HUMP - yet another set of helpers

[MarekkPie]

Yeah, my bad.

[mofr]

Very nice and compact lib, vdrl, thank you!

What do you think about multiple timer instances in one game?
For example, one timer for one game state.

Something like this:

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-- load library
hump_timer = require 'hump.timer'

-- create timer instance with separate update, add, addPeriodic etc functions
timer1 = hump_timer.new() 

-- another instance
timer2 = hump_timer.new()

-- timer1:add(1, function() end )
-- timer2:add(1, function() end )
-- timer1:update(dt)
-- timer2:update(dt)
-- etc

[vrld]

I've given that some thought but went with a single instance timer because of two reasons:

1. It's a more compact implementation, and more importantly
2. It's an easier, more direct interface.

I don't really see the benefit of having timer instances, but am willing to implement it if there is reason that outweighs having a simple interface.One timer per gamestate is (imo) no such reason: To avoid timers to "leak" from the previous to the current state, you tend to clear all timers (Timer.clear) anyway when switching state.

[mofr]

The main reason is possibility to pause a group of timers.
Example. There are two states: game process and menu. When user enters menu I have to pause game timers (to allow user continue game and its timers) and run menu timers. When user resumes a game I have to pause menu timers and continue updating only playgame-state timers.

P.S. sorry for my english.

[mofr]

Example 2. Arkanoid. Level finished and I add a timer function with level changing code. Then I press escape to enter menu and pause the game, but no way to pause my timer function with level transition.

Whether correctly I use the hump timer library?

[vrld]

That are some compelling points. However, I am still not fully convinced to drop the simple interface (maybe we can have a hybrid approach though). Can you give an example of timers you need to run during the pause menu, but not during the game?

[mofr]

Can you give an example of timers you need to run during the pause menu, but not during the game?

There are various delayed and periodical animations and events, which I want to add to my menu (not only menu gamestate).
Concrete examples:

• After "resume game" click, we run menu dissappearance animation (or another transition effect) and only then (1 sec, for example) continue the game;
• Run some demo when user wait for long enough (remember mortal combat).

There are two little (imo) differencies between current simple interface and complicated:
1. Minimal library initialization requires two lines of code

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timer = require 'hump.timer'

versus complicated

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hump_timer = require 'hump.timer'
timer = hump_timer()

2. Methods versus library functions:

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timer.update(dt)

versus complicated

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timer:update(dt)

[vrld]

You convinced me.

You can now create individual timers:

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local Timer = require 'hump.timer'
function love.load()
    foo = Timer.new()
    bar = Timer()
    foo:addPeriodic(5, function()
        print('foo')
        bar:add(1, function() print('bar') end)
    end)
end
function love.update(dt)
    foo:update(dt)
    bar:update(dt/2)
end

For the sake of simplicity, there is a global/default timer, which you can access just like before, i.e.

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Timer.add(1, function() print('baz') end

Note that timer objects use the : syntax, while the default timer uses the . as before.

[mofr]

Many thanks, vrld!
Default/global timer is very good idea. Backward compatibility and simple interface are preserved.

[summered]

I'm now using the gamestate lib, and it is amazingly simple to use.

Thanks a lot for building and releasing it.