364 replies to this topic

[NukeTheCat]

48 hour bump!

Create and scans a .ini highscore nearly instantly!

//should be defined in the first object created's Create Event
ini_open('custom_highscore.ini');
var addnew;
addnew = 11;
repeat(10)
{
addnew -= 1;
if !ini_key_exists('Names',string(addnew))
{
ini_write_string('Names',string(addnew),'<UNDEFINED>');
}
if !ini_key_exists('Scores',string(addnew))
{
ini_write_real('Scores',string(addnew),1000);
}
name[addnew] = ini_read_string('Names',string(addnew),'<UNDEFINED>');
score[addnew] = ini_read_real('Scores',string(addnew),1000))
};
ini_close();

I think it might work with a for loop, but it's better to be safer and stick to repeat.
Used it before, I spurged the above code through memory, so can somebody test it first?

To access the name and the score, you can use the variables:
name[1], name[2], name[3], etc...
score[1], score[2], score[3], etc...

You can test the highscore via:

for(a = 0; a >= 10, a +=1){
if score > score[a]
{
score = score[a];
name[a] = get_string('NEW HIGHSCORE','');
break;
}
};

Edited by NukeTheCat, 24 June 2012 - 01:54 PM.

[CGPM]

On CubinJ's first code:
Instead of using

msec = 29

it could be

msec = room_speed-1

to allow for different room speeds.

[eyeCube]

I have a contribution of my own for this topic.

I call it convert() but that's probably not a good name for the function.

It turns a real variable with a scale between two real numbers into a scale between two different real numbers.

For example: a variable with limits of 20 and 45. It can't be lower than 20, can't be higher than 45. Now say you want to display this value in a percentage. So you'd name the script convert and use this code:

new_variable=convert(variable,20,45,0,100)

Turns the scale of 20-45 into 0-100.

So a value of 20 returns 0, a value of 45 returns 100. A value of 32.5 returns 50. A value in between 20 and 45 returns the corresponding value between 0 and 100.



The script is:

//name: convert


//use:

//converts variable argument0 with limits argument1 and argument2:
//to limits argument3 and argument4
//example, converting scale of 7-15 to percentage (0-100)
//convert(variable,7,15,0,100)

return (argument0-argument1)*(argument4-argument3)/(argument2-argument1)+argument3

Edited by eyeCube, 18 July 2012 - 03:31 PM.

[brod]

smooth linear movement can be optimized to this:

x = startx + mean(-cos(percent*pi), 1)*(endx - startx);
y = starty + mean(-cos(percent*pi), 1)*(endy - starty);

also just a note this isn't linear interpolation, linear interpolation would (by its definition) be

initial + (percent)*(final - initial);

i think it'd be less misleading if you called it a cosine interpolation instead.

Edited by brod, 05 August 2012 - 03:30 PM.

[thatshelby]

Game Maker has an undocumented function for linear interpolation

lerp(x1, x2, amount)

[hugonot]

Thanks so much it's been so helpful!

[bennikniet]

Snapping a variable to grid:

variable -= variable mod snap;

[Zesterer]

Wow... this is such an old topic. Its worth bumping though, its got some really valuable content!

[deformed thought]

Please consider these suggestions.

Execute code unknown at run-time:

// Set up string variables to store the code you create during the game.  For example, code_step = ''; (in your step event)
// Add code to the string.  You may add code as you generate it, for example in programs that draw to the screen and want a way to undo any line, or by loading it (although it's editable) through a file.

code_step = '';	// Executes code every step.

// An example of how it works:

code_step += 'draw_line(0,0,50,50);'+chr(13)

Append a newline character to any string. This is useful when # isn't acceptable (for example, interpreting the user's input and # cannot mean newline) or when you need to concatenate multiple strings.

Your_String_Name += chr(13);

// How to use choose() for more than 16 options with equal chance to select any option
Choose1 = choose(...);    // The name of these variables doesn't matter
Choose2 = choose(...);    // Replace the ... with the arguments you need (arguments is another word for parameters)
MyFinalChoice = choose(Choose1, Choose2);	// Make sure that Choose1 and Choose2 have the same number of arguments.  You can use this to choose as many arguments as you want.

