Fading Text Display. Comments?

Community Forums/Showcase/Fading Text Display. Comments?

WERDNA

(Posted 2009) [#1]

Hey everyone!

I recently created the story sequence for my game, Ping Pong Battle,
and after experimenting a bit with various font commands, was
able to make some really nifty text for the story that 'fades' in and out.
Starts out pure black, slowly turns brighter and brighter white,
and then fades to black again and is replaced by new text.

Just wanted to get some opinions on this and see what everyone
thinks, and if there is any way that I could improve upon it.

I've included the code along with the .exe as well, because I
know I could improve it, probably using types and a For loop, or
just using an array :)

I'll stuff the code in a codebox for you as well, just to make things
convenient!

http://www.mediafire.com/?yfbzrzmzqmm

Graphics 1024,768,0,1
SetBuffer BackBuffer()
AutoMidHandle True
SeedRnd MilliSecs()


Story()
Function Story()
Local Music=PlayMusic("Sounds-Music\Over_Heat.mod")

Font=LoadFont("Verdana",36,False,False,False)
SetFont Font

Local String1$="For the last 2000 years, there has existed another world."
Local String2$="A world of darkness, just on the edge of the universe."
Local String3$=""
Local String4$="This world has tried, time and time again to destroy the earth,"
Local String5$="but to no avail. For the ancients of Atlantis, long ago erected a"
Local String6$="protective barrier around our world, that will protect it from harm."
Local String7$="But once Atlantis sunk beneath the waves,"
Local String8$="the barrier began to weaken."
Local String9$="And the dark forces began to break through..."

Local String10$="An ancient sect of monks, that followed the way of the Dao, found"
Local String11$="a way to keep the barrier intact. But at a cost..."
Local String12$="Once every 50 years, they must journey to the cradle of life, and"
Local String13$="fight these dark creatures in a tournament."
Local String14$="If they won, the darkness was held back for another 50 years,"
Local String15$="until the next tournament. If they lost,"
Local String16$="then the world would be engulfed in darkness. Forever...."
Local String17$=""
Local String18$="This tournament consisted of the one true game, a game that had"
Local String19$="been played since the begining of time."

Local String20$="Ping Pong"

Local String21$="The creator of the Dao himself, McDao, realized the monks alone"
Local String22$="could no longer hold back the darkness." 
Local String23$="For the darkness had grown in strength over the century's, while 
Local String24$="the monks had grown old and weak."
Local String25$="So he began a search, for hero's and villains alike, who could"
Local String26$="defeat the darkness, and save the world!"
Local String27$=""
Local String28$="Some would come simply for the chance to save the world."
Local String29$="Others, would not." 
Local String30$="So McDao promised a prize to the winner of the Tournament."
Local String31$="either money, Or the holy grail itself!"
Local String32$="(Or for the most heroic of warriors, an Xbox)."


Local String33$="The Ping Pong Warriors converged, to fight it out in the ultimate...."

Local String34$="PING PONG BATTLE!"

Local R# = 2

Local G# = 2

Local B# = 2

Local Dir = 1

Local Speed# = 0.4

Local Scene = 1

While Not KeyDown(1)
Cls


If Not ChannelPlaying(Music)
Music=PlayMusic("Sounds-Music\Over_Heat.mod")
End If 

Color Int(R),Int(G),Int(B)

If R >= 255 Then Dir = 2

If R <= 1
Dir = 1
Scene = Scene + 1
End If 

If Dir = 1
R=R+Speed
G=G+Speed
B=B+Speed
ElseIf Dir = 2
R=R-Speed
G=G-Speed
B=B-Speed
End If 

If Scene = 1
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String1$)/2,FontHeight()*2,String1$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String2$)/2,FontHeight()*3,String2$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String3$)/2,FontHeight()*4,String3$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String4$)/2,FontHeight()*5,String4$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String5$)/2,FontHeight()*6,String5$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String6$)/2,FontHeight()*7,String6$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String7$)/2,FontHeight()*8,String7$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String8$)/2,FontHeight()*9,String8$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String9$)/2,FontHeight()*10,String9$
End If 

