Thread: fast simple question

  1. #16
    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Akkernight
    No, I'm actually gonna disagree with you matsp xP no algorithm calculates randomness right.. It's impossible, so if you toss a coin in real life, you get the real randomness, if you do rand() in code, you get some algorithm of predictable numbers
    That is true of all pseudorandom number generators, but what is your point? Using a PRNG multiple times does not suddenly turn it into a "real" random number generator. The reason I suggested that you just go for the straightforward implementation is because that way you can see more clearly why your more complicated implementation is actually bogus.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bjarne Stroustrup (2000-10-14)
    I get maybe two dozen requests for help with some sort of programming or design problem every day. Most have more sense than to send me hundreds of lines of code. If they do, I ask them to find the smallest example that exhibits the problem and send me that. Mostly, they then find the error themselves. "Finding the smallest program that demonstrates the error" is a powerful debugging tool.
    Look up a C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

  2. #17
    Hail to the king, baby. Akkernight's Avatar
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    Ok, I've officially proven that the problem lies in move()
    Code:
    void Cball::move(enum posNeg xDir){
    	while(inAir){
    		x = (x + speed) * xDir;
    	}
    }
    EDIT: My point is! ... To act clever 8-)
    Currently research OpenGL

  3. #18
    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Akkernight
    Ok, I've officially proven that the problem lies in move()
    Well... yes, the loop either does not run or runs infinitely since inAir is never changed in the loop.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bjarne Stroustrup (2000-10-14)
    I get maybe two dozen requests for help with some sort of programming or design problem every day. Most have more sense than to send me hundreds of lines of code. If they do, I ask them to find the smallest example that exhibits the problem and send me that. Mostly, they then find the error themselves. "Finding the smallest program that demonstrates the error" is a powerful debugging tool.
    Look up a C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

  4. #19
    Hail to the king, baby. Akkernight's Avatar
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    Yeah well... It'll turn false once the ball is off the screen, but I also deleted everything from move(), and it still crashes the application o.O could it be the enum?
    or... I didn't delete the loop xP lemme check that
    EDIT: And it was the loop xP but how can I then make it move using AI o.O? Hmm...
    Currently research OpenGL

  5. #20
    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    Well... maybe you would use an algorithm along the lines of:
    Code:
    while the ball is not at its destination
        move the ball towards the destination
        draw the ball in its current position
    You might need to add a slight delay so that the user can actually see the ball moving.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bjarne Stroustrup (2000-10-14)
    I get maybe two dozen requests for help with some sort of programming or design problem every day. Most have more sense than to send me hundreds of lines of code. If they do, I ask them to find the smallest example that exhibits the problem and send me that. Mostly, they then find the error themselves. "Finding the smallest program that demonstrates the error" is a powerful debugging tool.
    Look up a C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

  6. #21
    Kernel hacker
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    Improving randomness by calling rand() multiple times doesn't seem to work:
    Code:
    #include <cstdlib>
    #include <iostream>
    #include <string>
    
    using namespace std;
    
    class BaseRand
    {
    public:
        virtual int random() = 0;
        virtual string name() = 0;
    };
    
    class Rand1 : public BaseRand
    {
    public:
        virtual int random(void) 
    	{
    	    return rand() % 2;    
    	}
        virtual string name() { return string("Simple"); }
    };
    
    class Rand2 : public BaseRand
    {
    public:
        virtual int random(void) 
        {
    	int one = 0;
    	int zero = 0;
    	for(int i = 0; i < 20; i++)
    	{
    	    if (rand() % 2)
    		one++;
    	    else
    		zero++;
    	}
    	return static_cast<int>(zero >= one);
        }
        virtual string name() { return string("Complex"); };
    };
    
    void testIt(BaseRand *p)
    {
        const int iterations = 10000;
        int longseq = 0;
        int dub = 0;
        int ones = 0;
        int zeros = 0;
        int curseq = 1;
        int last = -1;
        int sum = 0;
    
        for(int i = 0; i < 10000; i++)
        {
    	int r = p->random();
    	if (r == last) 
    	{
    	    curseq++;
    	    dub++;
    	}
    	else 
    	{
    	    if (curseq > longseq)
    	    {
    		longseq = curseq;
    	    }
    	    curseq = 1;
    	    last = r;
    	}
    	ones += r;
    	zeros += !r;
    	sum += r;
        }
        cout << "Iterations: " << iterations << endl;
        cout << "Zeros: " << zeros << " Ones: " << ones  << endl;
        cout << "Longest sequence: " << longseq << endl;
        cout << "Doubles: " << dub << endl;
        cout << "Sum: " << sum << endl;
    }
    
    
    
    int main()
    {
        BaseRand *method;
        srand(112341);
        method = new Rand1;
        testIt(method);
        delete method;
        srand(112341);
        method = new Rand2;
        testIt(method);
        delete method;
        return 0;
    }
    The results are:
    Code:
    Iterations: 10000
    Zeros: 5018 Ones: 4982
    Longest sequence: 13
    Doubles: 4985
    Sum: 4982
    Iterations: 10000
    Zeros: 4039 Ones: 5961
    Longest sequence: 20
    Doubles: 5227
    Sum: 5961
    You get less randomness in your code than in the standard random - at least if we assume that the likelyhood of getting a zero or a one is higher -> less good randomness.

