SpriteJump

A Jumping Sprite

These two demos show one way to code a jumping sprite. Essentially, both demos are the same, the only difference being the first uses [BranchLabelEvents] and the second uses called SubEventHandlers. There are certainly other ways to achieve jumping. The two demos here are intended for the novice game coder.

The Sprite Basics

The first step is to understand how to use sprites. If you are just learning how to code sprites, I highly recommend The Sprite Byte Tutorials by -

Alyce .

You can also find these installments of the Sprite Byte Series by -

Sprite Jumping

There are two ways to cause movement of sprite. One is to issue a SPRITEMOVEXY command. The other is to find the current x, y coordinates of the sprite with the SPRITEXY? command, increment the x, y or both, and then issue a SPRITEXY command. The technique used in these two demos uses the second method. SPRITEXY? and SPRITEXY are two different commands.

There are two parts to a jump, the ascending motion and the descending motion. It is the y value that determines height. Because y begins at the upper border of the graphics window (or graphicbox) and increments down, movement toward a lesser y results in an upward movement and movement toward a greater y results in a downward movement. Coding a jump must move upward to a minimum y and then back to the baseline y. Ideally, if the sprite is already in a left or right movement, the jump movement should jump in that direction. If sprite is in a standstill state, the jump movement should be vertical. It is up to the coder to keep track of which of the three movements states (left, right, and jump) are active.

Active states are kept in variable flags. This demo uses the flags xDir and yDir to keep track of active direction states.

xDir = 0 ' No horizontal movement
xDir = 1 ' Movement to Left
xDir = 2 ' Movement to Right
yDir = 0 ' No vertical movement
yDir = 1 ' Movement Up
yDir = 2 ' Movement Down

Coding should allow both xDir and yDir to be in active movement states simultaneously.

The Demos

The first demo uses [BranchEventLabels]. Because all code resides within the main program, all variables are recognized throughout. The Timer is fired every 50 milliseconds. Each time the Timer is fired, a DRAWSPRITES command is issued, whether or not any change in the x or y variables has been made.

OldKey holds the ASCII value of the last key pressed. NewKey holds the ASCII value of the current key pressed. If horizontal movement is active and

OldKey = NewKey

then horizontal movement stops. Horizontal cannot be stopped until the jump is completed and the sprite returns to baseline y. In this way, the user can both initiate and cease horizontal movement.

The second demo uses all SubEventHandlers. Because variables assigned in the main program are local to the main program, the three flag variables, OldKey, xDir and yDir must be declared as Global variables. Currently, there is a bug when using a timer to fire a sub event handler, causing the program to hang. Including a WAIT statement before END SUB compensates for that bug.

Demo 1: Using Branch Event Labels

    Nomainwin
' OldKey holds last pressed key
    OldKey = 0
 
' xDir and yDir hold moving directions
    xDir = 0: yDir = 0
 
    WindowWidth = 757
    WindowHeight = 595
 
    UpperLeftX = Int((DisplayWidth - WindowWidth) /2)
    UpperLeftY = Int((DisplayHeight - WindowHeight) /2)
 
    Menu #demo, "&Options", "E&xit", [Quit]
    Graphicbox #demo.gb1, 0, 0, 750, 550
 
    Open "Controlling Sprites" for Window as #demo
    #demo, "Trapclose [Quit]"
 
' Load the background bmp
    Loadbmp "bg", "SPRITES\BG1.bmp"
    #demo.gb1, "Down; Background bg; Drawsprites"
 
' Load the sprites
    Loadbmp "cm1", "SPRITES\cave1.bmp"
    Loadbmp "cm2", "SPRITES\cave2.bmp"
    #demo.gb1, "Addsprite cm cm1 cm1 cm2 cm2"
 
' Set the initial cyclesprite command to 0
    #demo.gb1, "Cyclesprite cm 0"
 
' Set inital x, y variables (cm facing right to start)
    #demo.gb1, "Spritexy cm 350 450"
 
' Trap keypresses
    #demo.gb1, "When characterInput [KeyPress]"
    #demo.gb1, "Setfocus"
 
' Set the timer
    Timer 50, [SeeSprites]
    Wait
 
[Quit]
    Timer 0
    Unloadbmp "bg"
    Close #demo
    End
 
[KeyPress]
    NewKey = Asc(Right$(Inkey$, 1))
    #demo.gb1, "Spritexy? cm x y"
    Select Case NewKey
        Case 37
            #demo.gb1, "Spriteorient cm mirror"
            If OldKey = NewKey Then
                xDir = 0
                NewKey = 0
            Else
                xDir = 1
            End If
        Case 38
            yDir = 1
        Case 39
            #demo.gb1, "Spriteorient cm normal"
            If OldKey = NewKey Then
                xDir = 0
                NewKey = 0
            Else
                xDir = 2
            End If
    End Select
    OldKey = NewKey
    Wait
 
