Pulsating button indicator

floatingwoo

Im using a simple ring to indicate a spot for the user to click on. I would like the ring to gradually come on and off (alpha up and down). I'm thinking interpolate with a timer but I can't seem to get my head around the logic. Heres what I've got....

Inside the circle graphic I've got one attribute.

buttonOn as a boolean

Change attribute: self.color.alpha_to_0

Rule:

When _attribute: game.time_=_2
Change attribute: self.button.on_to_true

Rule:

When _attribute: self.buttonOn_is_true
Timer:
    After 2 seconds    _run to is checked
    Interpolate: self.color.alpha to 1
    for 2 seconds

otherwise

Interpolate: self.color.alpha to 0

But obviously this ain't doing it for me or I wouldn't be asking for help...thanks

tatiang

It could be that game.Time never actually reaches a value of 2. It may be 1.9987 or 2.01568 for example. It should be a bit simpler than that, anyway:

When attribute self.color.alpha=0
Interpolate self.color.alpha to 1 [duration: 2 seconds]
When attribute self.color.alpha=1
Interpolate self.color.alpha to 0 [duration: 2 seconds]

Are you wanting it to start two seconds after the game is previewed? And are you wanting any kind of pause between the two interpolations?

floatingwoo

I think I got it...

Rule: when_attribute game .time_=_2

 change attribute: self.bottonOn _ to_ true

Rule: when_attribute: self.buttonOn_is _true

 Rule:when_attribute self.color.alpha _=_0

 Interpolate:self.color.alpha _to_1
 for 2 seconds

 Rule:when_attribute: self.color.alpha _=_ 1
 interpolate:self.color.alpha_to_0
 for 2 seconds.

floatingwoo

Yeah thats it! Mo simple!Thanks tatting!

tatiang

Glad to hear it. I'm not sure what you have the self.buttonOn attribute but perhaps you're using that for something else.

Edit: you're welcome!

MattSoden

Taking inspiration from Socks' trig lessons thread - which explained to me (for the first time) how I could visualise Sin and Cos - try constraining the image alpha to thr following to make it pulse:

Constrain self.color.alpha to abs(sin(self.time*40))

Change the value 40 to a lower number to slow down the pulse and higher to speed it up - then just run this rule after 2 secs.

tatiang

Even better, @Matt Soden‌ By the way, with a space in your name you won't receive forum notifications. I'll see if I can remove it ( @MattSoden , there!) but if it doesn't stick, send a private message to @ForumNinja‌.

MattSoden

I'll see if I can remove it ( @MattSoden , there!) but if it doesn't stick, send a private message to @ForumNinja‌.

Cheers tatiang

floatingwoo

Wow! thats awesome! Works great. Thanks Is a constraint more cpu intensive?

tatiang

@floatingwoo said:
Wow! thats awesome! Works great. Thanks Is a constraint more cpu intensive?

I doubt it. My guess is that constantly interpolating and constantly constraining should be equally intensive.

floatingwoo

Cool thanks!

Hopscotch

I always thought that "constrain" is such an ominous term, as it is just a change attribute behaviour that will execute every code cycle.

Socks

@MattSoden said:
Taking inspiration from Socks' trig lessons thread - which explained to me (for the first time) how I could visualise Sin and Cos

Someone made it through the 'course' !

@MattSoden said:
Constrain self.color.alpha to abs(sin(self.time*40))

This is 'bouncing' the sine wave when it hits zero, maybe that was what you wanted, it looks kinda pulsey after all ! If you wanted to have a dampened return at each end (basically squash the whole range of the sine wave into 1 (as colour channels only operate from 0 - 1 and a sine operates from -1 to 1) . . it would be, constrain alpha to:

0.5 *sin(self.time *40)+0.5

Hold on, I feel we need a picture . . . back in a second . . .

Socks

@MattSoden‌

The top image is your version that is bouncing the sine wave when it hits zero, the bottom is cutting its range in half and then moving it up by half its height . . . both work as a pulse.

floatingwoo

Oh yeah thats much nicer Thanks!
Like a light house on a foggy day....

Chunkypixels

Whats the name of the thread with @Socks trig lessons?

Working on something at the moment that could benefit from a re-education in the subject

Socks

@Chunkypixels said:
Whats the name of the thread with Socks trig lessons?

Working on something at the moment that could benefit from a re-education in the subject

It wasn't really a lesson, it was just another thread that got derailed into a sin/cos thing, but was abandoned in the end, there were no saviours.

Socks

@floatingwoo said:
Oh yeah thats much nicer Thanks!
Like a light house on a foggy day....

Yeah, it's exactly like a lighthouse as its the amount of light you would see if the light source was revolvling.

Chunkypixels

@Socks yup..but which thread?

I remember liking the sin/cos tutorials/explanations you did, and could do to look at it again....

Socks

@Chunkypixels said:
Socks yup..but which thread?

http://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/74867/realistic-slots-moment-fall-in-to-place/p1