koobas.hobune.stream
2D depth simulation in a sidescroller
I am developing a 2D sidescroller. One of the basic mechanics of the game is that the player can choose between being on the foreground of the level or on the background of the level (deviating from the obstacles accordingly).
Since I´m developing it in pure 2D form, I´m having to "simulate" the depth of the level.
For that, I created four scripts:
One of them turns OFF the FOREGROUND objects collider (TurnOffCollisionForeground)
The other turns OFF the BACKGROUND objects collider (TurnOffCollisionBackground)
The other turns ON the BACKGROUND objects collider (TurnOnCollisionForeground)
And the other turns ON the BACKGROUND objects collider (TurnOnCollisionBackground)
TurnOffCollisionForeground
using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;
public class TurnOffCollisionForeground : MonoBehaviour
{
private BoxCollider2D boxCollider;
// Use this for initialization
void Start()
{
boxCollider = GetComponent<BoxCollider2D>();
}
public void OnCollisionEnter2D()
{
boxCollider.enabled = false;
}
// Update is called once per frame
void Update()
{
OnCollisionEnter2D();
}
}
TurnOffCollisionBackground
using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;
public class TurnOffCollisionBackground : MonoBehaviour
{
private BoxCollider2D boxCollider;
// Use this for initialization
void Start()
{
boxCollider = GetComponent<BoxCollider2D>();
}
public void OnCollisionEnter2D()
{
boxCollider.enabled = false;
}
// Update is called once per frame
void Update()
{
OnCollisionEnter2D();
}
}
TurnOnCollisionForeground
using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;
public class TurnOnCollisionForeground : MonoBehaviour {
private BoxCollider2D boxCollider;
// Use this for initialization
void Start()
{
boxCollider = GetComponent<BoxCollider2D>();
}
public void OnCollisionEnter2D()
{
boxCollider.enabled = true;
}
// Update is called once per frame
void Update()
{
OnCollisionEnter2D();
}
}
TurnOnCollisionBackground
using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;
public class TurnOnCollisionBackground : MonoBehaviour {
private BoxCollider2D boxCollider;
// Use this for initialization
void Start()
{
boxCollider = GetComponent<BoxCollider2D>();
}
public void OnCollisionEnter2D()
{
boxCollider.enabled = true;
}
// Update is called once per frame
void Update()
{
OnCollisionEnter2D();
}
}
To check in what layer of depth the player is, I wrote the SendStatus script (which is attached to the player). In this script, inside the CurrentStatus() function (which is repeatedly called in Update() ) I check for player answer regarding the choice of layer - which he transits between by pressing the space bar.
The main thing here is that I want to use the SendStatus script to activate other scripts (TurnOffCollisionBackground, TurnOffCollisionForeground...) which are in OTHER game objects (prefab objects that contain said scripts).
Observation : on Start(), I initialize the player in the foreground layer (which is where he is supposed to start the game on)
To do that, I tried referencing those scripts in the SendStatus script and enabling/disabling them accordingly, as you can check below:
using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;
public class SendStatus : MonoBehaviour {
//This script in on the player
public bool isOnForeground;
public bool isOnBackground;
private TurnOffCollisionBackground offBack;
private TurnOnCollisionBackground onBack;
private TurnOffCollisionForeground offFore;
private TurnOnCollisionForeground onFore;
// Use this for initialization
void Start ()
{
isOnForeground = true;
isOnBackground = false;
offBack = GetComponent<TurnOffCollisionBackground>();
onBack = GetComponent<TurnOnCollisionBackground>();
offFore = GetComponent<TurnOffCollisionForeground>();
onFore = GetComponent<TurnOnCollisionForeground>();
offBack.enabled = true;
onBack.enabled = false;
offFore.enabled = false;
onFore.enabled = true;
}
public void CurrentStatus()
{
if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.Space))
{
if (isOnForeground == true && isOnBackground == false)
{
isOnForeground = false;
isOnBackground = true;
offBack.enabled = false;
onBack.enabled = true;
offFore.enabled = true;
onFore.enabled = false;
}
if (isOnForeground == false && isOnBackground == true)
{
isOnForeground = true;
isOnBackground = false;
offBack.enabled = true;
onBack.enabled = false;
offFore.enabled = false;
onFore.enabled = true;
}
}
}
// Update is called once per frame
void Update ()
{
CurrentStatus();
}
}
However, this solution is not working properly. When I run the game and I check the scripts in the obstacles, they don´t alternate accordingly (activating or deactivating).
