How do I update my crouch animation? (anim8)

[MaxGamz]

Ok so I decided to give my character a crouching function and have a variable called Player.crouch to check if the character is crouching or not. The code works as intended however the animations aren't working as well as I'd hope. What is supposed to happen is a transition animation called "hide" before he stays in the crouched position, but the character immediately goes to the crouched position without transition. I tried the keypresses function but without luck.

[pgimeno]

Don't define love.keypressed inside another function; that's not how it's supposed to work. In that place you can use love.keyboard.isScancodeDown instead. Also don't use love.keyboard.isDown, always use the isScancodeDown version if you want your game to be playable by French users (in French keyboards, the WASD keys are actually ZQSD).

The immediate problem that you're having is that after changing self.anim.curr to the hide animation, Player:move() detects that self.crouch = true and then overwrites self.anim.curr with the hat animation. However, you want to change to the hat animation only when the hide one ends.

To do this, remove the line self.anim.curr = self.anim.hat from Player:move(), so that it doesn't get overwritten, and in Player:load change the animation loading line for the hide animation to this:

Code: Select all

    self.anim.hide = anim8.newAnimation(self.grid('22-27', 1), 0.1,
        function () self.anim.curr = self.anim.hat end)

Lastly, you may want to obey the 's' key only when not already crouching, so that the hide animation is not played every time 's' is pressed.

[Bigfoot71]

The problem was partly caused by Player:move at the last condition, the state changing to "hat" while the "hide" anim hadn't even started:

Code: Select all

    else
        if self.crouch == false then
            self.anim_curr = self.anim.idle
        else
            self.anim_curr = self.anim.hat
        end
    end

I don't hide from you that I had trouble identifying the problem, I quickly understood that you tried a lot of things to get by but it quickly became complicated to find your way around, so I took the liberty I tried to clean up the code and I managed to get it to work like that, so I guess it's from the moment I removed the condition I quoted that the problem went away, although I had already made a lot of small modifications, I could not tell you with certainty if there were other problems elsewhere unfortunately.

By the way the code had an error from the launch, it was not very easy to debug

Here's how I rewrote it, it should be easier to maintain:

Code: Select all

Player = {}

function Player:load()

    self.x = love.graphics.getWidth() / 2
    self.y = love.graphics.getHeight() / 2 - 62
    self.spriteSheet = love.graphics.newImage("Sprites/TheWizzl.png")
    self.speed = 400

    self.ground = self.y
    self.yVel = 0
    self.jump_height = -300
    self.gravity = -500

    -- Animation Information

    local grid = anim8.newGrid( -- No need to store this function in the table
        32,32, self.spriteSheet:getWidth(), self.spriteSheet:getHeight()
    )

    self.anim = {}
    self.anim.idle = anim8.newAnimation(grid('1-4', 1), 0.2)
    self.anim.run = anim8.newAnimation(grid('8-11', 1), 0.1)
    self.anim.jump = anim8.newAnimation(grid(19, 1), 0.2)
    self.anim.fall = anim8.newAnimation(grid(20, 1), 0.2)
    self.anim.hide = anim8.newAnimation(grid('22-27', 1), 0.1)
    self.anim.hat = anim8.newAnimation(grid(28, 1), 0.1)
    self.anim.hatWalk = anim8.newAnimation(grid('29-33', 1), 0.1)
    self.anim.getUp = anim8.newAnimation(grid('35-38', 1), 0.1)

    self:setState("idle")
    self.on_anim = false    -- I added this so that the movement does not break the animation of getting up or lying down
    self.crouch = false
    self.switch = 2

end

function Player:setState(state)

    if state ~= self.state then

        self.anim_curr = self.anim[state]
        self.anim_curr:gotoFrame(1)

        self.prev_state = self.state
        self.state = state

    end

end

function Player:update(dt)

    if love.keyboard.isDown("s") then

        if not self.crouch then
            self:setState("hide")
            self.anim_on = true
            self.crouch = true
        end