If Scene = 2
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String10$)/2,FontHeight()*2,String10$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String11$)/2,FontHeight()*3,String11$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String12$)/2,FontHeight()*4,String12$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String13$)/2,FontHeight()*5,String13$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String14$)/2,FontHeight()*6,String14$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String15$)/2,FontHeight()*7,String15$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String16$)/2,FontHeight()*8,String16$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String17$)/2,FontHeight()*9,String17$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String18$)/2,FontHeight()*10,String18$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String19$)/2,FontHeight()*11,String19$
End If 

If Scene = 3
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String20$)/2,GraphicsHeight()/2,String20$
End If 

If Scene = 4
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String21$)/2,FontHeight()*2,String21$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String22$)/2,FontHeight()*3,String22$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String23$)/2,FontHeight()*4,String23$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String24$)/2,FontHeight()*5,String24$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String25$)/2,FontHeight()*6,String25$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String26$)/2,FontHeight()*7,String26$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String27$)/2,FontHeight()*8,String27$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String28$)/2,FontHeight()*9,String28$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String29$)/2,FontHeight()*10,String29$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String30$)/2,FontHeight()*11,String30$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String31$)/2,FontHeight()*12,String31$
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String32$)/2,FontHeight()*13,String32$
End If 

If Scene = 5
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String33$)/2,GraphicsHeight()/2,String33$
End If 

If Scene = 6
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(String34$)/2,GraphicsHeight()/2,String34$
End If 
 

Flip
Wend 
End Function

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Sauer

(Posted 2009) [#2]

Cool story, I'm really into table tennis myself. I hate to nit pick, but there is a grammar issue: "Once Atlantis sunk beneath the waves" shouldbe "Once Atlantis sank beneath the waves".

WERDNA

(Posted 2009) [#3]

Yeah I wasn't sure about that, lol.
also beginning is misspelled :)

I find it interesting that you actually like the story.
Wasn't sure how well it would be received.

Its mainly inspired by Mortal Kombat.

How does the code look?
I've been really trying lately to clean up my code, and especially to
make functions self reliant(I think thats the right term), so they don't
have to rely on globals, or outside values.

Sauer

(Posted 2009) [#4]

It would be better if you put your strings in a Blitz Array and used for loops to iterate over them when printing them out, that way you have less redundant code.

Also, indentation of code is nice.

Foppy

(Posted 2009) [#5]

I agree about using an array. You can then do:

For i = 0 to numberOfStrings-1
  Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(myStringArray(i))/2,FontHeight()*2,myStringArray(i)
Next

(Instead of dealing with every string on its own line of code.)

You could put the strings in lines of Data at the bottom of the program and read those into an array at the start.

P.S. I can't see the effect right now because I'm at work.

Edit: This example assumed use of a global array, using round brackets for array access.

Duckstab[o]

(Posted 2009) [#6]

yes very nice :)

Coding comments are true you could cut the code down by 60% then give some room for moving text code :)

WERDNA

(Posted 2009) [#7]

Ok, I figured an array was the way to go.

Thanks for the example Foppy!

And yeah, I know I still forget to indent, lol. I'm working on it :)

60% then give some room for moving text code

Nifty!

Thanks everyone!

Yeshu777

(Posted 2009) [#8]

Couldn't you read / parse the text from a seperate file?

Sauer

(Posted 2009) [#9]

I second the Data block suggestion, I find it easier to parse than a plain text file.

WERDNA

(Posted 2009) [#10]

I'll modify my code using the Data block suggestion, and repost it in
a day or two :)

Also I'm still really noob in BlitzMax, and will be posting a BlitzMax
copy of this, that I don't really understand whats wrong with it.

Thanks everyone!

therevills

(Posted 2009) [#11]

LOL.... didnt I say to use an array last time Werdna.... ;)

But I do agree that it should be in a separte text file, therefore if you want to translate your game in the future, all you have to do is replace the text files (as long as your chosen font can handle foreign characters)....

WERDNA

(Posted 2009) [#12]

Ok, I have 2 new versions.