If you use a variable that only ever has two different values, like a light switch, and the values can be +n and -n, where n = any numeral, this is the fastest way to toggle it:

My_Variable *= -1

Check if something is even or odd.

// Change the number in 'mod 2' to any number to check if it's a factor of and if it's divisible with My_Variable.

if My_Variable mod 2 == 0 {
return 1;
} else {
return 0;
}

[Yambam]

Check if a value is odd: 

odd=variable&1

 

Stay around a instance on a constant distance: 

var vl,vx,vy;
vl=point_distance(x,y,instance.x,instance.y)
vx=(x-instance.x)/max(vl,0.0001)
vy=(y-instance.y)/max(vl,0.0001)


x=(instance.x+vx*distance+x)/2
y=(instance.y+vy*distance+y)/2
 

 

Move the player, for platformers. Works for ramps going up to 45 degrees up or down:

var spd;
spd=-4 //<-- Move 4 pixels left. You can for example replace this with 5 to move 5 pixels right.
repeat(abs(spd))
{
  if !place_free(x,y+1)&&place_free(x+sign(spd),y+1)
  {
    x+=sign(spd)
    y+=1
  }
  else if place_free(x+sign(spd),y)
    x+=sign(spd)
  else if place_free(x+sign(spd),y-1)
  {
    x+=sign(spd)
    y-=1
  }
  else
    break
}

 

EDIT: Fixed bugs in the second and third codes.

Edited by Yambam, 20 April 2013 - 09:06 AM.

[Zesterer]

Limit value

 

Limits x to the constraints of a and b

 

x=max(min(a,b),min(max(a,b),x))

 

I hope it hasn't cropped up before, this is just something I use on a regular basis and I think is useful

 

- Z

[Yambam]

@Zesterer, you can do that using median too: x=median(x,a,b )

 

Another few handy snippets:

Check if point (x,y) is in a circle at the position (cx,cy) with radius cr: sqr(x-cx)+sqr(y-cy)<=cr

Check if the mouse is over a rectangle: mouse_x>=x1&&mouse_y>=y1&&mouse_x<x2&&mouse_y<y2

 

/* d3d_array_index(x,y,z,w,l)
 * 
 * Converts a 3D coordinate to a 2D coordinate for a array.
 * (x,y,z) is the 3D coordinate, w is the size of the 3D space
 * on the X axis and l is the size on the Y axis.
 * 
 * Example usage:
 * d3d_array_index(x,y,z,10,10,10)
 * 
 * blocks[index1,index2]="stone"
 * show_message("Set a value in the 3D blocks array to "+blocks[index1,index2]+".")
 * show_message("The 3D coordinates were (10,10,10),#the 2D coordinates are ("+string(index1)+","+string(index2)+")")
 */
var index;
index=3+argument0+(argument1+argument2*argument4)*argument3


index1=index div 32000
index2=index mod 32000
 

Edited by Yambam, 20 April 2013 - 09:32 AM.

[Zesterer]

@Yambam my bad

[shadow gamer]

Of course, there are other methods, but my method on what I call the 'which' tip works as well.... I will give you the link explaining what it is, here: http://gamemakerhub..../which-tip.html

[paul23]

WHY would you use a global variable?

[shadow gamer]

It's more wide scale, and I don't see why else.

 

But then again, maybe you have a grudge against global variables.....

[chaz13]

It's more wide scale, and I don't see why else.

 

But then again, maybe you have a grudge against global variables.....

 

It's also liable to cause more problems than it fixes.

[shadow gamer]

Hm. Maybe not a good smart code then, but it worked for me. I think if you keep it like it is and don't modify it, then it might work. But then again, maybe that's just the type of program I'm working on.

[GStick]

The reason it's a poor choice for a global variable is because other instances likely won't have the cursor over their sprites, so if you need to use this method on other objects it's not going to work properly without even more globals.

[Zesterer]

Just use a local variable that is updated every frame in the step event by a single process, and then any other code in the object can refer to that variable? Efficient, fast, easy to code, and good practise.

 

- Z