How many enterFrame loops are too many

Tom2012 · November 2012

Trying to avoid doing too much every frame, but there's times when I can't figure out another way to do it.

How many enterFrames loops do you aim for? Is it better to just have one?

Scouser · November 2012

Why not just have just one for each scene? Or as some people have eluded to only one for their whole app, attached to the stage.

Unless you are thinking of writing Win-8-RT using Gideros

Even then you could still get by with only 1 enterFrame which updates each object in the scene.

Maybe you could use a state engine and only update certain elements each frame, again from a single enterFrame.

techdojo · November 2012

Personally - I try and use only one and then have each object expose an "update" method that is called.

I believe it to be a cleaner and simpler (and potentially more efficient) approach, plus there's less risk of you forgetting to remove the event listener at a later time and causing hard to find bugs or leaks.

Mells · November 2012

@techdojo
Do you mean something like this (Codea Style)?
(just to be sure that I get it)

Object = Core.class(Sprite)
function Object:init()
     self.count = 0
end
 
function Object:update()
     self.count = self.count + 1
     print ("Count : ", self.count)
end

Scene = Core.class(Sprite)
function Scene:init()
     self:addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, self.update, self)
     self.myObj1 = Object.new()
     self.myObj2 = Object.new()
end
 
function Scene:update()
     self.myObj1:update()
     self.myObj2:update()
end

john26 · November 2012

Personally, I just use one enterFrame listener attached to the stage. But then I've written my code in an old fashioned imperative (non-OO) style. If you're writing in an OO style you might prefer to have an enterFrame for each object so that each object updates itself in an autonomous way.

techdojo · November 2012

@Mells - exactly

at this rate your coding will be as good as your artwork, so *WHEN* is the beta for Game going to open?

Mells · November 2012

@techdojo
I got affected by the.... OCRD (Obsessive Catatonic Refactoring Disorder) (?) virus, but I'm again on track

My next milestone is november 20th but I'd like to start hosting live painting hangouts (G+) before to make people interested. I'll see. Thank you for your interest

techdojo · November 2012

@Mells how about producing some nice high rez wallpapers and hosting them on your site, that might start to generate a little interest - or maybe a "prequel" web comic?

Also rather that live hangouts, how about a youtube tutorial on how to create art in that style with procreate?

plamen · November 2012

I have enterFrame handler on every object in the scene /well almost every/ ships, turrets on the ships, lauchers , missiles. Only engines and propellers run on movie complete event. Its about 70 ships and more than 200 objects total for this example:

On ipod 4, single core 800Mhz Arm, retina, it runs stable with 30 fps. This framework rulez!

atilim · November 2012

@plamen - whoah! looks fantastic! :O

gorkem · November 2012

@plamen I can pay you to be your beta tester ^:)^

OZApps · November 2012

WOW!!

hgvyas123 · November 2012

awesome

Mells · November 2012

@techodojo I'll reply in PM.

@plamen
looks great

techdojo · November 2012

@plamen - looks seriously cool, are you using Box2D to handle the movement and collisions or are you doing it yourself?

plamen · November 2012

Thanks guys, @techdojo - yes i am using box2D for all ships, mines and island hulls, missiles and turret projectiles. All are fully simulated dynamic bodies /except islands and mines which are static/ you can see ship is moving back when hit by missile or turret. Flamethrower and Tesla lightnings are simple movie clips. Mines and small ships using 1 fixture and medium sized ships use 2 circular fixtures per body. Dreadnought is the only with polygon fixture. As i know from MOAI , box2D got some impressive performance and i am happy to find physics here perfectly wrapped.
@Tom2012 I'm using classes for instantiation of ships and their parts and there is enterFrame handler in each class. As you can see it is multiplied by the number of ships and their parts and still its not of a problem. The reason i use 30fps instead of 60 is support for slower devices and to give more time for Box2D to do the magic

gorkem · November 2012

@plamen in case you need i18n / l10n support, we are here :-h

Tom2012 · November 2012

@plamen - wow that looks amazing. Really like the design!

Scouser · November 2012

@plamen: Absolutely awesome.

plamen · November 2012

@gorkem Thanks. I will face the subject very soon probably.

OZApps · November 2012

@plamen, this could well be the "Crimson: Steam Pirates" of Gideros.What are your timelines on the release of this app?

plamen · November 2012

@OZapps, In fact it is inspired by exactly same game. I was about to start writing space game with MOAI when i found there Crimson:Steam Pirates. I tried it and got frustrated of turn based gameplay breaking cool shooting action after each turn. At same time i was following development of Iron Sky /the nazi on the moon movie/ and voila :-) So my idea is to turn the strategy game to a tactical top-down shooter and emphasize more explode/destroy action than strategy moves. I am working on this with my brother who is responsible for music/sfx and if we have luck maybe will manage to release in April or May. I hope maybe earlier...

techdojo · November 2012

Good luck with the project, I hope it's a success.

gianmichele · November 2012

A good postmortem for us would be welcome! Of course I'll buy the game straight when it's out, I love this type of games

gorkem · November 2012

A good postmortem for us would be welcome! Of course I'll buy the game straight when it's out, I love this type of games

I must admit I watched the "trailer"ish video 3 times. I can feel the energy! Go go go plamen !

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