Using Blitz3D, this version reads the text from a separate file into
an array, and prints depending on what values I set NumSeen, and
NumInScene too. I still have to modify this a bit, but this is the direction
I'm going in :)

 Graphics 1024,768,0,1
SetBuffer BackBuffer()
AutoMidHandle True
SeedRnd MilliSecs()

Type S
Field i$
End Type 

For is = 1 To 34
S.S = New S
Next 

Dim StoryArray$(is)

Story()
Function Story()
Local Music=PlayMusic("Sounds-Music\Over_Heat.mod")

Font=LoadFont("Verdana",36,False,False,False)
SetFont Font


Local Num = 0

OpenStory=ReadFile("Story.txt")
For S.S = Each S
S\i = ReadLine(OpenStory)
StoryArray(Num)=S\i
Num = Num + 1
Next
CloseFile(OpenStory)


Local R# = 2

Local G# = 2

Local B# = 2

Local Dir = 1

Local Speed# = 0.4

Local Scene = 1

Local NumInScene = 3

Local NumSeen = 0

While Not KeyDown(1)
Cls


If Not ChannelPlaying(Music)
Music=PlayMusic("Sounds-Music\Over_Heat.mod")
End If 

Color Int(R),Int(G),Int(B)

If R >= 255 Then Dir = 2

If R <= 1
Dir = 1
Scene = Scene + 1
End If 

If Dir = 1
R=R+Speed
G=G+Speed
B=B+Speed
ElseIf Dir = 2
R=R-Speed
G=G-Speed
B=B-Speed
End If 

If Scene = 2
NumSeen = 3
NumInScene = 6
End If 

For Texts=NumSeen To NumSeen+NumInScene
Text GraphicsWidth()/2-StringWidth(StoryArray(Texts))/2,FontHeight()*Texts,StoryArray(Texts)
Next

Flip
Wend 
End Function

Separate Text File that data is read from.


For the last 2000 years, there has existed another world.
A world of darkness, just on the edge of the universe.

This world has tried, time and time again to destroy the earth,
but to no avail. For the ancients of Atlantis, long ago erected a
protective barrier around our world, that will protect it from harm.
But once Atlantis sank beneath the waves,
the barrier began to weaken.
And the dark forces began to break through...

An ancient sect of monks, that followed the way of the Dao, found
a way to keep the barrier intact. But at a cost...
Once every 50 years, they must journey to the cradle of life, and
fight these dark creatures in a tournament.
If they won, the darkness was held back for another 50 years,
until the next tournament. If they lost,
then the world would be engulfed in darkness. Forever....

This tournament consisted of the one true game, a game that had
been played since the begining of time.

Ping Pong

The creator of the Dao himself, McDao, realized the monks alone
could no longer hold back the darkness.
For the darkness had grown in strength over the century's, while
the monks had grown old and weak.
So he began a search, for hero's and villains alike, who could
defeat the darkness, and save the world!

Some would come simply for the chance to save the world.
Others, would not.
So McDao promised a prize to the winner of the Tournament.
either money, Or the holy grail itself!
(Or for the most heroic of warriors, an Xbox).


The Ping Pong Warriors converged, to fight it out in the ultimate....

PING PONG BATTLE!

And the BlitzMax version which goes along the lines of the first version.
I'm still really noob with BlitzMax, and am obviously doing something
wrong with this. because it runs VERY slowly.
(Although doesn't seem to have any problems besides that :)

Graphics 1024,768,0,2
AutoMidHandle True
SeedRnd MilliSecs()

Story()
Function Story()
Font=LoadImageFont("Verdana",36,SMOOTHFONT)
SetImageFont Font

Local String1$="For the last 2000 years, there has existed another world."
Local String2$="A world of darkness, just on the edge of the universe."
Local String3$=""
Local String4$="This world has tried, time and time again to destroy the earth,"
Local String5$="but to no avail. For the ancients of Atlantis, long ago erected a"
Local String6$="protective barrier around our world, that will protect it from harm."
Local String7$="But once Atlantis sunk beneath the waves,"
Local String8$="the barrier began to weaken."
Local String9$="And the dark forces began to break through..."

Local String10$="An ancient sect of monks, that followed the way of the Dao, found"
Local String11$="a way to keep the barrier intact. But at a cost..."
Local String12$="Once every 50 years, they must journey to the cradle of life, and"
Local String13$="fight these dark creatures in a tournament."
Local String14$="If they won, the darkness was held back for another 50 years,"
Local String15$="until the next tournament. If they lost,"
Local String16$="then the world would be engulfed in darkness. Forever...."
Local String17$=""
Local String18$="This tournament consisted of the one true game, a game that had"
Local String19$="been played since the begining of time."

