SplashScreen flickering in my 3D game

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SS45

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Posted: 6th Mar 2013 17:40

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Hi there.
In my game i have some bitmaps that i want to displaay on my screen...basically a splashscreen. the problem is the\at it is flickering.
Here is an example of one of them.
(It is a Bitmap with a question on it.)

+ Code Snippet

do
   load bitmap "E:\Game Images\Question Bitmaps\L1Q1.bmp"
   sync
   if inkey$()="a" then goto _WrongAnswer
   if inkey$()="b" then goto _WrongAnswer
   if inkey$()="c" then goto _CorrectAnswerLevelOneQ1
   if inkey$()="d" then goto _WrongAnswer
loop

If I put it outside a Do loop then it only flashes once and moves on; and if I take out the SYNC then it will not load agail when it repeats.

-Sa

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Chris Tate

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Posted: 6th Mar 2013 18:37 Edited at: 6th Mar 2013 18:37

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Use

+ Code Snippet

load bitmap "E:\Game Images\Question Bitmaps\L1Q1.bmp", 1
set current bitmap 0
do
   copy bitmap 1, 0
   sync
   if inkey$()="a" then goto _WrongAnswer
   if inkey$()="b" then goto _WrongAnswer
   if inkey$()="c" then goto _CorrectAnswerLevelOneQ1
   if inkey$()="d" then goto _WrongAnswer
loop

or

+ Code Snippet

load image"E:\Game Images\Question Bitmaps\L1Q1.bmp", 1
do
   paste image 1, 0, 0
   sync
   if inkey$()="a" then goto _WrongAnswer
   if inkey$()="b" then goto _WrongAnswer
   if inkey$()="c" then goto _CorrectAnswerLevelOneQ1
   if inkey$()="d" then goto _WrongAnswer
loop

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ShellfishGames

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Posted: 6th Mar 2013 18:56

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Chris Tate's second solution seems to be the best option here. If you simply want to load and display an image, use the image commands (or even sprites, but in this case images should suffice). I believe bitmaps (I'm not referring to the file format, but the DBP-bitmap-commands - bmp-files can also be loaded as image) are used for more complex cases that, for instance, involve drawing only to certain areas of the screen (which would be required when implementing something like a split screen mode of a 2D game).

Also, "load image" (as well as load bitmap and basically all other load commands) should always be called before the main loop, not inside it, since the media that is loaded stays in the memory until you delete it (or the program ends).
The drawing however, as well as the key checks, should be implemented inside of a loop, since otherwise the commands will be executed just once - in this case the image would be drawn once very quickly, after that the 4 if-statements would all check whether a key is pressed and probably return "false", and then your program continues with whatever comes after that (or just end when there's no more code left).

If those things have already been clear to you, sorry about that, but after reading your post I wasn't quite sure.

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Chris Tate

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Posted: 6th Mar 2013 23:36 Edited at: 6th Mar 2013 23:41

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Quote: "I believe bitmaps ... are used for more complex cases that, for instance, involve drawing only to certain areas of the screen (which would be required when implementing something like a split screen mode of a 2D game)."

Now, now, there is nothing quite wrong with using bitmaps to display images; the person who created Dark Basic often used the same procedure with bitmaps to display images in FPSC. Bitmaps can be used in simple cases too.

The end result of both snippets is an image displayed on the screen; correct me if I am mistaken. Only the second method is simply what 'most people' find comfortable, or what they are used to seeing each other use.

One advantage of using bitmaps is that you can easily draw additional graphics onto them without having to redraw such elements whilst displaying the result at variable sizes with clipped ranges; something not so easy with images. In this instance, neither images, sprites, camera backdrops, 3d planes or bitmaps will make a significant difference to the result of displaying an image on the screen. As they say, it's not what the tool is called or what it was intended for, but what it produces.

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SS45

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Posted: 7th Mar 2013 17:14

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@ Chris Tate,
I tried both of your suggestions, but the same results come.
Any other ideas?
I've tried making different DO LOOPs with different commands to get the bitmap to load, but it always ends up flickering, or not loading.
By the way, the game is 3D, so I have a function before loading the splash where I delete all the objects.

-Sa

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Chris Tate

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Posted: 7th Mar 2013 23:50

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Flickering playback indicates that either the sync command has been used without activating it using 'sync on' or something else is disrupting your view.

Unless someone recognizes this issue of the bat, your best bet is to post up all of the code so we can see the problem.

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SS45

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Posted: 8th Mar 2013 17:16

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Here it is.

