Physics Relating to Speed, Windows Beta

lanmind

1- How does speed work in GS? For example if I set the speed to 100 in the change velocity action will the actor move at 100 pixels per second? 100 per half second?

2- Any idea what's going on here?:
I have an actor with its first rule being if it collides with a 'flag' actor it should completely stop.

It works just fine at a tame rate of speed of say 200. But if I really crank up the speed it completely bypasses the flag like it never touched it. Specifically this tends to happen around 400+ speed. Especially 500+.

I was figuring in other things that could affect its deceleration to it's eventual stop like drag. So I changed the collision result from stopping to completely changing direction with the change velocity action. Same thing, high rates of speed and my actor completely bypasses the flag. With low rates though the collision occurs and my actor's velocity completely changes as expected.

I tried mixing up the collision results pretty thoroughly. Such as changing the velocity to 1 upon collision before completely stopping the actor by setting X & Y linear velocities to 0. Always the same results though. High speeds and the collision never seemed to happen.

So I'm stuck scratching my head about an actors movement through a scene at high speeds. I'd really like my actor to move as fast as possible and still be able to rely on collisions and other physics.

Here's what I'm thinking. I set an actors speed at 500, and theoretically (not sure) that means it moves at 500 pixels per second. GS moves this actor across a scene and since it's moving so quickly, it just "jumps" let's say 100 pixels, then another 100 and another and so on and so forth. It does this because the actor needs to move 500 pixels in a second. So a "flag" actor like mine could be completely missed and no interactions between the two. Especially if said flag actor is small like mine. Only 16x16 pixels.

Now I understand the logic that I'm explaining is sort of what we see on our computer screens and Gamesalad's own logic might not work in that fashion. I'm sort of describing an actors movement in a frame by frame fashion but GS's engine works with ones and zeros. So I might be completely off base thinking it works that way but it seems so.

3- I believe there aren't many tutorials that cover the nitty gritty of GS but if there are would anybody point them out? I see the many video tutorials covering the basics but I'm hard pressed to find explanations of such things as how speed works for example. Or the other physics and features of GS. Drag, friction, restitution, the functions and more.

I do understand I'm using the Windows Beta and should expect it to be buggy but I'm curious if the same physics and results I'm experiencing are also present and the norm in the Mac version's stable build.

Thanks

tenrdrmer

in the mac creator you can actually have collisions happening to fast. especially if one of the actors is non-movable. The reason is there is a reaction time for everything and if the objects are flying along super fast and the other object has no physics loaded or has no real density to it. the engine doesn't react fast enough and the collision is missed my the processor. Though I must be honest 400-500 is really not that fast so im not real sure though why it would be passing through unless maybe its just a really small actor with no density.

Geikamir

I also would like to see some of the hard factual details of what means what (in definitive terms) if anyway possible. Is there a GameSalad dictionary around? Especially one that explains specifics like what the OP mentioned in regards to speed as well as what each "Function" does and things of that nature.

lanmind

@geikamir there is a GS dictionary but it doesn't cover an ideal amount. The basics are covered but many GS smaller important specifics are sorely lacking. It does at least present functions there but the descriptions can be tough to understand as there's not always an example of how they can be used in GS. Often it points you to a Wikipedia article of the particular function. Here's the dictionary:

http://cookbook.gamesalad.com/definitions

During the GS Q&A last week on Twitter I asked about these specifics missing from the dictionary and if it's being updated with more content. They responded with:

"We're currently reviewing Cookbook material to update Mac Creator content along with new PC Creator pages."

And:

"If there’s anything we can help you with right now (with missing definitions), be sure to write Support@ http://t.co/vWX7RgKlhttp://arcade.gamesalad.com/feedback"

So I'm going to start making a list of all the definitions of specifics I'd like to know and submit them. If you have any you'd like to know let me know and I'll submit them too.

And just now reviewing Twitter I found some Windows creator articles in the GS Cookbook. Not much but it's a start for the Windows side of GS:

http://cookbook.gamesalad.com/tutorials/7