    end

    if love.keyboard.isDown("space") then

        if self.crouch then
            self:setState("getUp")
            self.anim_on = true
            self.crouch = false
        end

    end

    if love.keyboard.isDown("escape") then
        love.event.quit()
    end

    -- State management --

    local state = self.state

    if state == "hide" then -- You can manage behaviors related to states here

        if self.anim_curr.position == 6 then
            self:setState("hat")
            self.anim_on = false
        end

    elseif state == "getUp" then

        if self.anim_curr.position == 3 then
            self:setState("idle")
            self.anim_on = false
        end

    end

    -- Movement and anim update --

    Player:move(dt)
    Player:jump(dt)

    self.anim_curr:update(dt)

end

function Player:draw()
    self.anim_curr:draw(self.spriteSheet, self.x, self.y, nil, self.switch, 2, 16)
end

function Player:move(dt)

    local onMove;

    if love.keyboard.isDown("a") then
        self.x = self.x - self.speed * dt
        self.switch = -2
        onMove = true

    elseif love.keyboard.isDown("d") then
        self.x = self.x + self.speed * dt
        self.switch = 2
        onMove = true

    end

    if not self.anim_on then

        if onMove then
            self:setState((self.crouch) and "hatWalk" or "run")
        else
            self:setState((self.crouch) and "hat" or "idle")
        end

    end

end

function Player:jump(dt) -- I haven't touched this function.

    if self.crouch == false then

        if love.keyboard.isDown("w") then
            if self.yVel == 0 then
                self.yVel = self.jump_height
            end
        end

        if self.yVel ~= 0 then
            self.y = self.y + self.yVel * dt
            self.yVel = self.yVel - self.gravity * dt
        end

        if self.y > self.ground then
            self.yVel = 0
            self.y = self.ground
        end

        if self.yVel < 0 then
            self.anim_curr = self.anim.jump
        elseif self.yVel > 0 then
            self.anim_curr = self.anim.fall
        end

    end

end

[Bigfoot71]

always use the isScancodeDown version if you want your game to be playable by French users (in French keyboards, the WASD keys are actually ZQSD).

Thank you, finally someone who thinks about it ! I did not dare to add this modification, it should not be imposed but it tempted me well

[MaxGamz]

Don't define love.keypressed inside another function; that's not how it's supposed to work. In that place you can use love.keyboard.isScancodeDown instead. Also don't use love.keyboard.isDown, always use the isScancodeDown version if you want your game to be playable by French users (in French keyboards, the WASD keys are actually ZQSD).

The immediate problem that you're having is that after changing self.anim.curr to the hide animation, Player:move() detects that self.crouch = true and then overwrites self.anim.curr with the hat animation. However, you want to change to the hat animation only when the hide one ends.

To do this, remove the line self.anim.curr = self.anim.hat from Player:move(), so that it doesn't get overwritten, and in Player:load change the animation loading line for the hide animation to this:

Code: Select all

    self.anim.hide = anim8.newAnimation(self.grid('22-27', 1), 0.1,
        function () self.anim.curr = self.anim.hat end)

Lastly, you may want to obey the 's' key only when not already crouching, so that the hide animation is not played every time 's' is pressed.

So do I change it to self.anim.curr = self.anim.hide in the move function?

[MaxGamz]

The problem was partly caused by Player:move at the last condition, the state changing to "hat" while the "hide" anim hadn't even started:

Code: Select all

    else
        if self.crouch == false then
            self.anim_curr = self.anim.idle
        else
            self.anim_curr = self.anim.hat
        end
    end

I don't hide from you that I had trouble identifying the problem, I quickly understood that you tried a lot of things to get by but it quickly became complicated to find your way around, so I took the liberty I tried to clean up the code and I managed to get it to work like that, so I guess it's from the moment I removed the condition I quoted that the problem went away, although I had already made a lot of small modifications, I could not tell you with certainty if there were other problems elsewhere unfortunately.

