Question

I need to create an endless wrapping world with Box2D (where the X coordinate of all objects is 0 < X < 1000 (say)). I’ve played some games with teleporting objects back and forth but it’s feeling like there might be a better way – any ideas? No object (or chain of linked objects) will have an X span of more than about 50, eg less than the width of the screen.

The camera can see only a small portion of the world at a time (about 5% width, 100% height – the world is about 30 high by 1000 wide).

Cheers.

Answer 1

I’ve implemented the following, which is by no means ideal but fit for my purpose. There are many limitations involved and it’s not a true wrapping world but it’s good enough.

    public void Wrap()
    {
        float tp = 0;

        float sx = ship.GetPosition().X;            // the player controls this ship object with the joypad

        if (sx >= Landscape.LandscapeWidth())       // Landscape has overhang so camera can go beyond the end of the world a bit
        {
            tp = -Landscape.LandscapeWidth();
        }
        else if (sx < 0)
        {
            tp = Landscape.LandscapeWidth();
        }

        if (tp != 0)
        {
            ship.Teleport(tp, 0);                   // telport the ship

            foreach (Enemy e in enemies)            // Teleport everything else which is onscreen
            {
                if (!IsOffScreen(e.bodyAABB))       // using old AABB
                {
                    e.Teleport(tp, 0);
                }
            }
        }

        foreach(Enemy e in enemies)
        {
            e.UpdateAABB();                         // calc new AABB for this body

            if (IsOffScreen(g.bodyAABB))            // camera has not been teleported yet, it's still looking at where the ship was
            {
                float x = e.GetPosition().X;

                // everything which will come onto the screen next frame gets teleported closer to where the camera will be when it catches up with the ship

                if (e.bodyAABB.UpperBound.X < 0 || e.bodyAABB.LowerBound.X + Landscape.LandscapeWidth() <= cameraPos.X + screenWidth)
                {
                    e.Teleport(Landscape.LandscapeWidth(), 0);
                }
                else if (e.bodyAABB.LowerBound.X > Landscape.LandscapeWidth() || e.bodyAABB.UpperBound.X - Landscape.LandscapeWidth() >= cameraPos.X - screenWidth)
                {
                    e.Teleport(-Landscape.LandscapeWidth(), 0);
                }
            }
        }
    }