Local String20$="Ping Pong"

Local String21$="The creator of the Dao himself, McDao, realized the monks alone"
Local String22$="could no longer hold back the darkness." 
Local String23$="For the darkness had grown in strength over the century's, while"
Local String24$="the monks had grown old and weak."
Local String25$="So he began a search, for hero's and villains alike, who could"
Local String26$="defeat the darkness, and save the world!"
Local String27$=""
Local String28$="Some would come simply for the chance to save the world."
Local String29$="Others, would not." 
Local String30$="So McDao promised a prize to the winner of the Tournament."
Local String31$="either money, Or the holy grail itself!"
Local String32$="(Or for the most heroic of warriors, an Xbox)."


Local String33$="The Ping Pong Warriors converged, to fight it out in the ultimate...."

Local String34$="PING PONG BATTLE!"

Local R# = 2

Local G# = 2

Local B# = 2

Local Dir = 1

Local Speed# = 0.4

Local Scene = 1

While Not KeyDown(KEY_ESCAPE)
Cls 

SetColor Int(R),Int(G),Int(B)
If R >= 255 Then Dir = 2

If R <= 1
Dir = 1
Scene = Scene + 1
End If 

If Dir = 1
R=R+Speed
G=G+Speed
B=B+Speed
ElseIf Dir = 2
R=R-Speed
G=G-Speed
B=B-Speed
End If 

If Scene = 1
DrawText String1$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String1$)/2,TextHeight(String1$)*2
DrawText String2$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String2$)/2,TextHeight(String2$)*3
DrawText String3$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String3$)/2,TextHeight(String3$)*4
DrawText String4$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String4$)/2,TextHeight(String4$)*5
DrawText String5$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String5$)/2,TextHeight(String5$)*6
DrawText String6$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String6$)/2,TextHeight(String6$)*7
DrawText String7$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String7$)/2,TextHeight(String7$)*8
DrawText String8$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String8$)/2,TextHeight(String8$)*9
DrawText String9$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String9$)/2,TextHeight(String9$)*10
End If 

If Scene = 2
DrawText String10$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String10$)/2,TextHeight(String10$)*2
DrawText String11$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String11$)/2,TextHeight(String11$)*3
DrawText String12$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String12$)/2,TextHeight(String12$)*4
DrawText String13$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String13$)/2,TextHeight(String13$)*5
DrawText String14$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String14$)/2,TextHeight(String14$)*6
DrawText String15$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String15$)/2,TextHeight(String15$)*7
DrawText String16$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String16$)/2,TextHeight(String16$)*8
DrawText String17$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String17$)/2,TextHeight(String17$)*9
DrawText String18$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String18$)/2,TextHeight(String18$)*10
DrawText String19$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String19$)/2,TextHeight(String19$)*11
End If 

If Scene = 3
DrawText String20$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String20$)/2,GraphicsHeight()/2
End If 

If Scene = 4
DrawText String21$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String21$)/2,TextHeight(String21$)*2
DrawText String22$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String22$)/2,TextHeight(String22$)*3
DrawText String23$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String23$)/2,TextHeight(String23$)*4
DrawText String24$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String24$)/2,TextHeight(String24$)*5
DrawText String25$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String25$)/2,TextHeight(String25$)*6
DrawText String26$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String26$)/2,TextHeight(String26$)*7
DrawText String27$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String27$)/2,TextHeight(String27$)*8
DrawText String28$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String28$)/2,TextHeight(String28$)*9
DrawText String29$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String29$)/2,TextHeight(String29$)*10
DrawText String30$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String30$)/2,TextHeight(String30$)*11
DrawText String31$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String31$)/2,TextHeight(String31$)*12
DrawText String32$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String32$)/2,TextHeight(String32$)*13
End If 

If Scene = 5
DrawText String33$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String33$)/2,GraphicsHeight()/2
End If 

If Scene = 6
DrawText String34$,GraphicsWidth()/2-TextWidth(String34$)/2,GraphicsHeight()/2
End If 
 

Flip 
Wend 
End Function

Tell me what you think,
(Particularly with the BlitzMax one)

BlitzSupport

(Posted 2009) [#13]

That last BlitzMax example is running slowly because the last parameter of Graphics in BlitzMax isn't the same as in Blitz3D (where it controls the window mode) -- in BlitzMax it's the refresh rate, ie. you're limiting it to 2 frames per second here! Caught me out with that one.

