Defender Movement, suggestions?

[arsdigita]

Im working on a 'DEfender' type game with a rather simple movement style.

However, my 'simple' movement has me stuck.

I want the player to be able to hold the opposite direction of the character movement, slow down, and when thier speed hits 0, change to the opposite direction.

My hang-up is when the players speed hits 0 and changes direction, I have a 'turning' animation and then a ship wobble.

My question is, what would the 'pros' out there do to handle this movement type?

Static onject?, bouncing ball?
And how can I have it so the player does not need to let go of the direction key and press it again to actually get the ship to turn around?

Any suggestions?

[danjo]

this could be done so many ways its not funny.

a quick idea: (providing the ship never went faster than 8 pixels)

set static. value(ship speed) = we'll call this VSS.

*movement*
repeat while keydown right & VSS < 8 then VSS=VSS+1
repeat while keydown left & VSS >-8 then VSS=VSS-1
(could add to these - & every 4" to slow acceleration etc)

*directions*
if VSS <0 then set dir ship(left)
if VSS >0 then set dir ship(right)

*turning*
if VSS=0 & leftkey down then animate turn left
if VSS=0 & rightkey down then animate turn right
(& add [negate]turning animation is playing to each)

*positioning*
always set ships( to ships( + VSS
or
every 4" set ships( to ships( + VSS
(or every 6" etc to slow it more)

could also add:
every 30" & VSS >1 then VSS=VSS-1
every 30" & VSS <-1 then VSS=VSS+1
***for eventual slowdown to nearly stopped (use 0 for stop)