your bullet_fire subroutine. This should work:

Rem Project: galaxy
Rem Created: Thursday, April 28, 2011

Rem ***** Main Source File *****
SYNC ON
SYNC RATE 60
HIDE MOUSE

gw=800
gh=600
SET DISPLAY MODE gw,gh,16
REM ---------------------

REM Load Images
create bitmap 1,64,64
ink rgb(255,0,0),0
box 0,0,63,63
get image 1,0,0,64,64
get image 2,0,0,64,64
get image 3,0,0,64,64
delete bitmap 1
REM ----------------------

REM Setup Variables
basePosX = 400
FiredBullet = 0
alienX = 1
REM -----------------------

REM Backround Color
COLOR BACKDROP black

REM Load Sprites
SPRITE 1, basePosX, 580, 1
SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3
REM Main Loop
DO
REM Alien setup
 GOSUB move_alien 
REM Player control
 IF RIGHTKEY() = 1 THEN basePosX = basePosX + 10
 IF basePosX <= 0 THEN basePosX = 0
 IF LEFTKEY() = 1 THEN basePosX = basePosX - 10
 IF basePosX >= 730 THEN basePosX = 730
 SPRITE 1, basePosX, 500, 1
 REM Player fire
   IF SPACEKEY() = 1 and FiredBullet = 0 
	FiredBullet = 1
	bulletPosX = basePosX + 5
	bulletPosY = 580 - 16
   ENDIF
  IF FiredBullet = 1
	GOSUB bullet_fire
  ENDIF
 SYNC
LOOP

REM Bullet firing and movement
bullet_fire:
 DEC bulletPosY, 40
 SPRITE 2, bulletPosX + 28, bulletPosY - 50, 2
	SPRITE 2, bulletPosX + 28, bulletPosY - 50, 2
	GOSUB alien_hit
  IF BulletPosY <= 0 THEN FiredBullet = 0
RETURN
REM -----------------------------------------------

REM Alien hit detection
alien_hit:
 IF SPRITE HIT(2,3) = 1 THEN
	DELETE SPRITE 3
RETURN
REM ------------------------

REM Alien movement
move_alien:
  REM Direction flag

changeDirection = 0
 
 
  SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3
  	alienX = alienX + 5

RETURN

+ Code Snippet

Rem Project: galaxy
Rem Created: Thursday, April 28, 2011

Rem ***** Main Source File *****
SYNC ON
SYNC RATE 60
HIDE MOUSE

gw=800
gh=600
SET DISPLAY MODE gw,gh,16
REM ---------------------

REM Load Images
create bitmap 1,64,64
ink rgb(255,0,0),0
box 0,0,63,63
get image 1,0,0,64,64
get image 2,0,0,64,64
get image 3,0,0,64,64
delete bitmap 1
REM ----------------------

REM Setup Variables
basePosX = 400
FiredBullet = 0
alienX = 1
REM -----------------------

REM Backround Color
COLOR BACKDROP black

REM Load Sprites
SPRITE 1, basePosX, 580, 1
SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3
REM Main Loop
DO
REM Alien setup
 GOSUB move_alien 
REM Player control
 IF RIGHTKEY() = 1 THEN basePosX = basePosX + 10
 IF basePosX <= 0 THEN basePosX = 0
 IF LEFTKEY() = 1 THEN basePosX = basePosX - 10
 IF basePosX >= 730 THEN basePosX = 730
 SPRITE 1, basePosX, 500, 1
 REM Player fire
   IF SPACEKEY() = 1 and FiredBullet = 0 
	FiredBullet = 1
	bulletPosX = basePosX + 5
	bulletPosY = 580 - 16
   ENDIF
  IF FiredBullet = 1
	GOSUB bullet_fire
  ENDIF
 SYNC
LOOP

REM Bullet firing and movement
bullet_fire:
 DEC bulletPosY, 40
 SPRITE 2, bulletPosX + 28, bulletPosY - 50, 2
	SPRITE 2, bulletPosX + 28, bulletPosY - 50, 2
	GOSUB alien_hit
  IF BulletPosY <= 0 THEN FiredBullet = 0
RETURN
REM -----------------------------------------------

REM Alien hit detection
alien_hit:
 IF SPRITE HIT(2,3) = 1 THEN
	DELETE SPRITE 3
RETURN
REM ------------------------

REM Alien movement
move_alien:
  REM Direction flag

 changeDirection = 0
 
 
  SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3
  	alienX = alienX + 5

 

	
RETURN

Your coding style so far is pretty good compared to what we usually get around here from newcomers, just 2 things that are questionable:

+ Code Snippet

  SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3
  	alienX = alienX + 5

Things like that don't need an extra indentation, you should only do that when a command has an "end" command as well:

for - next
do - loop
repeat - until
while - endwhile
if - endif
function - endfunction
subroutine - return
lock vertexdata for limb - unlock vertexdata
open to read - close file
open to write - close file
etc...