    --
    Mats
    Compilers can produce warnings - make the compiler programmers happy: Use them!
    Please don't PM me for help - and no, I don't do help over instant messengers.

  7. #22
    Hail to the king, baby. Akkernight's Avatar
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    Well, I figured the AI out, and matsp, I hope I didn't get your mind of your work o.o?
    Currently research OpenGL

  8. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Akkernight View Post
    Well, I figured the AI out, and matsp, I hope I didn't get your mind of your work o.o?
    No, I was waiting for a big compile to finish - and it's good to excercise a bit of small programming from time to time.

    --
    Mats
    Compilers can produce warnings - make the compiler programmers happy: Use them!
    Please don't PM me for help - and no, I don't do help over instant messengers.

  9. #24
    Hail to the king, baby. Akkernight's Avatar
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    Sorry, but I need a pastebin in a hurry! :/

    http://www.2shared.com/file/4729264/.../platform.html

    http://www.2shared.com/file/4729268/9e6fccbc/Ball.html

    main.cpp
    Code:
    #include "objects.h"
    
    #include "hge.h"
    #include "hgeresource.h"
    #include "hgesprite.h"
    
    HGE *hge = 0;
    
    //resource managers
    hgeResourceManager* myRes;
    
    //sprites
    hgeSprite* ballSprite;
    hgeSprite* platformP1;
    hgeSprite* platformP2;
    
    //My classes
    player1 P1;
    player2 P2;
    Cball ball;
    
    
    bool FrameFunc(){
    
    	float dt = hge->Timer_GetDelta();
    
    	if(ball.moving){
    		ball.x += ball.speed * dt;
    	}
    
    	if(hge->Input_GetKeyState(HGEK_ESCAPE)) return true;
    	if(hge->Input_GetKey() == HGEK_SPACE) ball.moving = true;
    	//movement controls
    	//Player 1
    	if(hge->Input_GetKeyState(HGEK_W)) P1.y -= P1.speed*dt;
    	if(hge->Input_GetKeyState(HGEK_S)) P1.y += P1.speed*dt;
    	//player 2
    	if(hge->Input_GetKeyState(HGEK_UP)) P2.y -= P2.speed*dt;
    	if(hge->Input_GetKeyState(HGEK_DOWN)) P2.y += P2.speed*dt;
    
    	P1.wallCollide();
    	P2.wallCollide();
    
    	return false;
    }
    
    
    bool RenderFunc(){
    
    	hge->Gfx_BeginScene();
    	hge->Gfx_Clear(0);
    	ballSprite->RenderStretch(ball.x, ball.y, ball.x + 16, ball.y + 16);
    	//Render platformP1
    	platformP1->SetColor(0xFF0000FF);
    	platformP1->RenderStretch(P1.x, P1.y, P1.x + 10, P1.y + 64);
    	//Render platformP2
    	platformP2->SetColor(0xFFFF0000);
    	platformP2->RenderStretch(P2.x, P2.y, P2.x + 10, P2.y + 64);
    
    	hge->Gfx_EndScene();
    
    	return false;
    }
    
    int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE, HINSTANCE, LPSTR, int){
    
    	hge = hgeCreate(HGE_VERSION);
    
    	hge->System_SetState(HGE_LOGFILE, "LOGFILE.log");
    	hge->System_SetState(HGE_FRAMEFUNC, FrameFunc);
    	hge->System_SetState(HGE_RENDERFUNC, RenderFunc);
    	hge->System_SetState(HGE_TITLE, "HGE application");
    	hge->System_SetState(HGE_WINDOWED, true);
    	hge->System_SetState(HGE_SCREENWIDTH, 800);
    	hge->System_SetState(HGE_SCREENHEIGHT, 600);
    	hge->System_SetState(HGE_SCREENBPP, 32);
    
    	if(hge->System_Initiate()){
    
    		myRes = new hgeResourceManager("resource.res");
    		ballSprite = myRes->GetSprite("ballSprite");
    		platformP1 = myRes->GetSprite("platformSprite");
    		platformP2 = myRes->GetSprite("platformSprite");
    
    		hge->System_Start();
    
    		delete myRes;
    	}
    	else{
    		MessageBox(NULL, hge->System_GetErrorMessage(), "Error", MB_OK | MB_ICONERROR | MB_APPLMODAL);
    	}
    
    	hge->System_Shutdown();
    	hge->Release();
    
    	return 0;
    }
    platformP1.cpp
    Code:
    #include "objects.h"
    
    player1::player1(){
    	y = 236;
    	speed = 500;
    }
    
    player1::~player1(){
    }
    
    void player1::wallCollide(){
    	if(y>600 - 65) {y = 600 - 65;}
    	if(y<1) {y = 1;}
    