By the way the code had an error from the launch, it was not very easy to debug

Here's how I rewrote it, it should be easier to maintain:

Code: Select all

Player = {}

function Player:load()

    self.x = love.graphics.getWidth() / 2
    self.y = love.graphics.getHeight() / 2 - 62
    self.spriteSheet = love.graphics.newImage("Sprites/TheWizzl.png")
    self.speed = 400

    self.ground = self.y
    self.yVel = 0
    self.jump_height = -300
    self.gravity = -500

    -- Animation Information

    local grid = anim8.newGrid( -- No need to store this function in the table
        32,32, self.spriteSheet:getWidth(), self.spriteSheet:getHeight()
    )

    self.anim = {}
    self.anim.idle = anim8.newAnimation(grid('1-4', 1), 0.2)
    self.anim.run = anim8.newAnimation(grid('8-11', 1), 0.1)
    self.anim.jump = anim8.newAnimation(grid(19, 1), 0.2)
    self.anim.fall = anim8.newAnimation(grid(20, 1), 0.2)
    self.anim.hide = anim8.newAnimation(grid('22-27', 1), 0.1)
    self.anim.hat = anim8.newAnimation(grid(28, 1), 0.1)
    self.anim.hatWalk = anim8.newAnimation(grid('29-33', 1), 0.1)
    self.anim.getUp = anim8.newAnimation(grid('35-38', 1), 0.1)

    self:setState("idle")
    self.on_anim = false    -- I added this so that the movement does not break the animation of getting up or lying down
    self.crouch = false
    self.switch = 2

end

function Player:setState(state)

    if state ~= self.state then

        self.anim_curr = self.anim[state]
        self.anim_curr:gotoFrame(1)

        self.prev_state = self.state
        self.state = state

    end

end

function Player:update(dt)

    if love.keyboard.isDown("s") then

        if not self.crouch then
            self:setState("hide")
            self.anim_on = true
            self.crouch = true
        end

    end

    if love.keyboard.isDown("space") then

        if self.crouch then
            self:setState("getUp")
            self.anim_on = true
            self.crouch = false
        end

    end

    if love.keyboard.isDown("escape") then
        love.event.quit()
    end

    -- State management --

    local state = self.state

    if state == "hide" then -- You can manage behaviors related to states here

        if self.anim_curr.position == 6 then
            self:setState("hat")
            self.anim_on = false
        end

    elseif state == "getUp" then

        if self.anim_curr.position == 3 then
            self:setState("idle")
            self.anim_on = false
        end

    end

    -- Movement and anim update --

    Player:move(dt)
    Player:jump(dt)

    self.anim_curr:update(dt)

end

function Player:draw()
    self.anim_curr:draw(self.spriteSheet, self.x, self.y, nil, self.switch, 2, 16)
end

function Player:move(dt)

    local onMove;

    if love.keyboard.isDown("a") then
        self.x = self.x - self.speed * dt
        self.switch = -2
        onMove = true

    elseif love.keyboard.isDown("d") then
        self.x = self.x + self.speed * dt
        self.switch = 2
        onMove = true

    end

    if not self.anim_on then

        if onMove then
            self:setState((self.crouch) and "hatWalk" or "run")
        else
            self:setState((self.crouch) and "hat" or "idle")
        end

    end

end

function Player:jump(dt) -- I haven't touched this function.

    if self.crouch == false then

        if love.keyboard.isDown("w") then
            if self.yVel == 0 then
                self.yVel = self.jump_height
            end
        end

        if self.yVel ~= 0 then
            self.y = self.y + self.yVel * dt
            self.yVel = self.yVel - self.gravity * dt
        end

        if self.y > self.ground then
            self.yVel = 0
            self.y = self.ground
        end

        if self.yVel < 0 then
            self.anim_curr = self.anim.jump
        elseif self.yVel > 0 then
            self.anim_curr = self.anim.fall
        end

    end

end

Thanks a lot honestly! There only issue I see is that there is a bug where the character doesn't completely end the falling animation once he hits the ground, but I will surely take you corrections to consideration

