Which method to show/hide sprites?

antix

Hey all. I have a quick performance question for the gurus'

If I have 500 sprites, is it faster to...

a) Add them all to the stage and use setVisible() on them as required.
b) Add and remove them from the stage as required.

tkhnoman

I used (a) approach, but with some modification..

amin13a

c) Store sprites with self method : self.mySprite = Sprite.new() and add and remove them.
500 sprites (visible or invisible) in stage means low fps in low end devices.

antix

@tkhnoman, thanks.

@amin13a, thanks also but now I'm quite confused. I thought creating and destroying sprites rapidly would be really slow?

ar2rsawseen

I think creating destroying is the slowest, as it involves garbage collector.

Hiding and Showing probably should be the fastest, as far as I remember Sprite is removed from rendering then.

SinisterSoft

(a) everytime. But depending on what you are doing it might be best to have two lists, one 'available' and one 'used'. Update the positions of the used ones, if a sprite goes from used to available then take it from the used list and put it in the available list, at the same time make it invisible. Just take a sprite from the available list as you need it.

antix

Thanks all. I think I will stick with method a then

I will keep the multiple list idea in mind but can't see how much faster that would make anything.

SinisterSoft

it depends on the app.

antix

@SinisterSoft - True. I have been thinking and rethinking my own requirements and I will need 2 lists of actors anyway, those that collide and those that don't.

amin13a

Hi again.
if (adding and removing sprites == create and destroy them) then
use a) approach
else
my approach
end

I have tested it guys!

antix

Thanks amin13a, I'm using method a) and its all good