Forums » Help » ig.game.spawnEntity(EntityIntroProp ... ) -> EntityIntroProp resolves to type 'function Class()'

I put a console output in the game.js code whenever spawning entities. If I place the entity in weltmeister, it resolves to 'EntityIntroProp' correctly.

If I try to spawn inside the init() function in the IntroScreen game class it resolves to 'function Class()'. Strangely, the entity's init() function is invoked. For a split second impact.Debug acknowledges the entity before dropping to 0 entities.

I have also tried pushing the entity into the 'this.entities' array. Same result.

Another issue: I want to nest a folder called "intro" in the "lib/game/entities" folder. Following convention, the module name should be "game.entities.intro.foo". I require it with the same module identifier. Impact can't resolve this or it seems I'm doing it incorrectly. (This is not the same issue as including the path in weltmeister.js script. I know how to do that.) Any advice?

How exactly do you create the Entity? Can you show some code?

Usually the Game's .spawnEntity() method should be used. I.e. in your case:

ig.game.spawnEntity(EntityIntroProp, x, y);

The module name "game.entities.intro.foo" should correctly resolve to the lib/game/entities/intro/foo.js. What's the exact issue? Do you see an error message?

In my Game class init() function:

	init: function() {
		// Load the test room
		this.loadLevelDeferred(LevelIntro);

		// Clear the screen compltely black
		this.clearColor = "#000000";

		// init the font
		this.font = new ig.Font( 'media/fonts/04b03.font.png' );

		// Add the first two props to the intro screen
		this.introKidBoy = ig.game.spawnEntity(EntityIntroprop, ig.system.width, ig.system.height/10.0, {propType: "boy"});
		this.introKidGirl = ig.game.spawnEntity(EntityIntroprop, ig.system.width+16, ig.system.height/10.0, {propType: "girl", leftLimitAdjust: 16});
	},

There were no issues. In game.js, I printed to the console to see what was up.

	spawnEntity: function( type, x, y, settings ) {

		console.log(type); 

       ... 

Entities placed in the level editor would resolve correctly to EntityIntroProp and stay in the game.

Entities spawned via the init() function would resolve to 'function Class()' and be removed from game.

I thought the module path was the culprit which is why I brought it into question. Glad to know I have it right.

* They resolve to EntityIntroprop.

The type-case is correct in the code.

Well that sounds alright. Doing console.log(type); at the top of the spawnEntity() function will log the constructor for that object (function Class()) - that's exactly what you call the function with and is correct.

spawnEntity() can also deal with the type name as a string (i.e. spawnEntity("EntityIntroprop",...)) and that's how entities in the level file are referenced. If you look into the source of your level json you'll the entitys are just referenced as a string of their name.

So, that's not a problem then. There's something else going on, probably in the entity itself, that removes it from the game world instantly.

Keep in mind it doesn't remove itself when added via the level editor.

Strange that entities added via the level editor resolve to type "EntityIntroprop" but the ones that were not resolve to editor "function Class()" regardless if that's intended to work. Something is fishy.

Maybe add a console.log to the entity kill method.

Or to the game removeEntity method.

This should let you see when the problematic entity is making its exit.

Can you post the code for the EntityIntroprop class? Does it have any _wmSettings in it? Are you using a property named _killed?

And maybe instead of console.log, try console.trace to get a stacktrace of who's calling what?

EntityIntroprop:
http://pastebin.com/viL8FK1Z

Intro Game Class:
http://pastebin.com/xa5v6Lrk

Check this out. If I add the code in the update() function as opposed to the init() function, they spawn. Why is that?

Quote from Bum
In my Game class init() function:

	init: function() {
		// Load the test room
		this.loadLevelDeferred(LevelIntro);

		// Clear the screen compltely black
		this.clearColor = "#000000";

		// init the font
		this.font = new ig.Font( 'media/fonts/04b03.font.png' );

		// Add the first two props to the intro screen
		this.introKidBoy = ig.game.spawnEntity(EntityIntroprop, ig.system.width, ig.system.height/10.0, {propType: "boy"});
		this.introKidGirl = ig.game.spawnEntity(EntityIntroprop, ig.system.width+16, ig.system.height/10.0, {propType: "girl", leftLimitAdjust: 16});
	},

I'm pretty sure the problem is that you're using loadLevelDeferred. This means that your not loading the level right away. But you are spawning the entities right away. Then soon after, the deferred loadLevel occurs, but since loadLevel wipes any existing entities, you'll lose the ones you already spawned.

Try replacing loadLevelDeferred in your init function with loadLevel.

Thanks for clarity. When would I want to use loadLevelDeferred over loadLevel ?

From this thread:

[loadLevelDeferred] should be used when you want to load a level in the midst of an update() cycle.

Basically, weird things can happen if you load a new level while work is still being done with the current one.

So if you need to load a level after the init, either call loadLevel at the very start (or very end) of your update function, or use the loadLevelDeferred function which will simply load the new level at the start of the next frame.