How can I allow user to only click on an object when not behind a specific layer??

[Robotica]

Hello clickers,

I have a question. Please view this image below:
stage05_issue_with_negate_mouse_over.jpg

I am aware that you can allow a user to not destroy an object if your object is behind a certain object... in this case it would be the blocks... code would be:

+use clicks on robot
NEGATE +mouse is over blocks

But this would only work for the robots on the far outter edges and very dead center but not for other robots overlapping with blocks because then they cannot be shot would be invincible...

I'm sending the same object/robot to all 3 layers (front, middle, back as shown in the hierarchy of my layers at the right hand side of the screenshot... and I want to send only this one object to preserve memory and cpu).

I could just use one robot for each of the 3 rows and send out instances of the same 3 objects... but I rather just have ONE object and send it everywhere I need with a coordinate and directions of left or right.

How would I have it so that you can only destroy a robot on a specific layer if he is not hiding being a specific layer of blocks?

thanks!

[Robotica]

do beee, do be dooo...

[DavidN]

There's probably a way to do this by keeping track of when a robot is entirely obscured by a block and therefore can't be shot, but to do it without having to keep track of any additional state... have you used fastloops yet? It looks like you're using separate layers for the robots and the blocks that obscure them - so when the player presses fire, you could create an invisible object at the position where the cursor was (the 'bullet'), and then loop like this:

Player presses fire:
-> Create 'bullet' at 0,0 from cursor
-> Bullet: Set layer to (the frontmost layer)
-> Run loop 'bulletDetect' 8 times (or however many layers you have).

On loop 'bulletDetect' AND bullet is overlapping one of the blocks:
-> Destroy the bullet
-> Stop the loop
-> Do anything else you need to indicate a miss/block hit

On loop 'bulletDetect' AND bullet is overlapping a robot:
-> Destroy the bullet
-> Stop the loop
-> Indicate a hit

On loop 'bulletDetect':
-> Set layer of bullet to [current layer of bullet] - 1

When you run this, the bullet will travel down the layers checking in order from front to back.

[Robotica]

oooooo, nice! thank you!

edit:
Nope, I have not used fast loops yet but I used to eat a lot of fruity loops as a kid.

I will study your suggestion until I figure it out. Thank you!

[Robotica]

Hmmm, I was actually trying to add a cursor Sunday but I couldn't figure out where to select 0,0 from cursor... when I select "relative to" it only lists my objects (blocks, robot, floor). Any ideas where I should be clicking??

set_coordinates_or_relative_to.jpg

[Jeff]

How about the X - Y from the mouse?

[Robotica]

Ah figured it out. It's another few steps... create object.... then it's somewhere else... grid box of the object... select position -> set x coordinate -> set x position to xmouse.

Okay... but it noticed it appears 5 pixels up and 5 pixels to the left... not exactly on point where I am clicking.

[Robotica]

Here is a visual representation of how far off it is.

Attachment 17413

[Robotica]

How about the X - Y from the mouse?

Hi Jeff.
I think I have that correct. Is this right?

x and y coordinates of mouse.jpg

[Jeff]

Well it certainly can be done.

Since your targeting Android (mobile) I would look into the multi touch object and see if the X-Y of the users touch is what you want.