Timers are for chumps - GS optimization tips

tatiang

Place a max iterations check after every single "function".

Or pre-calculate what you need and construct accordingly.

That's a non-answer but I'll take it!

domenius

Not to be outdone, I've just developed a method which allows for much faster iteration times with no code duplication. Initial testing on my Macbook Pro (early 2011) within the creator is performing 60 loop iterations in 0.082 seconds. The best part is my new method actually performs a full-stop of game execution while the loop is performed. While this isn't always desired, it is very valuable for designing table search algorithms, among other things. I still have some fine-tuning and testing to do, but I expect to have a tutorial up on this method shortly!

tatiang

@domenius I'm looking forward to seeing what you have developed. RThurman came up with a spawn-the-spawner recursive loop and it was faster but I couldn't figure out how to use it in an actual project as it seemed to hang on devices.

Socks

@domenius I'm looking forward to seeing what you have developed. RThurman came up with a spawn-the-spawner recursive loop and it was faster but I couldn't figure out how to use it in an actual project as it seemed to hang on devices.

@tatiang

Spawning a spawner is very dangerous, I know a couple of people who were killed trying that, you need - at the very least - to be wearing protective clothing.

Socks

Not to be outdone, I've just developed a method which allows for much faster iteration times with no code duplication. Initial testing on my Macbook Pro (early 2011) within the creator is performing 60 loop iterations in 0.082 seconds. The best part is my new method actually performs a full-stop of game execution while the loop is performed. While this isn't always desired, it is very valuable for designing table search algorithms, among other things. I still have some fine-tuning and testing to do, but I expect to have a tutorial up on this method shortly!

@domenius

Sounds excellent !!

I can see where this is all going, it's only a matter of time before someone comes up with a loop that iterates into the past.

BlueFanStudios

Any chance someone could point me in the direction of a video tutorial for this?? I found one for before/after so many seconds but none for "every X seconds".

tatiang

@BlueFanStudios Did you already read the first post in this thread, specifically the part titled "---EVERY X SECONDS TIMER REPLACEMENT---"? I don't know of a video but that explains it pretty well.

BlueFanStudios

I read it but I couldn't quite get my head around it. Im a visual learner, videos are easier to understand.

tatiang

It's pretty much just setting a real attribute mod1 to 0.05 and then making a rule that fires every time mod1>self.time%1 (for every second). If you change it to mod1>self%4, if will fire every 4 seconds.

BlueFanStudios

Thanks, I got that idea from it. I think it was trying to work out what the math talk was that was confusing me.

spidey906

Great Post! Thank your for your input. I have one question though...

I create a rule using your method to make the bullet destroy in 3 seconds but it quickly destroy right after it fires. (Using this method to spawn the bullet is ok though.

Thanks for your help.

tatiang

@kentcheung2000@yahoo.com Which method are you referring to? And how do you have your Destroy Actor behavior set up? What does the rule look like?

P.S. You'll want to change your forum account name in your profile because using an email address with the @ symbol causes notifications to fail.

spidey906

Thank you for your reply.

I create a gun to spawn bullet using the following method. It works fine.

if mod1(0.05) > self.timer%1
spawn bullet.

However, Inside the bullet, when I try to make the bullet to last for 5 second, for example. I run into problem

Move bullet

if mod1(0.05) > self.timer%5
destroy.

the bullet didn't move the the direction I want and it just flash at the same location...

Thanks for you help..

SomewhatScientific

Cool stuff! I can't believe that I just found this a few days ago.

tatiang

@spidey906 The mod1 "timer" is an every x seconds timer. What you really want is just a rule that checks the bullet's time on the screen:

When self.Time>5
Destroy [actor]

If you're still having problems, I'd recommend starting a new discussion and sending me a PM with a link to it so I can continue to help you out.

