Animation Class

[Graziano Mesina]

Hi, I'm writng my first maze game.

I've based my project from the http://www.cokeandcode.com tutorials (spaceinvaders and tilemaps)

So, I've a Game class, Sprite, SpriteStore, Entity,Enemy,Player and Bonus

Now I want to create an animation (like cartoons) for Entity and bonus objects;  I think that a good idea is to create a class like the Animation class from "new riders java game developers" book.
The Animation class will extends the sprite class and contain this methods:

1	public synchronized void addFrame(Image image,long duration)

Adds an image to the animation with the specified duration (time to display the image).

1	public synchronized void start()

Starts this animation over from the beginning.

1	public synchronized void update(long elapsedTime)

Updates this animation's current image (frame), if neccesary.

1	public synchronized Sprite getImage()

Gets this Animation's current image. Returns null if this animation has no images.

The sprite class is the original class from Spaceinvaders tutorial http://www.cokeandcode.com/info/showsrc/showsrc.php?src=../spaceinvaders/org/newdawn/spaceinvaders/Sprite.java

The constructor of Animation is:
[CODE] public Animation(ArrayList frames, long totalDuration) [/CODE]

so, in the Sprite class I've add an empty constructor

What do you think?? it's a good idea??

[fletchergames]

Yes, it's a good idea.

I don't know why you bothered to synchronize the methods though.

[Graziano Mesina]

that methods were taken from "new Riders developing java game".... I don't use threads so my methods don't have "synchronized" (forgive me the mistake  )

Now I've a small doubt:  the SpriteStore class have a

[CODE]public Sprite getSprite(String ref)[/CODE]
that return a Sprite and ref  is the reference to the image to use for the sprite

The  addFrame method from Animation class is:

[CODE] public void addFrame(Image image,long duration) [/CODE]

so, if I extends Animation from Sprite I've to modify addFrame, it's correct??

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[fletchergames]

From the 2 method declarations you posted, you don't necessarily have to change either method.  It might be better if you did change one or both of them, but it's up to you.