There's quite a bit that could be optimised there:

Calculate GraphicsWidth()/2 just once and store it in a Global just after Graphics -- you're calculating this for every single DrawText call.

You're going through each and every case on every frame with all those If statements, ie. even if Scene = 1, you're still checking If Scene = 2... 6 after that. Use Select instead, which simply jumps to the right Scene and then exits, ignoring all the other cases:

Select Scene

    Case 1
        DrawText String1$, x, y
        DrawText String2$, x, y
        DrawText String3$, x, y

    Case 2
        DrawText String1$, x, y
        DrawText String2$, x, y
        DrawText String3$, x, y

    Case 3
        DrawText String4$, x, y
        DrawText String5$, x, y
        DrawText String6$, x, y

    Case 4
        DrawText String7$, x, y
        DrawText String8$, x, y
        DrawText String9$, x, y

    Case 5
        DrawText String10$, x, y
        DrawText String11$, x, y
        DrawText String12$, x, y

    Case 6
        DrawText String13$, x, y
        DrawText String14$, x, y
        DrawText String15$, x, y

End Select

Use arrays like others suggested, then you only have to do something like this:

Select Scene

    Case 1
        For storyline = 1 To 5
            linewidth = TextWidth (StoryString (storyline)) / 2
            DrawText StoryString (storyline), GW - linewidth, y
        Next

    Case 2
        For storyline = 6 To 10
            linewidth = TextWidth (StoryString (storyline)) / 2
            DrawText StoryString (storyline), GW - linewidth, y
        Next

End Select

... instead of typing each DrawText line out separately.

Here's a reworked version:

Graphics 1024,768

Global GW = GraphicsWidth () / 2

AutoMidHandle True
SeedRnd MilliSecs()

Story()

Function Story()

	Font=LoadImageFont("Verdana",36,SMOOTHFONT)
	SetImageFont Font
	
	Local StoryString$ [35] ' Extra one for StoryString [0]!
	
	StoryString [1]="For the last 2000 years, there has existed another world."
	StoryString [2]="A world of darkness, just on the edge of the universe."
	StoryString [3]=""
	StoryString [4]="This world has tried, time and time again to destroy the earth,"
	StoryString [5]="but to no avail. For the ancients of Atlantis, long ago erected a"
	StoryString [6]="protective barrier around our world, that will protect it from harm."
	StoryString [7]="But once Atlantis sunk beneath the waves,"
	StoryString [8]="the barrier began to weaken."
	StoryString [9]="And the dark forces began to break through..."
	
	StoryString [10]="An ancient sect of monks, that followed the way of the Dao, found"
	StoryString [11]="a way to keep the barrier intact. But at a cost..."
	StoryString [12]="Once every 50 years, they must journey to the cradle of life, and"
	StoryString [13]="fight these dark creatures in a tournament."
	StoryString [14]="If they won, the darkness was held back for another 50 years,"
	StoryString [15]="until the next tournament. If they lost,"
	StoryString [16]="then the world would be engulfed in darkness. Forever...."
	StoryString [17]=""
	StoryString [18]="This tournament consisted of the one true game, a game that had"
	StoryString [19]="been played since the begining of time."
	
	StoryString [20]="Ping Pong"
	
	StoryString [21]="The creator of the Dao himself, McDao, realized the monks alone"
	StoryString [22]="could no longer hold back the darkness." 
	StoryString [23]="For the darkness had grown in strength over the century's, while"
	StoryString [24]="the monks had grown old and weak."
	StoryString [25]="So he began a search, for hero's and villains alike, who could"
	StoryString [26]="defeat the darkness, and save the world!"
	StoryString [27]=""
	StoryString [28]="Some would come simply for the chance to save the world."
	StoryString [29]="Others, would not." 
	StoryString [30]="So McDao promised a prize to the winner of the Tournament."
	StoryString [31]="either money, Or the holy grail itself!"
	StoryString [32]="(Or for the most heroic of warriors, an Xbox)."
	