    }
    objects.h
    Code:
    #ifndef OBJECTS_H
    #define OBJECTS_H
    
    class player1
    {
    public:
    	player1();
    	~player1();
    
    	static const int x = 20;
    	float y;
    	float speed;
    
    	void wallCollide();
    
    protected:
    
    };
    
    class player2
    {
    public:
    	player2();
    	~player2();
    
    	static const int x = 800 - 30;
    	float y;
    	float speed;
    
    	void wallCollide();
    
    protected:
    
    };
    
    class Cball
    {
    
    public:
    	Cball();
    	~Cball();
    
    	float x, y;
    	float speed;
    	bool moving;
    
    	int sendDir();
    };
    #endif
    platformP2.cpp
    Code:
    #include "objects.h"
    
    player2::player2(){
    	y = 236;
    	speed = 500;
    }
    
    player2::~player2(){
    }
    
    void player2::wallCollide(){
    	if(y>600 - 65) {y = 600 - 65;}
    	if(y<1) {y = 1;}
    
    }
    ball.cpp
    Code:
    #include "objects.h"
    
    Cball::Cball(){
    	x = 400;
    	y = 300;
    	speed = 250;
    	moving = false;
    }
    
    Cball::~Cball(){
    }
    Last edited by Akkernight; 01-26-2009 at 09:05 AM.
    Currently research OpenGL

  10. #25
    Hail to the king, baby. Akkernight's Avatar
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    and matsp, try using srand() and ctime(), and post on here, I got told that made it more random xP
    If you've got the time that is!
    Currently research OpenGL

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Akkernight View Post
    and matsp, try using srand() and ctime(), and post on here, I got told that made it more random xP
    If you've got the time that is!
    I intentionally used THE SAME srand() seed so that it can be reproducable [ok, so we're calling rand a differnet number of times, but the point is that any value you pass into srand() simply gives you a starting point. Eventually you get back the same sequence anyways - it's just a matter of time. So starting from the same place is a good thing in this case.

    Note that other random number generators will give different results. But I think it's clear that repeating rand is not better...

    --
    Mats
    Compilers can produce warnings - make the compiler programmers happy: Use them!
    Please don't PM me for help - and no, I don't do help over instant messengers.

  12. #27
    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Akkernight
    and matsp, try using srand() and ctime(), and post on here, I got told that made it more random xP
    If you've got the time that is!
    I think you mean std::time() from <ctime>, which is a common way to seed with srand(). It would not make the PRNG "more random". What it would do is provide a convenient way to generate a seed at random.

    Quote Originally Posted by matsp
    I intentionally used THE SAME srand() seed so that it can be reproducable [ok, so we're calling rand a differnet number of times, but the point is that any value you pass into srand() simply gives you a starting point. Eventually you get back the same sequence anyways - it's just a matter of time. So starting from the same place is a good thing in this case.
    Of course, just because you generate a seed at random does not mean you cannot reuse it by saving it into a variable
    Quote Originally Posted by Bjarne Stroustrup (2000-10-14)
    I get maybe two dozen requests for help with some sort of programming or design problem every day. Most have more sense than to send me hundreds of lines of code. If they do, I ask them to find the smallest example that exhibits the problem and send me that. Mostly, they then find the error themselves. "Finding the smallest program that demonstrates the error" is a powerful debugging tool.
    Look up a C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

  13. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by laserlight View Post
    Of course, just because you generate a seed at random does not mean you cannot reuse it by saving it into a variable
    Of course not. I meant that if someone else wants to try the same thing, it will (assuming the same C library) give the same result - not just my machined doing what it does. I doubt it makes much difference - it is fairly clear in the results I got that rand isn't terribly bad at "tossing a coin" type stuff.

    Also tried "Mersenne Twister":
    http://www.bedaux.net/mtrand/

    It gives slightly better results than rand (with code changed to do 100000 iterations):
    Code:
    Iterations: 100000
    Zeros: 50043 Ones: 49957
    Longest sequence: 16
    Doubles: 49839
    Sum: 49957
    --
    Mats
    Compilers can produce warnings - make the compiler programmers happy: Use them!
    Please don't PM me for help - and no, I don't do help over instant messengers.

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