[Bigfoot71]

Thanks a lot honestly! There only issue I see is that there is a bug where the character doesn't completely end the falling animation once he hits the ground, but I will surely take you corrections to consideration

But no problem, it's with pleasure, and yes, as I noted in the comments, I didn't modify the last `Player:jump` method.
You can also apply PGimeno's advice, especially with his last example, you should be able to do something even more compact than what I advised

[MaxGamz]

Thanks a lot honestly! There only issue I see is that there is a bug where the character doesn't completely end the falling animation once he hits the ground, but I will surely take you corrections to consideration

But no problem, it's with pleasure, and yes, as I noted in the comments, I didn't modify the last `Player:jump` method.
You can also apply PGimeno's advice, especially with his last example, you should be able to do something even more compact than what I advised

About the jumping mechanic, I thought it was a simple issue and I sort of managed to fix it. However now my character can't preform the getting up animation. Is there another variable I should add? I am also confused about the state stuff.

[Bigfoot71]

About the jumping mechanic, I thought it was a simple issue and I sort of managed to fix it. However now my character can't preform the getting up animation. Is there another variable I should add? I am also confused about the state stuff.

Since I don't have your modifications I can't understand either why after modifying `Player:jump` the player does not stand up anymore... But don't panic!

I gave you an example of what the Player: jump method could look like, it could be optimized but hey, given the little it does for now, it's still very suitable. Here's the full script because I also made a few other changes, like PGimeno's suggestion, which will save you from handling state transitions in conditions in `Player:update` (I also added isScancodeDown instead of isDown, because not easy with an AZERTY keyboard):

Code: Select all

Player = {}

function Player:load()

    self.x = love.graphics.getWidth() / 2
    self.y = love.graphics.getHeight() / 2 - 62
    self.spriteSheet = love.graphics.newImage("Sprites/TheWizzl.png")
    self.speed = 400

    self.ground = self.y
    self.yVel = 0
    self.jump_height = -300
    self.gravity = -500

    -- Animation Information

    local grid = anim8.newGrid( -- No need to store this function in the table
        32,32, self.spriteSheet:getWidth(), self.spriteSheet:getHeight()
    )

    self.anim = {}

    self.anim.idle = anim8.newAnimation(grid('1-4', 1), 0.2)
    self.anim.hat = anim8.newAnimation(grid(28, 1), 0.1)

    self.anim.run = anim8.newAnimation(grid('8-11', 1), 0.1)
    self.anim.hatWalk = anim8.newAnimation(grid('29-33', 1), 0.1)

    self.anim.jump = anim8.newAnimation(grid(19, 1), 0.2)
    self.anim.fall = anim8.newAnimation(grid(20, 1), 0.2)

    self.anim.hide = anim8.newAnimation(grid('22-27', 1), 0.1, function ()
        self:setState("hat")    -- Applies the "hat" state at the end of the animation
        self.on_anim = false
    end)

    self.anim.getUp = anim8.newAnimation(grid('35-38', 1), 0.1, function ()
        self:setState("idle")   -- Applies the "idle" state at the end of the animation
        self.on_anim = false
    end)

    self:setState("idle")
    self.on_anim = false    -- This variable will be used to not launch a walk animation while another is in progress (jump, fall, hide, getUp)
    self.crouch = false
    self.switch = 2

end

function Player:setState(state)

    if state ~= self.state then

        self.anim_curr = self.anim[state]
        self.anim_curr:gotoFrame(1)

        self.prev_state = self.state
        self.state = state

    end

end

function Player:update(dt)

    if love.keyboard.isScancodeDown("s") then

        if not self.crouch
        and self.y == self.ground then  -- To avoid squatting in the air
            self:setState("hide")
            self.on_anim = true
            self.crouch = true
        end

