Nice entry Andy! Keep’em comming.
Although you said you dont have initialization code in your libraries, I guess you were referring to library initialization code. My initialization code (graphics, sound, etc) tends to end up in my utilities library exactly because of what you just said: dont repeat code.
When I was talking about initialization stuff, I mean like… To use Flixel or Flashpunk, you first have to call a base game object, then start building on that and using those methods.
My libraries are all distinct functions that don’t require “setup”; you just use them as-needed. I guess it’s the difference between using an enclosed *system* vs. using *tools*.
I haven’t used those two libraries so I won’t use them as an example, but here’s one from Box2D. Let’s say we want to make a box fall with gravity on the screen.
With Box2D:
Install the package;
include the library;
create a box2d scene;
define the world constants;
define the box;
be sure to include weight, friction, density, air density, and all those figures;
hit run;
hope that everything works ok, and despair at you not being able to directly set X/Y coordinates of the box as they are private in Box2D.
With my library:
Include my “tools” folder;
create a square sprite;
call sprite.addGravity(9.81);
box starts falling, and all other properties are still easily used.
(repeat if you want to add friction or air resistance or such)
follow:
Nice entry Andy! Keep’em comming.
Although you said you dont have initialization code in your libraries, I guess you were referring to library initialization code. My initialization code (graphics, sound, etc) tends to end up in my utilities library exactly because of what you just said: dont repeat code.
When I was talking about initialization stuff, I mean like… To use Flixel or Flashpunk, you first have to call a base game object, then start building on that and using those methods.
My libraries are all distinct functions that don’t require “setup”; you just use them as-needed. I guess it’s the difference between using an enclosed *system* vs. using *tools*.
I haven’t used those two libraries so I won’t use them as an example, but here’s one from Box2D. Let’s say we want to make a box fall with gravity on the screen.
With Box2D:
Install the package;
include the library;
create a box2d scene;
define the world constants;
define the box;
be sure to include weight, friction, density, air density, and all those figures;
hit run;
hope that everything works ok, and despair at you not being able to directly set X/Y coordinates of the box as they are private in Box2D.
With my library:
Include my “tools” folder;
create a square sprite;
call sprite.addGravity(9.81);
box starts falling, and all other properties are still easily used.
(repeat if you want to add friction or air resistance or such)