A newb question about keyboard input

I am making a 2d shooting game, and I want the user to be able to move the player with the WSAD keys. The problem is that the user has to hold down the key for a second or two to get the player to start moving continuously. Is there a way to eliminate this problem without using DirectInput?

Yep. You're using WM_CHAR or WM_KEYDOWN messages, right? Well, that's fine, but do this instead:

Code:

---

bool w,s,a,d;

//stuff here

case WM_KEYDOWN:
switch(...)
{
    case 'A':
        a = true;
}
break;

case WM_KEYUP:
switch(...)
{
    case 'A':
        a = false;
}

---

Something like that anyways, and then in your code you do this:

Code:

---

int WINAPI WinMain(...)
{
    (...)
    while(...)
    {
        //your message handling stuff

        if(a)
            --position.x;
    }
}

---

Or you can just use "getch()" intead of whatever syntax you use for inputing the w, a, s, or d.

I'm assuming he's using Windows API. Getch() is console.

Code:

---

Somewhere in the beginning:

#define KEY_UP 0
#define KEY_DOWN 1
#define KEY_LEFT 2
#define KEY_RIGHT 3

bool KeyDown[4] = {false};

---

Code:

---

Message handler:

case WM_KEYDOWN:
  switch(wParam)
  {
      case VK_UP:
        KeyDown[KEY_UP] = true;
        break;

      case VK_DOWN:
        KeyDown[KEY_DOWN] = true;
        break;

      case VK_LEFT:
        KeyDown[KEY_LEFT] = true;
        break;

      case VK_RIGHT:
        KeyDown[KEY_RIGHT] = true;
        break;
  }
  break;

case WM_KEYUP:
  switch(wParam)
  {
      case VK_UP:
        KeyDown[KEY_UP] = false;
        break;

      case VK_DOWN:
        KeyDown[KEY_DOWN] = false;
        break;

      case VK_LEFT:
        KeyDown[KEY_LEFT] = false;
        break;

      case VK_RIGHT:
        KeyDown[KEY_RIGHT] = false;
        break;
  }
  break;

---

Code:

---

Somewhere in your game loop

if(KeyDown[KEY_UP]) Player.Ypos--;
if(KeyDown[KEY_DOWN]) Player.Ypos++;
if(KeyDown[KEY_LEFT]) Player.Xpos--;
if(KeyDown[KEY_RIGHT]) Player.Xpos++;

---