Remstart
   The Castle Of Questions
   By Sahil Sanghvi and Cameron Kesig
   Date Created - 1.14.13
   Date Last Updated - 3.8.13
Remend
REM Startup Section
sync rate 12000
hide mouse
cls 1
load bitmap "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\splash.bmp"
sync
REM Control Input
do
   if Keystate(scancode()) =1 then gosub Mainsection
   sync
loop

REM *** Loading Music
Load music "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Music\Bangin Horns.mp3",7

Mainsection:
cls
load bitmap "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\instructions.bmp"
set text size 50 : set text font "french sciript 93" : ink rgb(153,51,153),0
center text 310,400, "Press any key to continue"
wait key
cls

REM *** Loading Music
Load music "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Music\Bangin Horns.mp3",7

Gosub LevelOne:

REM *** Room
_roomlabel:
ink rgb(225,0,0),0 : set text size 16
text 0,0, "Find the hidden letter that is somwhere in the room. Then, press that key to get the questions for the level."
text 0,18, "If you are correct, then you will automatically go to the next question."
wait key
cls

REM *** Music
Play music 7
loop music 7
set music volume 7,200

REM *** Man
load object "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\models\Man\roomdemo.x",1
set object specular 1,0
xrotate object 1,270
fix object pivot 1
rotate object 1,0,180,0
set object speed 1,12
make object collision box 1,-40,0,-40,40,150,40,1
position object 1, 0,0,0
set object collision on 1

REM *** Room
REM *** Room images
load image "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\Qmark.bmp",9,0
load image "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\flo.bmp",10,0
load image "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\window.bmp",11,0
load image "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\wall.bmp",12,0
REM *** Floor
make object plain 2,1000,1000
xrotate object 2,270
texture object 2,10
REM *** The north wall
Make object plain 3,1000,1000
position object 3,0,500,500
texture object 3,11
REM *** The west wall
make object plain 4,1000,1000
position object 4,-500,500,0
yrotate object 4,90
texture object 4,12
REM *** The east wall
make object plain 5,1000,1000
position object 5,500,500,0
yrotate object 5,90
texture object 5,12
REM *** The South Wall
make object plain 6,1000,1000
position object 6,0,500,-500
texture object 6,12
REM *** The Question Totems
Make object box 8,50,500,50
position object 8,250,250,70
texture object 8,9
make object collision box 1,225,0,70,275,500,20,1
set object collision on 8

REM *** Camera Variables
sync
facing# = 180
REM *** Controls and Camera Movement

do
if upkey() then move object 1,1: walk = 1
   if downkey() then move object 1,-1 : walk = 1
   if leftkey() then yrotate object 1, wrapvalue(object angle y(1)-4) : walk = 1
   if leftkey() then facing# = facing# - 4.5
   if rightkey() then yrotate object 1, wrapvalue(object angle y(1)+4) : walk = 1
   if rightkey() then facing# = facing# + 4.5
   if inkey$()="h" then gosub LevelOneQuestionOne:
   if Inkey$()="q"
      for x = 1 to 100
         if object exist(x) = 1 then delete object x
      next x
   gosub EndSection
   endif
   sync
   set camera to follow object position x(1), object position y(1), object position z(1), facing#, 300, 200, 200, 1
   sync
loop

_Restart:
REM ** Starting over...
do
   load bitmap "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\splash.bmp"
   sync
   if Keystate(scancode()) =1 then gosub Mainsection
   sync
loop

Rem *** Level one
_WrongAnswer:
cls
do
   text 200,200, "Wrong Answer. Press 'esc' to exit."
loop

LevelOne:
load bitmap "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\one.bmp"
wait 1000
cls
goto _roomlabel

LevelOneQuestionOne:
cls

for x = 1 to 100
   delete object (x)
   next x
sync
cls
sync on
do
   load bitmap "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\Question Bitmaps\L1Q1.bmp"
   sync
   if inkey$()="a" then goto _WrongAnswer
   if inkey$()="b" then goto _WrongAnswer
   if inkey$()="c" then goto _CorrectAnswerLevelOneQ1
   if inkey$()="d" then goto _WrongAnswer
loop

+ Code Snippet

Remstart
   The Castle Of Questions
   By Sahil Sanghvi and Cameron Kesig
   Date Created - 1.14.13
   Date Last Updated - 3.8.13
Remend
REM Startup Section
sync rate 12000
hide mouse
cls 1
load bitmap "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\splash.bmp"
sync
REM Control Input
do
   if Keystate(scancode()) =1 then gosub Mainsection
   sync
loop

REM *** Loading Music
Load music "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Music\Bangin Horns.mp3",7

