How do you make Random CPU Movement?

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How do you make Random CPU Movement?

Anonymous (138.88.243.x) 01 Feb 2008 22:32

So I'm trying to make a program where you move around and shoot ships (like Galaxian). But I have two questions:

1. The ship comes up at a random place on the grid (using ranInt(1,8

Now, I want it to move slowly around in a random direction and if it gets to the edge of the screen come back.

2. When you click 2ed, a missile fires, but how do I move it in a straight line and if it collides with the enemy kill it? I also want your ship to be able to move while this is happening.

Re: How do you make Random CPU Movement?

alexrudd 02 Feb 2008 00:00

Well, hello wariofart. So nice of you to introduce yourself. :P

I suggest we stick to the UTI topic.

Re: How do you make Random CPU Movement?

Socks 02 Feb 2008 00:03

Perhaps for the random direction, use

:randInt(0,1->A //Or whatever available variable you aren't using.
:Z+(A=0 and Z<16)-(A=1 and Z>1->Z // Or whatever variable is keeping track of the position of the enemy ship

For the missile, store the current position of your ship to a variable, and use that for the position of the missile.

:If K=21 //Check that the key was second, substitute whatever you used for the getKey instead of K
:If N=0 //Check that there are no missiles on the screen.
:Output(N,M,"  //One space. Clear previous missile.
:M+1->M
:Output(N,M,"^ //or missile character
Movement code here.
:If M=1 and N=Z
Code for enemy dead, could be delete it, could be draw a new enemy.

---

/Socks

Re: How do you make Random CPU Movement?

burr 02 Feb 2008 03:11

@wariofart: It's kind of a customary thing around here to create an account and introduce yourself if you want help with a problem. That is why alexrudd responded like he did.

On to your questions…

Your first question is actually rather ambiguous, since you say you want it to move in a random direction, and at the same time you say you want it to come back if it reaches the edge of the screen. This makes me believe you just want it to get the initial direction randomly, and then use that from then on. Is this correct?

As it turns out, moving a ship randomly on the screen is not too difficult, and just involves using some variables to keep track of the directions (up/down and left/right). Here is a simple example:

:ClrHome
:DelVar S4→X  // direction | X coordinate
:DelVar T4→Y  // direction | Y coordinate
:Repeat getKey
:Output(Y,X,"X
:If dim(rand(10  // short delay
:randInt(1,4→A  // 1=DN, 2=UP, 3=RT, 4=LT
:(Ans=1)-(Ans=2→S  // X coordinate
:(A=3)-(A=4→T  // Y coordinate
:Output(Y,X," (1 space)
:S(X>1 and X<16)+(X=1)-(X=16→S  // enforce the screen boundaries
:T(Y>1 and Y<8)+(Y=1)-(Y=8→T  // enforce the screen boundaries
:X+S→X:Y+T→Y
:End

I'm going to hold off answering your second question until I get an answer on the first question.

Last edited on 02 Feb 2008 08:27 by burr Show more

Re: How do you make Random CPU Movement?

Anonymous (138.88.243.x) 02 Feb 2008 14:00

Ok, that works thanks!

And sorry for not introducing myself :(