    end

    if love.keyboard.isScancodeDown("space") then

        if self.crouch then
            self:setState("getUp")
            self.on_anim = true
            self.crouch = false
        end

    end

    if love.keyboard.isScancodeDown("escape") then
        love.event.quit()
    end

    -- Movement and anim update --

    Player:move(dt)
    Player:jump(dt)

    self.anim_curr:update(dt)

end

function Player:draw()
    self.anim_curr:draw(self.spriteSheet, self.x, self.y, nil, self.switch, 2, 16)
end

function Player:move(dt)

    local onMove;

    if love.keyboard.isScancodeDown("a") then
        self.x = self.x - self.speed * dt
        self.switch = -2
        onMove = true

    elseif love.keyboard.isScancodeDown("d") then
        self.x = self.x + self.speed * dt
        self.switch = 2
        onMove = true

    end

    if not self.on_anim then

        if onMove then
            self:setState((self.crouch) and "hatWalk" or "run")
        else
            self:setState((self.crouch) and "hat" or "idle")
        end

    end

end

function Player:jump(dt)

    if self.crouch == false then

        if love.keyboard.isScancodeDown("w") then

            if self.yVel == 0 then              -- Start jump action
                self.yVel = self.jump_height
                self:setState("jump")
                self.on_anim = true     -- To prevent the animation from changing in `Player:move`
            end

        end

        if self.yVel ~= 0 then                  -- Perform the jumping movement
            self.y = self.y + self.yVel * dt
            self.yVel = self.yVel - self.gravity * dt
            if self.yVel > 0 then self:setState("fall") end
        end

        if self.y > self.ground then            -- Check if you touch the ground
            self:setState("idle")
            self.on_anim = false        -- Animation can change again in `Player:move`
            self.y = self.ground
            self.yVel = 0
        end

    end

end

Note: I remind you that the `Player:setState` method is only launched if the state given as a parameter is not the current state, it is practical because you do not have to handled the fact whether it should be called or not in the rest of the code. However if the project becomes more substantial it will still be better to manage the condition before the call, because a call remains a little expensive. Well you're not at this stage yet, it's just to say that it's practical but you don't have to get used to it

So I advise you to understand how it works and write your own mechanic afterwards, you will need it anyway if you will use Windfield in the end.

If I ever answered wrong or something is still unclear for you, don't hesitate to ask.

[MaxGamz]

About the jumping mechanic, I thought it was a simple issue and I sort of managed to fix it. However now my character can't preform the getting up animation. Is there another variable I should add? I am also confused about the state stuff.

Since I don't have your modifications I can't understand either why after modifying `Player:jump` the player does not stand up anymore... But don't panic!

I gave you an example of what the Player: jump method could look like, it could be optimized but hey, given the little it does for now, it's still very suitable. Here's the full script because I also made a few other changes, like PGimeno's suggestion, which will save you from handling state transitions in conditions in `Player:update` (I also added isScancodeDown instead of isDown, because not easy with an AZERTY keyboard):

Code: Select all

Player = {}

function Player:load()

    self.x = love.graphics.getWidth() / 2
    self.y = love.graphics.getHeight() / 2 - 62
    self.spriteSheet = love.graphics.newImage("Sprites/TheWizzl.png")
    self.speed = 400

    self.ground = self.y
    self.yVel = 0
    self.jump_height = -300
    self.gravity = -500