Mainsection:
cls
load bitmap "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\instructions.bmp"
set text size 50 : set text font "french sciript 93" : ink rgb(153,51,153),0
center text 310,400, "Press any key to continue"
wait key
cls

REM *** Loading Music
Load music "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Music\Bangin Horns.mp3",7

Gosub LevelOne:

REM *** Room
_roomlabel:
ink rgb(225,0,0),0 : set text size 16
text 0,0, "Find the hidden letter that is somwhere in the room. Then, press that key to get the questions for the level."
text 0,18, "If you are correct, then you will automatically go to the next question."
wait key
cls

REM *** Music
Play music 7
loop music 7
set music volume 7,200

REM *** Man
load object "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\models\Man\roomdemo.x",1
set object specular 1,0
xrotate object 1,270
fix object pivot 1
rotate object 1,0,180,0
set object speed 1,12
make object collision box 1,-40,0,-40,40,150,40,1
position object 1, 0,0,0
set object collision on 1



REM *** Room
REM *** Room images
load image "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\Qmark.bmp",9,0
load image "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\flo.bmp",10,0
load image "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\window.bmp",11,0
load image "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\wall.bmp",12,0
REM *** Floor
make object plain 2,1000,1000
xrotate object 2,270
texture object 2,10
REM *** The north wall
Make object plain 3,1000,1000
position object 3,0,500,500
texture object 3,11
REM *** The west wall
make object plain 4,1000,1000
position object 4,-500,500,0
yrotate object 4,90
texture object 4,12
REM *** The east wall
make object plain 5,1000,1000
position object 5,500,500,0
yrotate object 5,90
texture object 5,12
REM *** The South Wall
make object plain 6,1000,1000
position object 6,0,500,-500
texture object 6,12
REM *** The Question Totems
Make object box 8,50,500,50
position object 8,250,250,70
texture object 8,9
make object collision box 1,225,0,70,275,500,20,1
set object collision on 8


REM *** Camera Variables
sync
facing# = 180
REM *** Controls and Camera Movement

do
if upkey() then move object 1,1: walk = 1
   if downkey() then move object 1,-1 : walk = 1
   if leftkey() then yrotate object 1, wrapvalue(object angle y(1)-4) : walk = 1
   if leftkey() then facing# = facing# - 4.5
   if rightkey() then yrotate object 1, wrapvalue(object angle y(1)+4) : walk = 1
   if rightkey() then facing# = facing# + 4.5
   if inkey$()="h" then gosub LevelOneQuestionOne:
   if Inkey$()="q"
      for x = 1 to 100
         if object exist(x) = 1 then delete object x
      next x
   gosub EndSection
   endif
   sync
   set camera to follow object position x(1), object position y(1), object position z(1), facing#, 300, 200, 200, 1
   sync
loop

_Restart:
REM ** Starting over...
do
   load bitmap "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\splash.bmp"
   sync
   if Keystate(scancode()) =1 then gosub Mainsection
   sync
loop



Rem *** Level one
_WrongAnswer:
cls
do
   text 200,200, "Wrong Answer. Press 'esc' to exit."
loop


LevelOne:
load bitmap "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\one.bmp"
wait 1000
cls
goto _roomlabel

LevelOneQuestionOne:
cls

   for x = 1 to 100
   delete object (x)
   next x
sync
cls
sync on
do
   load bitmap "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\Question Bitmaps\L1Q1.bmp"
   sync
   if inkey$()="a" then goto _WrongAnswer
   if inkey$()="b" then goto _WrongAnswer
   if inkey$()="c" then goto _CorrectAnswerLevelOneQ1
   if inkey$()="d" then goto _WrongAnswer
loop

-Sa

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Chris Tate

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Location: London, England

Posted: 9th Mar 2013 00:16 Edited at: 9th Mar 2013 00:23

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As suspected; you will need to use [Sync On], before using the [sync] command; it literally prepares the engine to wait for your sync command before rendering (or refreshing) the scene.

Just a little question, why did you use the sync command anyway?

At this point;

+ Code Snippet

do
   if Keystate(scancode()) =1 then gosub Mainsection
   sync
loop

you are rendering the scene that is already being rendered automatically.

Quote: "By default, sync is set to off which allows the system to automatically handle screen refreshing. When SYNC ON is used, your program is responsible for handling screen refreshing."

There are some other things to watch out for;

Quote: "load bitmap "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\images\splash.bmp""

This is quite suitable for the splash screen you are creating, but you have flickered this bitmap away when you used the Sync command without first using Sync On, but generally, you need not use any sync commands at first.