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To sum up - my main problem is finding a way to activate and deactivate scripts on other game objects (the obstacles) from another script (SendStatus) in a different game object (the player)
In all of your scripts Update() function, you are always enabling the collider regardless of what your SendStatus script is doing. To be honest you don't need a 4 scripts to manage this, you could get away with just one.
Separate all the objects into empty game objects (one for foreground, one for background)
In the SendStatus script (or a new one since it doesn't send any status anymore), have two public GameObject variables (or a GameObject array if you are ok with that style) that you assign in the inspector for the two empty objects acting as parents.
In the Start() function, loop through the two GameObjects and either add the colliders from the children to respective Lists (recommended) or add them to respective Collider2D arrays for caching and easier access.
Write one function that will loop through a given List/Array that will invert the current value (example invert using your code,
isOnForeground = !isOnForeground)Call that function only when you are intending to switch from the foreground and the background so that you don't even need an Update() function.
That should solve most of the issues you may have with placed prefabs but if you are trying to have enemies that dynamically spawn and move, you cannot use this method on them. For that you would need to add the enemy to the list of objects for it's respective depth as soon as it spawns (which is why I recommend you use a List). If you need more help or have questions feel free to ask.
C# List Info
https://unity3d.com/learn/tutorials/modules/intermediate/scripting/lists-and-dictionaries
Finding Components In Children
https://docs.unity3d.com/ScriptReference/Component.GetComponentsInChildren.html
Hey man, thank for the help already, but I´m pretty new to Unity (to game development in general, actually), so I´m having a little bit of trouble figuring out how to do everything you suggested.
As you said that the SendStatus script was unnecessary, I got rid of it and created a PlayerStatus script ins$$anonymous$$d.
Like you suggested, I also created two empty game objects in the scene to be filled with the foreground and background prefabs accordingly, along with two public game objects in the PlayerStatus, for the background and foreground obstacles.
using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;
public class PlayerStatus : $$anonymous$$onoBehaviour {
public GameObject foregroundObstacle;
public GameObject backgroundObstacle;
// Use this for initialization
void Start () {
}
// Update is called once per frame
void Update () {
}
}
Now regarding step 3, how do I loop through the game objects and how would I go into adding the colliders to them? Also, what type and what would the Lists be consisted of (and if possible, a coding help regarding this) ?
I haven´t actually worked with arrays in Unity yet, so I also can´t quite grasp the alternative solution regarding the Collider2D array.
Because of that, I´m obliviously having trouble on how to implement the function on step 4 too.
Lastly, where would I call said function like you said on step 5?
And just an observation, if I didn´t make it clear before, my intent is to spawn the obstacles randomly at run time through prefabs.
Thanks in advance!
So Unity answers is dumb and won't let me upload a txt file so here is a script with comments in it. Lists are better than arrays because you can reorder them, sort them, make them bigger at runtime, the list goes on (very punny). Sometimes (as used in the script here) arrays are better for short tasks like in the Start() function.
This should give you something to work with for when you go for randomly spawned objects and whatnot. There are plenty of tutorials written regarding spawning things at runtime, performance things, etc so I won't go into that but this script can be easily modified for runtime generation things.
Thank you so much! I´m currently busy with a lot of college stuff, but when I get the time to work on this I´ll surely do. But for now, I really appreciate the help!
