AS3: old-fashioned random

[LesPaulPlayer]

niaM:3SA

Ok, so typing out Math.round(Math.random()*10) is quite annoying when you want to get a random whole number between 1 and 10. Here is a super-crazy complicated class I wrote in about 10 hours that will make it a lot easier:

package {
public class randomFunction {
public function randomFunction() {
}
public function random(integer:int):int {
return Math.floor(Math.random() * integer);
}
}
}

save that in the same directory of your game .fla file and use it like so:

var Math:randomFunction = new randomFunction()

and then, when you want to get the random number:

trace(Math.random(10))

[TastyLamp]

Howabout this one. Save it as "Math2.as".

package{
public class Math2 extends Math{
public static function random2(min:Number, max:Number):Number{
return Math.round(Math.random()*(max-min)+min);
}
}
}

Then use it like this:

var number1 = Math2.rand(5, 10); //5 is the minimum, 10 is the max
var number2 = Math2.rand(5, 10);
var number = Math2.max(number1, number2); //this gets the highest number

[Denvish]

Or if you want to go down the procedural route, chuck this function somewhere in your fla code:

function Random(nm:int):int{
return Math.floor(Math.random()*nm);
}

Then call it in a very similar fashion to the good ol' random(x), only with a capital letter to avoid conflicts:

var xxx:Number=Random(4); //WILL RETURN 0, 1, 2 or 3
trace(xxx);

[LesPaulPlayer]

Denvish,
if you do it your way, its not exactly like AS2. Also, random(number) is a differenct function than just random(). The functions are sensitive to whether you have input or not, so no need to give it a new name.

[Denvish]

At 5/6/07 06:42 PM, LesPaulPlayer wrote: Denvish,
if you do it your way, its not exactly like AS2.

How so?

Also, random(number) is a differenct function than just random().

Erm, yeah, I'm going for the former, wasn't even aware the latter existed

The functions are sensitive to whether you have input or not, so no need to give it a new name.

Fair enough, still prefer to play it safe

[Pyromaniac]

Math.random()*10 still returns intergers to me. I dont get any decimals. I really dont see the problem with it.

[FingerFactor]

Then your allocating the value to an integer... (automatically truncates)

Anyways... just a useful tip: Use int's whenever possible, for instance if your storing the position of a particle or some other onscreen element. In many cases they will noticeably speed up the execution of your code a noticeable amount because they are less taxing on the memory and cpu.

[FingerFactor]

At 9/20/08 08:51 AM, FingerFactor wrote: In many cases they will speed up the execution of your code a noticeable amount because they are less taxing on the memory and cpu.

Im sry, typos are the devil and I saw it and.. bleh :S