Your comments are all around the place, what I've learned is to always have a new line before every comment:

+ Code Snippet

rem setup screen
sync on
sync rate 60
backdrop on
color backdrop 0
hide mouse

rem load images
load image "bla.bmp",1
load image "haha.mp3",2
load image "...png",3

rem main loop
do

   rem control stuff
   gosub control_ship
   gosub control_enemies
   gosub control_bullet
   gosub control_if_the_cake_is_a_lie

   rem refresh screen
   sync

rem end of main loop
loop

control_ship:

   rem do stuff
   ...

return

I'm not sure about writing all commands with capital letters, I write them all small... But yeah, let's see what others say about that.

TheComet

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Aarbear

15

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Joined: 29th Apr 2011

Location: New York

Posted: 30th Apr 2011 02:34

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Thanks a lot TheComet, your entire post was helpful. Problem solved.

Str8^

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Hodgey

16

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Joined: 10th Oct 2009

Location: Australia

Posted: 30th Apr 2011 02:36 Edited at: 30th Apr 2011 02:44

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Edit - TheComet has beaten me to it.
Edit2 @ TheComet, just copy/pasted your code and it is all on one line

A clever person solves a problem, a wise person avoids it - Albert Einstein

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TheComet

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Joined: 18th Oct 2007

Location: I`m under ur bridge eating ur goatz.

Posted: 30th Apr 2011 03:01

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Quote: "Edit2 @ TheComet, just copy/pasted your code and it is all on one line "

Just tried it, doesn't do it for me... Are you using... Internet Explorer

TheComet

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Aarbear

15

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Joined: 29th Apr 2011

Location: New York

Posted: 30th Apr 2011 03:32

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Thought I'd keep it in the same thread since it's still fresh.

Sorry to bother again but I've spent the past couple hours trying to figure out why my alien won't go side to side using this code.

Rem Project: galaxy
Rem Created: Thursday, April 28, 2011

Rem ***** Main Source File *****
REM Setup variables/graphics window
SYNC ON
SYNC RATE 60
HIDE MOUSE

gw=800
gh=600
SET DISPLAY MODE gw,gh,16

REM Load Images
LOAD IMAGE "C:\Program Files (x86)\The Game Creators\Dark Basic Professional\Media\Bitmaps\player.bmp",1
LOAD IMAGE "C:\Program Files (x86)\The Game Creators\Dark Basic Professional\Media\Bitmaps\bullet.bmp",2
LOAD IMAGE "C:\Program Files (x86)\The Game Creators\Dark Basic Professional\Media\Bitmaps\alien.bmp",3

REM Setup Variables
basePosX = 400
FiredBullet = 0
alienX = 0
direct = 0
REM Backround Color
 COLOR BACKDROP black

REM Load Sprites
SPRITE 1, basePosX, 580, 1
SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3

REM Main Loop
DO

REM Alien setup and movement subroutine calls
IF direct = 0 AND alienX <= 0 THEN 
GOSUB alien_right
IF direct = 1 AND alienX >= 750 THEN
GOSUB alien_left

REM Player control
 IF RIGHTKEY() = 1 THEN basePosX = basePosX + 10
 IF basePosX <= 0 THEN basePosX = 0
 IF LEFTKEY() = 1 THEN basePosX = basePosX - 10
 IF basePosX >= 730 THEN basePosX = 730
 SPRITE 1, basePosX, 500, 1
 
 REM Player fire
   IF SPACEKEY() = 1 AND FiredBullet = 0 
	FiredBullet = 1
	bulletPosX = basePosX + 5
	bulletPosY = 580 - 16
   ENDIF
  IF FiredBullet = 1
	GOSUB bullet_fire
  ENDIF
 SYNC
LOOP
REM Bullet firing and movement
bullet_fire:
DEC bulletPosY, 40
SPRITE 2, bulletPosX + 28, bulletPosY - 50, 2
SPRITE 2, bulletPosX + 28, bulletPosY - 50, 2
GOSUB alien_hit
IF BulletPosY <= 0 THEN FiredBullet = 0
RETURN

REM Alien hit detection
alien_hit:
IF SPRITE HIT(2,3) = 1 THEN
DELETE SPRITE 3
RETURN

alien_right:
INC alienX, 5
SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3
direct = 1
RETURN

alien_left:
DEC alienX, 5
SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3
direct = 0
RETURN

+ Code Snippet

Rem Project: galaxy
Rem Created: Thursday, April 28, 2011

Rem ***** Main Source File *****
REM Setup variables/graphics window
SYNC ON
SYNC RATE 60
HIDE MOUSE

gw=800
gh=600
SET DISPLAY MODE gw,gh,16

REM Load Images
LOAD IMAGE "C:\Program Files (x86)\The Game Creators\Dark Basic Professional\Media\Bitmaps\player.bmp",1
LOAD IMAGE "C:\Program Files (x86)\The Game Creators\Dark Basic Professional\Media\Bitmaps\bullet.bmp",2
LOAD IMAGE "C:\Program Files (x86)\The Game Creators\Dark Basic Professional\Media\Bitmaps\alien.bmp",3

