Actions, Transformations and Effects ==================================== .. contents:: :local: Actions ------- Actions are like orders given to any :class:`~cocos.cocosnode.CocosNode` object. These actions usually modify some the object's attributes like `position`, `rotation`, `scale`, etc. For example, the :class:`~cocos.actions.base_actions.MoveBy` action modifies the `position` attribute along a period of time Example:: # Move a sprite 50 pixels to the right, and 100 pixel to the top in 2 seconds. sprite.do( MoveBy( (50,100), duration=2 ) ) The actions behavior related to time classifies them in three groups: :class:`InstantAction` : the change is applied in one step Example:: # instantly move the sprite to the position (120, 330) sprite.do( Place( (120, 330) )) :class:`IntervalAction` : the change is applied in many steps along a time duration that is known at the action instantiation. Example, the above mentioned MoveBy :class:`Action` : the change is applied in many steps along the time, but the duration is not know at instantiation time or it is 'forever' The IntervalAction actions have some interesting properties: - The timeflow can be modified using the time-altered actions + :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.Accelerate` + :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.AccelDeccel` + :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.Speed` - All the relative actions (the ones ending in 'By') and some absolute actions (the ones ending in 'To') have a `Reverse` action that executes the action in the opposite direction. Basic actions ------------- Basic actions are the ones that modifies basic attributes like: - position - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.MoveBy` - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.MoveTo` - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.JumpBy` - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.JumpTo` - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.Bezier` - :class:`~cocos.actions.instant_actions.Place` - scale - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.ScaleBy` - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.ScaleTo` - rotation - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.RotateBy` - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.RotateTo` - visible - :class:`~cocos.actions.instant_actions.Show` - :class:`~cocos.actions.instant_actions.Hide` - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.Blink` - :class:`~cocos.actions.instant_actions.ToggleVisibility` - opacity - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.FadeIn` - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.FadeOut` - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.FadeTo` Examples can be seen in ``test/test_.py`` , like ``test/test_moveby.py`` for MoveBy action Special Actions --------------- **time related:** do nothing along a duration - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.Delay` - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.RandomDelay` **flow control:** call a specified function. Used usually in conjuction with the sequence operator to express the semantic 'after action_1 call this function' - :class:`~cocos.actions.instant_actions.CallFunc` - :class:`~cocos.actions.instant_actions.CallFuncS` **grid helpers:** helpers to do grid actions - :class:`~cocos.actions.basegrid_actions.StopGrid` - :class:`~cocos.actions.basegrid_actions.ReuseGrid` **camera related** - :class:`~cocos.actions.camera_actions.OrbitCamera` Composition and modification of actions --------------------------------------- Cocos also provide some powerful operators to combine or modify actions, the more important being listed below. Runnable examples are named as ``test_.py`` **sequence operator:** action_1 + action_2 -> action_result where action_result performs by first doing all that action_1 would do and then perform all that action_2 would do Example use:: move_2 = MoveTo((100, 100), 10) + MoveTo((200, 200), 15) When activated, move_2 will move the target first to (100, 100), it will arrive there 10 seconds after departure; then it will move to (200, 200), and will arrive there 15 seconds after having arrived to (100, 100) **spawn operator:** action_1 | action_2 -> action_result where action_result performs by doing what would do action_1 in parallel with what would perform action_2 Example use:: move_rotate = MoveTo((100,100), 10) | RotateBy(360, 5) When activated, move_rotate will move the target from the position at the time of activation to (100, 100); also in the first 5 seconds target will be rotated 360 degrees **loop operator:** action_1 * n -> action_result Where n non negative integer, action_result would repeat n times in a row the same that action_1 would perform. Example use:: rotate_3 = RotateBy(360, 5) * 3 When activated, rotate_3 will rotate target 3 