    -- Animation Information

    local grid = anim8.newGrid( -- No need to store this function in the table
        32,32, self.spriteSheet:getWidth(), self.spriteSheet:getHeight()
    )

    self.anim = {}

    self.anim.idle = anim8.newAnimation(grid('1-4', 1), 0.2)
    self.anim.hat = anim8.newAnimation(grid(28, 1), 0.1)

    self.anim.run = anim8.newAnimation(grid('8-11', 1), 0.1)
    self.anim.hatWalk = anim8.newAnimation(grid('29-33', 1), 0.1)

    self.anim.jump = anim8.newAnimation(grid(19, 1), 0.2)
    self.anim.fall = anim8.newAnimation(grid(20, 1), 0.2)

    self.anim.hide = anim8.newAnimation(grid('22-27', 1), 0.1, function ()
        self:setState("hat")    -- Applies the "hat" state at the end of the animation
        self.on_anim = false
    end)

    self.anim.getUp = anim8.newAnimation(grid('35-38', 1), 0.1, function ()
        self:setState("idle")   -- Applies the "idle" state at the end of the animation
        self.on_anim = false
    end)

    self:setState("idle")
    self.on_anim = false    -- This variable will be used to not launch a walk animation while another is in progress (jump, fall, hide, getUp)
    self.crouch = false
    self.switch = 2

end

function Player:setState(state)

    if state ~= self.state then

        self.anim_curr = self.anim[state]
        self.anim_curr:gotoFrame(1)

        self.prev_state = self.state
        self.state = state

    end

end

function Player:update(dt)

    if love.keyboard.isScancodeDown("s") then

        if not self.crouch
        and self.y == self.ground then  -- To avoid squatting in the air
            self:setState("hide")
            self.on_anim = true
            self.crouch = true
        end

    end

    if love.keyboard.isScancodeDown("space") then

        if self.crouch then
            self:setState("getUp")
            self.on_anim = true
            self.crouch = false
        end

    end

    if love.keyboard.isScancodeDown("escape") then
        love.event.quit()
    end

    -- Movement and anim update --

    Player:move(dt)
    Player:jump(dt)

    self.anim_curr:update(dt)

end

function Player:draw()
    self.anim_curr:draw(self.spriteSheet, self.x, self.y, nil, self.switch, 2, 16)
end

function Player:move(dt)

    local onMove;

    if love.keyboard.isScancodeDown("a") then
        self.x = self.x - self.speed * dt
        self.switch = -2
        onMove = true

    elseif love.keyboard.isScancodeDown("d") then
        self.x = self.x + self.speed * dt
        self.switch = 2
        onMove = true

    end

    if not self.on_anim then

        if onMove then
            self:setState((self.crouch) and "hatWalk" or "run")
        else
            self:setState((self.crouch) and "hat" or "idle")
        end

    end

end

function Player:jump(dt)

    if self.crouch == false then

        if love.keyboard.isScancodeDown("w") then

            if self.yVel == 0 then              -- Start jump action
                self.yVel = self.jump_height
                self:setState("jump")
                self.on_anim = true     -- To prevent the animation from changing in `Player:move`
            end

        end

        if self.yVel ~= 0 then                  -- Perform the jumping movement
            self.y = self.y + self.yVel * dt
            self.yVel = self.yVel - self.gravity * dt
            if self.yVel > 0 then self:setState("fall") end
        end

        if self.y > self.ground then            -- Check if you touch the ground
            self:setState("idle")
            self.on_anim = false        -- Animation can change again in `Player:move`
            self.y = self.ground
            self.yVel = 0
        end

    end

end

Note: I remind you that the `Player:setState` method is only launched if the state given as a parameter is not the current state, it is practical because you do not have to handled the fact whether it should be called or not in the rest of the code. However if the project becomes more substantial it will still be better to manage the condition before the call, because a call remains a little expensive. Well you're not at this stage yet, it's just to say that it's practical but you don't have to get used to it

So I advise you to understand how it works and write your own mechanic afterwards, you will need it anyway if you will use Windfield in the end.

If I ever answered wrong or something is still unclear for you, don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks! I was mostly just confused about how states work. I am not very experiences with coding in Lua and I've only made one game with Love2D so I apologize if my code seemed a bit amateurish. I'll try my best to tinker around to make it my own since it feels weird using someone else's code lol. But thanks for all the help.