You should have done something like this at the start for the splash screen:

+ Code Snippet

Load Bitmap "file"
For i = 1 to 5 : Wait 1000 : Next i

That will suffice for a splash screen, it shows the bitmap for 5 seconds.

If you must use the sync command, you should specify a bitmap ID since the current bitmap (0) is the screen; not specifying the ID references the current bitmap, the screen by default, which is always wiped off by the next frame of rendering when sprites or 3D is active. Specifying another bitmap would store the image in memory, which can be copied to the screen. Take another look at the first examples I gave.

Quote: "sync rate 12000"

This is not a good idea. What you are telling the CPU is to render the scene 12,000 times per second, which is extreme. Most people tend to synchronize 60 times per second, but it depends on the application. Sometimes 30 is better, other times setting it to the maximum possible by using a value of zero is desirable.

I am sure you will change this as stated earlier

+ Code Snippet

do
   load bitmap "E:\advanced tech\edutainment\Game Images\Question Bitmaps\L1Q1.bmp"
   sync
   if inkey$()="a" then goto _WrongAnswer
   if inkey$()="b" then goto _WrongAnswer
   if inkey$()="c" then goto _CorrectAnswerLevelOneQ1
   if inkey$()="d" then goto _WrongAnswer
loop

There are other problems with your code that I am sure you will correct as you get better, but one that can be quite detrimental to your progress is your use of the GoSub command, and in particular your use of the GoTo Command.

Generally speaking, a sub routine (gosub) should be a routine that forms part of a larger procedure, and should be concluded with a Return statement which sends the flow back to the calling procedure. But you are using it and the GoTo command as means to structure logic, which is breaking up the flow of the logic.

These structures of program logic will be more easy to work with in the long run:

+ Code Snippet

If Condition
  Action
Else
  Alternative Action
EndIf

` Or

If Condition
  Action
Else
  If Condition
    Action
  Else
    Alternative Action
  EndIf
EndIf

` Instead of
If Condition Then Goto/Gosub ActionLabel
[i]Alternative Action

` Also... use

While Condition
  Action
EndWhile

` or similar, instead of

Do
  If Condition GoTo/Gosub ActionLabel
  Alternative Action
loop

Remember sub routines are a part of a large routine; hence the phrase 'sub' routine

Good ways to use Gosub (or functions)

+ Code Snippet

` Set up program
Gosub SetupData
Gosub LoadImages
Gosub Prepare
Do
  Gosub UpdateCharacters
  Gosub UpdateEnemies
  Gosub UpdateImages
  Sync
Loop

` Each label is closed of with a return statement, with the inner code indented

Goto is never used in logical programming in this fashion, only to rearly skip past a small section of code or to exit a series of loops in loops.

Its a lot to consider and seems pointless at first, but it all makes sense when you start hitting bugs that need tracking; logically structured code is just simply easier to perfect.

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SS45

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Posted: 12th Mar 2013 16:12

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@Chris Tate Thanks very much!
With your help I managed to fix my game!
Just one more question: Is there an alternative to using static collision boxes (they don't seem to work for me) that I can use but still have objects not go through each other?
Once again, THANKS so much for helping!

-Sa

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Chris Tate

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Posted: 12th Mar 2013 22:53 Edited at: 12th Mar 2013 22:57

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My pleasure SS45.

They have created a number of collision and trigger systems because the standard commands are limited. Here are alternatives; just work from the examples provided in the downloads, once you do that you will be more unlikely to struggle...

Dark Dynamix | Dark Physics (Popular NVidea PhysX wrappers, Dynamix the more recent and the one I like to use) One of these are a good place to start, using these kinds of plugins lets the computer do more of the work, giving you more time to work on the game.

Additionally, Sparkys Collision should be used as a free replacement for all of the standard collision commands; although not directly hardware accelerated like the PhysX plugins, sometimes a CPU calculation is easiest to work with, and SPC is smarter than the standard collision system.

All the static stuff in the GameFX help file is pretty much Lee's toolbox for creating the FPS Creator x number of years ago; most people avoid using many of those commands in today's programming; They're quite dated, these days games throw the collision burden on NVidea; unless you're Valve or Blizzard entertainment.

If you are only interested in a short term free solution, there is a free edition of Dynamix available.

What also is quite handy is Matrix1's zone commands, you can use statements like IF Point In Zone(ID). Where the point is a characters location, you can check the area the player is in; obviously what applies to one object as the player can apply to all objects.

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DarkBASIC Professional Discussion / SplashScreen flickering in my 3D game