times, spending 5 sec in each turn. **repeat forever:** Repeat(action_1) -> action_result where action_result plays action_1, then repeats action_1 each time that action_1 terminates Example use:: rotate_forever = Repeat(RotateBy(360, 3)) When activated, the target will rotate forever, doing a revolution each 3 seconds **Time-flow modifiers** - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.Accelerate` - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.AccelDeccel` - :class:`~cocos.actions.interval_actions.Speed` - :class:`~cocos.actions.base_actions.Reverse` **Grid Amplitude modifiers** - :class:`~cocos.actions.basegrid_actions.AccelAmplitude` - :class:`~cocos.actions.basegrid_actions.DeccelAmplitude` - :class:`~cocos.actions.basegrid_actions.AccelDeccelAmplitude` Effects ------- Effects are a special kind of actions. Instead of modifying normal attributes like *opacity*, *color*, *position*, *rotation*, or *scale*, they modify a new kind of attribute: the **grid** attribute. A grid attribute is like a matrix, it is a network of lines that cross each other to form a series of squares or rectangles. These special actions render any `CocosNode` object (`Layer`, `Scene`, etc.) into the grid, and you can transform the grid by moving it's vertices. There are 2 kind of grids: ``tiled`` grids and ``non-tiled`` grids. The difference is that the ``tiled`` grid is composed of individual tiles while the ``non-tiled`` grid is composed of vertex. .. image:: tiled_and_nontiled_grid.png The grids has 2 dimensions: ``rows`` and ``columns``, but each vertex of the grid has 3 dimension: ``x``, ``y`` and ``z``. So you can create 2d or 3d effects by transforming a ``tiled-grid-3D`` or a ``grid-3D`` grid. You can improve the quality of the effect by increasing the size of the grid, but the effect's speed will decrease. A grid of size (16,12) will run fast in most computers but it won't look pretty well. And a grid of (32,24) will look pretty well, but in won't run fast in some old computers. How they work ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Each frame the screen is rendered into a texture. This texture is transformed into a ``vertex array`` and this ``vertex array`` (the grid!) is transformed by the grid effects. Finally the ``vertex array`` is rendered into the screen. For more information about the internals refer to: - :class:`~cocos.grid.TiledGrid3D` and :class:`~cocos.actions.basegrid_actions.TiledGrid3DAction` for ``tiled`` grids - :class:`~cocos.grid.Grid3D` and :class:`~cocos.actions.basegrid_actions.Grid3DAction` for ``non-tiled`` grids For example, if you have an scene or layer that renders this image: .. image:: original_image.png ...we can transform that image into this one using the :class:`~cocos.actions.grid3d_actions.Ripple3D` action. As you can see from the *wired* image, it is using a grid of 32x24 squares, and the grid is *non-tiled* (all the squares are together). .. image:: effect_ripple3d.png .. image:: effect_ripple3d_grid.png ...or we can transform it into this one using the :class:`~cocos.actions.tiledgrid_actions.FadeOutTRTiles` action. As you can see from the *wired* image, it is using a grid of 16x12 squares, and the grid is *tiled* (all the squares/tiles can be separated). .. image:: effect_fadeouttiles.png .. image:: effect_fadeouttiles_grid.png 3D actions ^^^^^^^^^^ Action names that has the '3D' characters on it's name means that they produce a 3D visual effects by modifying the z-coordinate of the grid. If you're going to use any '3D' action, probably you will want to enable the OpenGL depth test. An easy way to do that is by calling the Director's `set_depth_test` method. Index of grid effects ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ You can find all the `Grid3DAction` actions here: - :mod:`cocos.actions.grid3d_actions` And all the `TiledGrid3DAction` actions here: - :mod:`cocos.actions.tiledgrid_actions` Examples ^^^^^^^^ Some examples:: # effect applied on a Scene scene.do( Twirl( grid=(16,12), duration=4) ) # effect applied on a Layer layer1.do( Lens3D( grid=(32,24), duration=5 ) # effect applied on a different Layer layer2.do( Waves( grid=(16,12), duration=4) + Liquid( grid=(16,12), duration=5 ) ) Working samples can be found as ``test/test_.py`` , like ``test/test_lens_3d.py`` Creating your own actions ------------------------- Creating your own actions is pretty easy. You should familiarize yourself with this concepts, because actions are very powerful and can be combined with another actions to create more actions. For example, there is the Blink action. It is implemented by subclassing `IntervalAction`, but you could actually do something like:: def Blink(times, duration): return ( Hide() + Delay(duration/(times*2)) + Show() + Delay(duration/(times*2)) ) * times Basic Internals ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ All actions