domenius

As promised, I have completed my new approach to loops, which ive called HyperLoops. I've created a new thread for it to avoid confusion and clutter. It can be found here: http://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/54922/hyperloops-loop-to-your-hearts-content

ericzingeler

I guess its appropriate to throw a link in here to the Fast For Loop: http://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/55050/fast-for-loop-a-collection-from-the-community-merged-into-a-single-really-really-fast-loop#latest

glynius

I am trying to replace all timers of my game, but i got problem, i need to start a countdown after 1 second, so i need for 60seconds to remove 1 from an attribute that controls a replicate behavior. The problem is that even that on my player it works almost fine and i manage to match it with the music, when i test it on device (testflight) the replicate behavior is very slow, not 1 sec for 60 seconds. i post my rules and i wish that somebody could help on this.

tatiang

@glynius Let's take the replicate behavior out of the equation and talk about the timer. Are you saying that the timer isn't counting down seconds correctly on a device?

Also, is this the effect you are wanting?

.....Every 1 second
..........Decrease counter by 1

*Note that an Every timer automatically starts after the first iteration meaning that an Every 1 second timer will trigger at 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, etc., and therefore is already starting "after 1 second."

glynius

@glynius Let's take the replicate behavior out of the equation and talk about the timer. Are you saying that the timer isn't counting down seconds correctly on a device?

Also, is this the effect you are wanting?

.....Every 1 second
..........Decrease counter by 1

*Note that an Every timer automatically starts after the first iteration meaning that an Every 1 second timer will trigger at 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, etc., and therefore is already starting "after 1 second."

Yes @tatiang this is what i want to achieve, every 1 second decrease counter by 1. Unfortunatelly the way i did it is not precise, and i don't get why. Also i don't understand what is the difference if i setup the mod attribute to 0.02 or 0.05...does this affects the countdown? I apologize for my questions, i a not a programmer and probably i will never be, and if gamesalad wouldn't exist , i would never be able to make any app.

tatiang

@glynius Not to side-step your question (although I'm not all that comfortable with modding timers myself) but... is there a reason you're needing to replace all of the timers? If it works with timers, then use timers by all means.

glynius

@glynius Not to side-step your question (although I'm not all that comfortable with modding timers myself) but... is there a reason you're needing to replace all of the timers? If it works with timers, then use timers by all means.

i noticed that replacing most of my timers, the game runs smoothly, keep in mind that probably i have too many rules and pointless stuff on my project that i cannot clear out at the moment (i mean with my current knowledge), replacing animation behavior and timers (as much as i understand) the performance is much better. I wish that timers would work better because i find it real mess to have all this rules instead of a beautiful timer expression.

SnapFireStudios

I'm going to be implementing this in to my game. I'll let you all know what kind of performance increase I get from it.
- Thomas

8bitninja

Thanks domenius, this is an amazing post. I am however having a lil trouble with my shooting actor. Before, I was using.

every 0.1 sec
spawn the bullet actor

Now, when I try using your.

self attribute.
Mod1 - 0.5 - real

self.Mod1>self.timer%1
spawn the bullet actor

My bullets are only firing 1 per sec
I tried changing to self.timer%0.1 but nothing happens.

If anyone can help me out with this I will very much appreciate it.

Thanks.

domenius

@8bitninja

Change your mod1 value to 0.05 and retry. The mod1 value can not be larger than the modulus you are applying (%0.1) or the rule will never fire.

Hope this helps!

8bitninja

@domenius

That totally worked. Thanks so much domenius, you're amazing!

SnapFireStudios

@CodeWizard - Any chance you could take a look at why the defualt timers don't use these or similar methods and thus do not work as well? These ways have been working amazingly for me, but they are more inconvenient.
Thanks,
- Thomas

SnapFireStudios

@CodeWizard - When you have a chance, could you please take a look at the Timer code and why it isn't as reliable as these?
- Thomas

CodeWizard

Have looked at it a bit already. There are some clear issues that need to be resolved. Have noted the issue for more work soon.

RThurman

Wowsers! @ORBZ, I didn't realize that the expression editor could read Boolean operators. This is really cool! (I didn't make it to the yellow actors yet. I was floored with "not( game.Increment )" in the controller actor).

Boolean logic at the expression editor level changes everything!