REM Setup Variables
basePosX = 400
FiredBullet = 0
alienX = 0
direct = 0
REM Backround Color
 COLOR BACKDROP black

REM Load Sprites
SPRITE 1, basePosX, 580, 1
SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3

REM Main Loop
DO

REM Alien setup and movement subroutine calls
IF direct = 0 AND alienX <= 0 THEN 
GOSUB alien_right
IF direct = 1 AND alienX >= 750 THEN
GOSUB alien_left

REM Player control
 IF RIGHTKEY() = 1 THEN basePosX = basePosX + 10
 IF basePosX <= 0 THEN basePosX = 0
 IF LEFTKEY() = 1 THEN basePosX = basePosX - 10
 IF basePosX >= 730 THEN basePosX = 730
 SPRITE 1, basePosX, 500, 1
 
 REM Player fire
   IF SPACEKEY() = 1 AND FiredBullet = 0 
	FiredBullet = 1
	bulletPosX = basePosX + 5
	bulletPosY = 580 - 16
   ENDIF
  IF FiredBullet = 1
	GOSUB bullet_fire
  ENDIF
 SYNC
LOOP
REM Bullet firing and movement
bullet_fire:
DEC bulletPosY, 40
SPRITE 2, bulletPosX + 28, bulletPosY - 50, 2
SPRITE 2, bulletPosX + 28, bulletPosY - 50, 2
GOSUB alien_hit
IF BulletPosY <= 0 THEN FiredBullet = 0
RETURN

REM Alien hit detection
alien_hit:
IF SPRITE HIT(2,3) = 1 THEN
DELETE SPRITE 3
RETURN

alien_right:
INC alienX, 5
SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3
direct = 1
RETURN

alien_left:
DEC alienX, 5
SPRITE 3, alienX, 1, 3
direct = 0
RETURN

Str8^

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Hodgey

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Joined: 10th Oct 2009

Location: Australia

Posted: 30th Apr 2011 04:04 Edited at: 30th Apr 2011 05:58

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Quote: "Are you using... Internet Explorer"

Haha yes, but it's weird because I can copy Aarbear's code and it's indented, maybe your code is just too good for IE to handle

.

@ Aarbear
It is because you have "and alienx <=0" in your if statement allowing for alien_right, same goes for alien_left. The problem is that the subroutine moves the alien right (increases x position) and if alienx is > 0 then the if statement becomes false because alienx <=0 is not true and the subroutine is no longer called. Hope this makes sense.

Here is an example

Rem ***** Main Source File *****
` variables for circle's position
circlex as integer = 320
circley as integer = 240

` booleans to determine which way the movement goes
` think of these as on/off switches
move_circle_left as boolean = 1
move_circle_right as boolean = 0

sync on : sync rate 60

do
    cls
    ` if the circle has gone too far left turn the move_left switch off
    ` and turn the move_right switch on
    if circlex < 20
        move_circle_left = 0
        move_circle_right = 1
    endif
    
    ` if the circle has gone too far right turn the move_right switch off
    ` and turn the move_left switch on
    if circlex > 620
        move_circle_left = 1
        move_circle_right = 0
    endif
    
    ` if the move_left switch is on then move left
    if move_circle_left = 1
        gosub move_left
    endif
    
    ` if the move_right switch is on then move right
    if move_circle_right = 1
        gosub move_right
    endif
    
    ` draw circle
    circle circlex, circley, 20
    
    ` refresh
    sync
    
loop

move_right:
    inc circlex, 3
return

move_left:
    dec circlex, 3
return

+ Code Snippet

Rem ***** Main Source File *****
` variables for circle's position
circlex as integer = 320
circley as integer = 240

` booleans to determine which way the movement goes
` think of these as on/off switches
move_circle_left as boolean = 1
move_circle_right as boolean = 0

sync on : sync rate 60

do
    cls
    ` if the circle has gone too far left turn the move_left switch off
    ` and turn the move_right switch on
    if circlex < 20
        move_circle_left = 0
        move_circle_right = 1
    endif
    
    ` if the circle has gone too far right turn the move_right switch off
    ` and turn the move_left switch on
    if circlex > 620
        move_circle_left = 1
        move_circle_right = 0
    endif
    
    ` if the move_left switch is on then move left
    if move_circle_left = 1
        gosub move_left
    endif
    
    ` if the move_right switch is on then move right
    if move_circle_right = 1
        gosub move_right
    endif
    
    ` draw circle
    circle circlex, circley, 20
    
    ` refresh
    sync
    
loop

move_right:
    inc circlex, 3
return

move_left:
    dec circlex, 3
return

A clever person solves a problem, a wise person avoids it - Albert Einstein

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Aarbear

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Joined: 29th Apr 2011

Location: New York

Posted: 30th Apr 2011 14:39

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Ah ok, yeah that makes sense. Thanks a lot, good sir.

Str8^

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DarkBASIC Professional Discussion / Choppy Gameplay