[SeeSprites]
    #demo.gb1, "Spritexy? cm x y"
    Select Case yDir
        Case 1 ' Up
            y = y - 10
            If y < 350 Then
                yDir = 2
                y = 350
            End If
        Case 2 ' Down
            y = y + 10
            If y > 450 Then
                yDir = 0
                y = 450
            End If
    End Select
    Select Case xDir
        Case 1 ' Left
            x = x - 7
            If x < 5 Then
                xDir = 0
                x = 10
            End If
        Case 2 ' Right
            x = x + 7
            If x > 710 Then
                xDir = 0
                x = 700
            End If
    End Select
    If xDir + yDir > 0 Then
        #demo.gb1, "Cyclesprite cm 1"
    Else
        #demo.gb1, "Cyclesprite cm 0"
    End If
    #demo.gb1, "Spritexy cm ";x;" ";y
    #demo.gb1, "Setfocus; Drawsprites"
    Wait

Demo 2 Using Sub Event Handlers

    Global OldKey, xDir, yDir
' OldKey holds last pressed key
    OldKey = 0
 
' xDir and yDir hold moving directions
    xDir = 0: yDir = 0
 
    WindowWidth = 757
    WindowHeight = 595
 
    UpperLeftX = Int((DisplayWidth - WindowWidth) /2)
    UpperLeftY = Int((DisplayHeight - WindowHeight) /2)
 
    Menu #demo, "&Options", "E&xit", QuitByMenu
    Graphicbox #demo.gb1, 0, 0, 750, 550
 
    Open "Controlling Sprites" for Window as #demo
    #demo, "Trapclose QuitByTrap"
 
' Load the background bmp
    Loadbmp "bg", "SPRITES\BG1.bmp"
    #demo.gb1, "Down; Background bg; Drawsprites"
 
' Load the sprites
    Loadbmp "cm1", "SPRITES\cave1.bmp"
    Loadbmp "cm2", "SPRITES\cave2.bmp"
    #demo.gb1, "Addsprite cm cm1 cm1 cm2 cm2"
 
' Set the initial cyclesprite command to 0
    #demo.gb1, "Cyclesprite cm 0"
 
' Set inital x, y variables (cm facing right to start)
    #demo.gb1, "Spritexy cm 350 450"
 
' Trap keypresses
    #demo.gb1, "When characterInput KeyPress"
    #demo.gb1, "Setfocus"
 
' Set the timer
    Timer 50, SeeSprites
    Wait
 
 
Sub QuitByTrap handle$
    Timer 0
    Unloadbmp "bg"
    Close #handle$
    End
End Sub
 
Sub QuitByMenu
    Call QuitByTrap "#demo"
End Sub
 
Sub KeyPress handle$, key$
    NewKey = Asc(Right$(key$, 1))
    #demo.gb1, "Spritexy? cm x y"
    Select Case NewKey
        Case 37
            #demo.gb1, "Spriteorient cm mirror"
            If OldKey = NewKey Then
                xDir = 0
                NewKey = 0
            Else
                xDir = 1
            End If
        Case 38
            yDir = 1
        Case 39
            #demo.gb1, "Spriteorient cm normal"
            If OldKey = NewKey Then
                xDir = 0
                NewKey = 0
            Else
                xDir = 2
            End If
    End Select
    OldKey = NewKey
End Sub
 
Sub SeeSprites
    #demo.gb1, "Spritexy? cm x y"
    Select Case yDir
        Case 1 ' Up
            y = y - 10
            If y < 350 Then
                yDir = 2
                y = 350
            End If
        Case 2 ' Down
            y = y + 10
            If y > 450 Then
                yDir = 0
                y = 450
            End If
    End Select
    Select Case xDir
        Case 1 ' Left
            x = x - 7
            If x < 5 Then
                xDir = 0
                x = 10
            End If
        Case 2 ' Right
            x = x + 7
            If x > 710 Then
                xDir = 0
                x = 700
            End If
    End Select
    If xDir + yDir > 0 Then
        #demo.gb1, "Cyclesprite cm 1"
    Else
        #demo.gb1, "Cyclesprite cm 0"
    End If
    #demo.gb1, "Spritexy cm ";x;" ";y
    #demo.gb1, "Setfocus; Drawsprites"
' Currently there is a bug in the sub timer
' requiring a WAIT statement here
    Wait
End Sub

Demo 1: Using Branch Event Labels

Demo 2 Using Sub Event Handlers

Changing the Height, Arc and Speed

The minimum y value in these two demos is 350. Once the sprite ascends to a height of 350, the sprite begins its descent. Decreasing that value will cause the sprite to jump higher. When xDir is active (> 0), each DRAWSPRITES command will move the sprite horizontally by 7 pixels (left or right). When yDir is active (> 0), each DRAWSPRITES command will move the sprite vertically by 5 pixels (up or down). Adjusting the xDir to a lesser number will result in a steeper jump. Adjusting xDir to a greater number will result in a longer jump. The Timer is set to 50 milliseconds. A lesser number will increase the animation speed. A greater number will decrease the animation speed. -

JanetTerra

SpriteJump

A Jumping Sprite

Table of Contents

The Sprite Basics

Sprite Jumping

The Demos

Demo 1: Using Branch Event Labels

Demo 2 Using Sub Event Handlers

Table of Contents

Changing the Height, Arc and Speed