I need some help on this game...

I saw an article on the new game "State of Emergency", and noticed how advanced the AI was (it's kinda like GTA3, cept killing pedestrians is the point, and the crowds react to gunshots, people dying, etc.), it could control 500 people at a time. So I decided to try it with simple squares that react to a simlated gunshot. Space starts the simulation, and return stops it. The problem is, everyone moves similarly, and I tried added a random factor to it, but rand() relies on the system clock, which doesn't change much during a for loop. I also need some sort of collision system (simple rectangle bounding box) so they won't run into each other. Here's the Allegro code(sorry, but ftp isn't working quite right, so I hafta c/p):

Code:

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#include <allegro.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <conio.h>
#define RX 640
#define RY 480
#define STILL 0
#define UP 1
#define DOWN 2
#define LEFT 3
#define RIGHT 4

void randomize() {
 srand((unsigned)time(NULL));
}

int rand(int num) {
 randomize();
 return rand()%num;
}

class square {
 public:
  int size;
  int x, y;
  int c;
  int speed, brave;
  int dir;
  bool run;
  void move(int mx, int my);
};

void square::move(int mx, int my) {
 x = x + mx;
 y = y + my;
}

int main() {
 int n, cury = 230, curx = 100, scare = 10;
 allegro_init();
 set_gfx_mode(GFX_AUTODETECT_WINDOWED, RX, RY, 0, 0);
 set_window_title("Crowd Control");
 set_color_depth(8);
 install_mouse();
 install_keyboard();
 set_palette(default_palette);
 BITMAP *screen2 = create_video_bitmap(RX, RY), *buffer = create_bitmap(RX, RY);
 fade_in(default_palette, 1);
 square player, crowd[10];
 player.x = 10;
 player.y = 230;
 player.c = 4;
 player.size = 10;
 player.dir = STILL;
 player.run = false;
 player.speed = 3;
 for (n=0;n<10;n++) {
  crowd[n].size = 10;
  curx += 30;
  crowd[n].x = curx;
  crowd[n].y = cury;
  crowd[n].c = 1;
  crowd[n].brave = 5;
  crowd[n].speed = 1;
  crowd[n].dir = STILL;
  crowd[n].run = false;
 }
 while(!key[KEY_ESC]) {
  clear_bitmap(buffer);
  if (key[KEY_UP]) {
  player.dir = UP;
  player.y -= player.speed;
  }
  if (key[KEY_DOWN]) {
  player.dir = UP;
  player.y += player.speed;
  }
  if (key[KEY_LEFT]) {
  player.dir = UP;
  player.x -= player.speed;
  }
  if (key[KEY_RIGHT]) {
  player.dir = UP;
  player.x += player.speed;
  }
  if (key[KEY_SPACE]) {
  for (n=0;n<10;n++) {
    crowd[n].run = true;
  }
  }
  if (key[KEY_ENTER]) {
  for (n=0;n<10;n++) {
    crowd[n].run = false;
  }
  }
  for (n=0;n<10;n++) {
  if (crowd[n].run == true) {
    if (scare > crowd[n].brave) {
    if (crowd[n].x > player.x || rand(3) == 1) {
      crowd[n].x = crowd[n].x + (rand(2) + crowd[n].speed);
    }
        if (crowd[n].x < player.x || rand(3) == 1) {
          crowd[n].x = crowd[n].x - (rand(2) + crowd[n].speed);
        }
        if (crowd[n].y > player.y || rand(3) == 1) {
          crowd[n].y = crowd[n].y + (rand(2) + crowd[n].speed);
        }
        if (crowd[n].y < player.y || rand(3) == 1) {
          crowd[n].y = crowd[n].y - (rand(2) + crowd[n].speed);
        }
    }
  }
  }
  rectfill(buffer,player.x,player.y,player.x+player.size,player.y+player.size,player.c);
  for (n=0;n<10;n++) {
  rectfill(buffer,crowd[n].x,crowd[n].y,crowd[n].x+crowd[n].size,crowd[n].y+crowd[n].size,crowd[n].c);
  }
  blit(buffer, screen2, 0, 0, 0, 0, RX, RY);
  show_video_bitmap(screen2);
 }
 fade_out(6);
 allegro_exit();
 return 0;
}

END_OF_MAIN();

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Thanks for any help,
Scott Hand

To start with rand() doesn't rely on the system clock. Your problem is srand() should only be called once in the program, not every time you need a random number.
So in your main you should call randomize() once, and then your random function should look like this-

Code:

---

int rand(int num) {
 return rand()%num;
}

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I'd also rename the function to something other than rand(), just to keep from getting confused.

These are the random functions i use

#include <stdlib.h>

int getrandi(int low, int high)
{
return low+rand()%(high-low+1);
}

float getrandf(float low, float high)
{
float range = high - low;
float num = range * (float)rand()/(float)RAND_MAX;
return( num + low );
}

double getrandd( double low, double high ) {
double range = high - low;
double num = range * (double)rand()/(double)RAND_MAX;
return( num + low );
}

Just remember to call srand(); once at the programs startup like taylorguitarman said.

http://www.math.keio.ac.jp/~matumoto/emt.html

one of the best random number generators you can get...

I got rid of the extra randomize() and it works! I got the ftp problem fixed, so I uploaded the binary for all the trusting people to download. Note, if you don't trst me, you don't have to download it.
http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/~markhand/Crowds.exe

Controls:

Arrows: Move
Insert: Speed up player
Delete: Speed down player
Home: Speed up CPU
End: Speed down CPU
Numpad+: Raise threat (more people run away)
Numpad-: Lower threat (more people attack)
It's kinda pointless, but pretty neat and fun to play with.

Thanks a bunch for the help,
Valar_King

Needs allegro.dll.

Quote:

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Needs allegro.dll.

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valar_king, compile it as static linked to avoid this if you like. :)