work on a `target`. Its their callers responsibility to set the target to the correct element. This allows the user to instantiate an action and then apply the same action to various different elements. All cocosnodes can be a target for an action. You will not know who the target is when `__init__` or `init` is called, but you will when `start` is called. If you are making an action that takes more actions as parameters, it is your responsibility to: * set the target * call the start method * call the stop method You can also override the `__reversed__` method. In this method you have to construct and return an action that would be the reversed version of the action you are doing. For example, in `Show()` we return `Hide()` as its reverse:: class Show( InstantAction ): "" def __reversed__(self): return Hide() Instant Actions ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Instant actions are actions that will take no time to execute. For example, `Hide()` sets the target visibility to False. It is very easy to create an action using the CallFuncS action as a decorator:: @CallFuncS def make_visible( sp ): sp.do( Show() ) self.sprite.do( make_visible ) please note that make_visible will not be a regular function that you can call, it will be an action. So you can compose it like any other action. If you want to subclass InstantAction, you will have to override: - the `init` method to take the parameters you desire - the `start` method to do the action Thats it. For example, this is a minimal implementation of SetOpacity:: class SetOpacity( InstantAction ): def init(self, opacity): self.opacity = opacity def start(self): self.target.opacity = self.opacity Interval Actions ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Interval actions is where the fun is. With this actions you can specify transformations that take a finite time. For example, `MoveBy(how_much, duration)`. The protocol for `IntervalAction` subclasses is the following: - `init` method will be called. here you have to set your `duration` property. - a copy of the instance will be made (you don't have to worry about this) - `start` method will be called (`self.target` will be set) - `update(t)` will most likely be called many time with t in [0,1) and t will monotonically rise. - `update(1)` will be called. - `stop()` will be called. So its in update that you do your magic. For example, if you want to fade something out, you can write something like:: class FadeOut( IntervalAction ): def init( self, duration ): self.duration = duration def update( self, t ): self.target.opacity = 255 * (1-t) def __reversed__(self): return FadeIn( self.duration ) The trick is that whoever is running your action will interpolate the values of t so that you get called with `t==1` when your duration is up. This does not mean that `duration` seconds have elapsed, but it usually does. If someone wants to make your action go twice as fast, they can feed you updates at a different rate and you should not care. Also, this allows us to change the interpolation method. We usually use linear interpolation, but `AccelDeccel`, for example, uses a sigmoid function so that is goes slower at the ends. Grid Actions ^^^^^^^^^^^^ These are `IntervalAction` actions, but instead of modifying *normal* attributes like *rotation*, *position*, *scale*, they modify the *grid* attribute. Let's see in detail how to build a basic *non-tiled-grid* action:: class Shaky3D( Grid3DAction): *Shaky3D* is a subclass of `Grid3DAction`, so we are building a *non-tiled* action. If we want to create a *tiled* action, we need to subclass from the `TiledGrid3DAction` class:: def init( self, randrange=6, *args, **kw ): ''' :Parameters: `randrange` : int Number that will be used in random.randrange( -randrange, randrange) to do the effect ''' super(Shaky3D,self).init(*args,**kw) #: random range of the shaky effect self.randrange = randrange Our class receives the ``randrange`` parameter, so we save it, and we call ``init`` of our super class:: def update( self, t ): for i in xrange(0, self.grid.x+1): for j in xrange(0, self.grid.y+1): x,y,z = self.get_original_vertex(i,j) x += random.randrange( -self.randrange, self.randrange+1 ) y += random.randrange( -self.randrange, self.randrange+1 ) z += random.randrange( -self.randrange, self.randrange+1 ) self.set_vertex( i,j, (x,y,z) ) Like any other `IntervalAction` action the ``update`` method is going to be called once per frame. So, our *Shaky3D* effect will modify the ``x``,``y`` and ``z`` coordinate by a random number that is calculated by the ``random.randrange`` function. The `get_original_vertex` method returns the original coordinates of the vertex ``x`` and ``y``, while the `get_vertex` method returns the current coordinates of the vertex ``x`` and ``y``. XXX: Explain how to build a Tiled Action XXX: How to use: `get_original_tile` and `get_tile`