2D Platformer(answered)

[Zerolife]

Im attempting to make a 2D platformer, and i really have no idea how to work out the physics and movement completely. I can get my player to move side to side with the arrow keys, and he stops fine, but when i start implementing physics in anyway into it, it doesnt work as well. Does any have a simple platformer code theyve seen/ have on hand? i've been looking for awhile, and i just keep finding overly complicated things.

[Jacob_]

I don't know if there's a platform engine already, but it's not too hard to make. Since you said you were having problems with physics, here's some pseudocode (adapted from my game, may have bugs):

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class Character {    int x;    int y;    int vx;    int vy;    boolean leftCollision = false;    boolean rightCollision = false;    boolean bottomCollision = false;    boolean topCollision = false;    void processPhysics()    {       if(vx > 0 && !rightKeyPressed)          vx -= 0.025;       else if(vx < 0 && !leftKeyPressed)          vx += 0.025;                 //Gravity        if(!bottomCollision)          vy -= 0.050;                 //Where we move if no collisions      double maxX = x + vx;       double maxY = y + vy;             double distance = Math.sqrt(vx * vx + vy * vy);                 if(distance == 0) //Keep character from getting stuck, this gets it to reset the collision variables                   distance = 0.005;             double i = 0;       double moveX = x;       double moveY = y;             while(i < distance)       {          double pos = i/distance;          //Interpolate between the current and maximum position         moveX = x + dx * pos;          moveY = y + dy * pos;                    ///         //check for collisions here, this depends on your game         ///                  //Handle hits         if(collisionLeft && vx < 0)          {             vx = 0;             leftCollision = true;             break;          }          else             leftCollision = false;          if(collisionRight && vx > 0)          {             vx = 0;             rightCollision = true;             break;          }          else             rightCollision = false;          if(collisionBottom && vy < 0)          {             vy = 0;             bottomCollision = true;             break;          }          else             bottomCollision = false;          if(topCollision && vy > 0)          {             vy = 0;             topCollision = true;             break;          }          else             topCollision = false;          i += 0.005;       }       //Move to the new position      x = moveX;       y = moveY;    } }

Basically you just use a velocity vector, then move the character along that vector until it hits something.

For your controls, just change the x/y velocity appropriately.

[Zerolife]

That surprizingly makes sense. Alright, Ill work with that and see what I can get. thanks so much!

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[Zerolife]

i've looking through, and while a majority of it makes sense, there are some points i dont get because of undeclared variables that are referenced.

moveX = x + dx * pos;
moveY = y + dy * pos;

dx and dy were never initiallized, so im not sure what to do with that. i think you ment vx and vy, but i want to be sure.

if(collisionLeft && vx < 0)
{
     vx = 0;
     leftCollision = true;
     break;
}
else
     leftCollision = false;

collisionLeft was never initiallized. I think you wanted the variable leftCollision, but that wouldnt really make sense to have it be true to get into the if, and then set it true in the loop. The rest of the if statements are like that as well except the last one, which is the way i think this should be.

[Cero]

well, he assumed you would create 4 booleans or methods with boolean returns, called
collisionLeft, collisionRight, collisionTop and collisionBottom

somewhere, you obviously have check whether or not there was/is an collision somewhere

[Zerolife]

ya know, i thought that too at first, but that renders the whole leftCollision, rightCollision ect variables useless. I think i figured that much out. Because no where in the program it says to reset the collision variables, it just resets them inside the if statements. I have figured it out though. Thanks.

[Swattkidd7]

No, I think what he means is, you will have some method or something to check if there is collision and thats where those variables will be reset, set, etc.

For example

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public void checkCollision() {     if(isCollisionGoingLeft)          collisionLeft = true;     else          collisionLeft = false; }

Something like that. The variables are not useless because they are the flags that are set in your collision detection that tells the physics logic what to do. (i.e if(collisionLeft) do code).