Thread: problem with keyboard input

Hello!
I'm programming a game. I use the keyboard input of my arrow keys to move the character in my game. It works, but there's a small defect.

When pressing a button and not releasing it, the character steps one step forward, then stops for a very short time and then starts moving smoothly. If I don't release the key, how can it stop? Why doesn't it start moving smoothly right after pushing the key?

I'm quite sure the problem is the input, not my, because changing the view has the same defect although the systems are different.

I use standard Windows method for getting input (WM_KEYDOWN). I also tried AsyncKeys, but it made no difference. Should I try DirectInput too or is there some simpler solution. It seems to me that the problem I have should not be too difficult and is caused because of my lack of knowledge about input.

One way of doing it is having a boolean to keep track if left key or right key is being pressed, set true when WM_KEYDOWN is sent and the key is the arrow key, set false when WM_KEYUP is sent.

Then in your gameupdate you move the character if the bool is true otherwise it stays.

The reason it stutters is (if i remember correctly) because windows has a small timeout betwean a WM_KEYDOWN is sent and it recognizes the key as being held down.

Thanks, problem solved!

I have another problem however that fits into the same category, so I won't make a new topic for it.

When I hold a key down for some time and then press another key, it starts working even if I still hold down the previous key. Is there a way to make them work together? I need it because it is quite usual in games, that you hold down the moving key and sometimes press left or right keys to change direction without releasing the moving key. When I do it, the moving stops. How to to it right?

Or use DirectInput ( so much better than using Windows Messages ) it is pretty simple to get right. It is explained pretty good in the DirectX SDK documentation.

Problems solved, thanks!

Originally Posted by Raigne

Or use DirectInput ( so much better than using Windows Messages ) it is pretty simple to get right.

According to the DirectInput documentation, if you are using a keyboard for typing or a mouse for navigation (ie. all games that don't use joysticks or controllers) you should use Windows Messages. It certainly is easier to use though. I learned this a while back and still haven't talked myself into pulling DI out and putting Windows Messages back.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...06(VS.85).aspx