	
	StoryString [33]="The Ping Pong Warriors converged, to fight it out in the ultimate...."
	
	StoryString [34]="PING PONG BATTLE!"
	
	Local R# = 2
	
	Local G# = 2
	
	Local B# = 2
	
	Local Dir = 1
	
	Local Speed# = 0.4
	
	Local Scene = 1
	
	While Not KeyDown(KEY_ESCAPE)

		Cls 
		
		SetColor Int(R),Int(G),Int(B)

		If R >= 255 Then Dir = 2
		
		If R <= 1
			Dir = 1
			Scene = Scene + 1
		End If 
		
		If Dir = 1
			R=R+Speed
			G=G+Speed
			B=B+Speed
		ElseIf Dir = 2
			R=R-Speed
			G=G-Speed
			B=B-Speed
		End If 
		
		linepos = 0 ' Used to position each line of text
		
		Select Scene		

			Case 1
				For storyline = 1 To 9
					linepos = linepos + 1
					DrawText StoryString [storyline],GW-TextWidth(StoryString [storyline])/2,TextHeight(StoryString [storyline]) * linepos
				Next
			
			Case 2
				For storyline = 10 To 19
					linepos = linepos + 1
					DrawText StoryString [storyline],GW-TextWidth(StoryString [storyline])/2,TextHeight(StoryString [storyline]) * linepos
				Next
			
			Case 3
				storyline = 20
				DrawText StoryString [storyline],GW-TextWidth(StoryString [storyline])/2,GraphicsHeight()/2
			
			Case 4
				For storyline = 21 To 32
					linepos = linepos + 1
					DrawText StoryString [storyline],GW-TextWidth(StoryString [storyline])/2,TextHeight(StoryString [storyline]) * linepos
				Next
			
			Case 5
				DrawText StoryString [33],GW-TextWidth(StoryString [33])/2,GraphicsHeight()/2
			
			Case 6
				DrawText StoryString [34],GW-TextWidth(StoryString [34])/2,GraphicsHeight()/2
		
		End Select
		
		Flip 

	Wend 

End Function

I found indenting much easier once I started typing the opening and closing parts of If/EndIf, Select/End Select, Function/End Function, While/Wend, etc, before typing any code inside them, eg.:

If
EndIf

' After typing EndIf and hitting Enter, press Up, Enter, Up, Tab:

If
	' Cursor now here, and hitting Enter after each line will keep the indentation...
EndIf

' Doing the same Up/Enter/Up/Tab sequence for such Start/End blocks while inside an indented block will indent further and keep you in the right place:

If

	While
		' Now here...
	Wend

EndIf

Yasha

(Posted 2009) [#14]

For indentation, your best strategy is to get IDEal (it's free). Among the hundreds of other goodies on offer, it automatically correctly indents each line as you type it, and optionally can also fill out the end of a block (the Wend, EndIf, etc.) on the line beyond the cursor, meaning you do just that little bit less typing.

WERDNA

(Posted 2009) [#15]

lol, I set the refresh rate to 2?

I knew I was doing something wrong :)

Thanks a bundle BlitzSupport!

I'll try reworking my code today more along the lines of your example.
(But so it can read from a text file too!)

And thanks Yasha. I'll definitely give that a try. I always forget to
indent or find it too bothersome, lol.

Although I should probably learn :(

Dabhand

(Posted 2009) [#16]

Indenting is essential in my opinion.

Just thought I'd chuck that in! ;)

Dabz

MGE	(Posted 2009) [#17]

Only programmers care how things were done, end users playing the game could care less. ;)

WERDNA

(Posted 2009) [#18]

Just tried out your suggestion for Indenting BlitzSupport!

If
EndIf

' After typing EndIf and hitting Enter, press Up, Enter, Up, Tab:

If
' Cursor now here, and hitting Enter after each line will keep the indentation...
EndIf

' Doing the same Up/Enter/Up/Tab sequence for such Start/End blocks while inside an indented block will indent further and keep you in the right place:

If

While
' Now here...
Wend

EndIf

Very much appreciated. I will practice it until it becomes natural :)

Thanks!

BlitzSupport

(Posted 2009) [#19]

Cool... I do type the first line in full first myself, eg.

If x = y
EndIf

It'd be too much hassle otherwise!