Nested group question...

Solar2D General Questions/Discussion
#1

Hi,

is it possible to nest groups, like for example:

Group1 = Background Stuff

Group2 = Enemies

Group3 = Effects

CharacterGroup = An array of groups

Now an enemy character sprite is created, a shadow image for it and a healthbar image. All three are inserted into

CharacterGroup[1]

Now more enemies,shadows and healthbar images are created the same way and are put into CharacterGroup[2] and so on…

Later all CharacterGroup[x] enemies are put inside the Group2

If this is possible, can I move the Enemies like CharacterGroup[2] with transition.to? (So an enemy, his shadow and healthbar will move together with only one transition.to call)

And if so, what do I have to do to get the screen coordinates right for the movement, because groups behavior is a little bit “strange”? I couldn’t find any info on this kind of nesting and group movement.

Any help welcome!

Thank you

Daniela

#2

Yes, you can nest groups, unless you need physics.   Everything that needs to interact with physics, needs to be in the same group.

#3

Thank you! I got this all working now but I wonder how to work with the right coordinates for the “group”-characters because the group xCoordinates and yCoordinates are driving me crazy here :slight_smile: Is there a good tutorial on how to work with groups the way we normally are working with other display objects? All I can find is about group layering and moving child images inside groups but nothing about working with groups like images… positioning them on the screen and so on.

#4

@Rob

I might be wrong, but I think objects from different groups can interact physically with each other, as long as you move the diplay.objects and not the groups.

#5

Yes, objects in different groups can interact with each other… the confusion for some new users comes when they put physics objects in different groups and then shift the x/y position of those groups independently of the others. This will “break” collision detection… thus, always keep the groups at the same coordinates.

Brent

#6

Thanks for the clarification Brent.  The OP’s question, transition.to can move groups. 

#7

Yes, you can nest groups, unless you need physics.   Everything that needs to interact with physics, needs to be in the same group.

#8

Thank you! I got this all working now but I wonder how to work with the right coordinates for the “group”-characters because the group xCoordinates and yCoordinates are driving me crazy here :slight_smile: Is there a good tutorial on how to work with groups the way we normally are working with other display objects? All I can find is about group layering and moving child images inside groups but nothing about working with groups like images… positioning them on the screen and so on.

#9

@Rob

I might be wrong, but I think objects from different groups can interact physically with each other, as long as you move the diplay.objects and not the groups.

#10

Yes, objects in different groups can interact with each other… the confusion for some new users comes when they put physics objects in different groups and then shift the x/y position of those groups independently of the others. This will “break” collision detection… thus, always keep the groups at the same coordinates.

Brent

#11

Thanks for the clarification Brent.  The OP’s question, transition.to can move groups.