How to move a ball in a square path

[plush dirge]

i want to move a ball in a square path. Right now it moves in a triangular like wave. I want it to behave like the image. What can i do to make this happen? thanks! I have tried many things so far (moving only one position and so on). I didn't want to split the screen but do it dynamic, if possible.

My code at the moment:

public void move(int widthScreen, int heightScreen) {

    posX += velocityX;

    posY += velocityY;

    // Check for collisions with screen walls

    if (posX <= 0 || posX >= widthScreen - size) {

        velocityX *= -1; // Reverse horizontal velocity

    }

    if (posY <= 0 || posY >= heightScreen - size) {

        velocityY *= -1; // Reverse vertical velocity

    }
}```

[edgy wolf]

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[edgy wolf]

<@&765578700724371486>

Requested by saara#6096

[cinder fossil]

You could define points on the screen at which point you would want the ball to turn or use random points:

private int nextTurn = -1;
public void move(int widthScreen, int heightScreen) {
    posX += velocityX;
    posY += velocityY;
      
    if(posX >= nextTurn || nextTurn < 0) {
        nextTurn += (int) (Math.random()*widthScreen/6);
        if(velocityX == 0) {
            velocityY = 0;
            velocityX = //Whatever you want
        } else {
           velocityX = 0;
           velocityY = //Whatever you want
        }
    }
    // Check for collisions with screen walls
    if (posX <= 0 || posX >= widthScreen - size) {
        velocityX *= -1; // Reverse horizontal velocity
    }
    if (posY <= 0 || posY >= heightScreen - size) {
        velocityY *= -1; // Reverse vertical velocity
    }
}

(Not tested)

[edgy wolf]

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[plush dirge]

thank you !! i tried to do something like this but the ball just goes in straight line forever

[edgy wolf]

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[cinder fossil]

if its not resolved can you share your current code or did my code not work ?

[plush dirge]

No, it didn't work i dont think since it just goes in a straight line. This is the complete code i have:

[cinder fossil]

this should work although readability could be improved:

    private int nextXPos = -1;
    private int nextYPos = -1;
    private int tempYvelocity = 0;
    private int tempXvelocity = 0;
    public void move(int widthScreen, int heightScreen) {
        if(nextXPos < 0) {
            nextXPos += (int) (Math.random() * widthScreen / 6);
            tempXvelocity = (int) velocityX;
            System.out.println(nextXPos);
        }
        // Check for collisions with screen walls
        if (posX <= 0 || posX >= widthScreen - size) {
            tempXvelocity *= -1; // Reverse horizontal velocity
        }
        if (posY <= 0 || posY >= heightScreen - size) {
            tempYvelocity *= -1; // Reverse vertical velocity
        }
        posX += tempXvelocity;
        posY += tempYvelocity;


        if(Math.abs(nextYPos - posY) <= velocityY && tempYvelocity != 0) {
            nextXPos += (int) (Math.random() * widthScreen / 6)+100;
            nextYPos = tempYvelocity > 0 ? -1:1;
            tempYvelocity = 0;
            tempXvelocity = (int) velocityX;
        } else if(posX >= nextXPos && tempXvelocity != 0) {
            nextYPos *= (int) (Math.random() * heightScreen / 3);
            nextYPos += heightScreen/2;
            tempYvelocity = (int) velocityY;
            tempYvelocity *= nextYPos < posY ? -1:1;
            tempXvelocity = 0;
        }
    }

[plush dirge]

thank you so much !! when it bounces against one of the "walls" goes again to be move in a straight line but its a big improvement from what i had no doubts

[edgy wolf]

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[cinder fossil]

yeah that's probably because I didn't check if the nextXPos is outside the bounds of the window. I will have a look

[cinder fossil]

    private int nextXPos = Integer.MIN_VALUE;
    private int nextYPos = 0;
    private int tempYvelocity = 0;
    private int tempXvelocity = 0;
    public void move(int widthScreen, int heightScreen) {
        if(nextXPos == Integer.MIN_VALUE) {
            nextXPos = (int) (Math.random() * widthScreen / 6);
            tempXvelocity = (int) velocityX;
        }
        // Check for collisions with screen walls
        if ((posX <= 0 || posX >= widthScreen - size)&&tempXvelocity != 0) {
            tempXvelocity *= -1; // Reverse horizontal velocity
            velocityX *= -1;
            if(nextXPos > widthScreen){
                nextXPos = widthScreen - (nextXPos-widthScreen);
            } else if(nextXPos < 0) {
                nextXPos = 40;
            }
        }
        if (posY <= 0 || posY >= heightScreen - size) {
            tempYvelocity *= -1; // Reverse vertical velocity
            velocityY *= -1;
        }
        posX += tempXvelocity;
        posY += tempYvelocity;


        if(Math.abs(nextYPos - posY) <= velocityY && tempYvelocity != 0) {
            nextXPos += ((int) (Math.random() * widthScreen / 6)+100)*(velocityX < 0 ? -1:1);
            nextYPos = tempYvelocity > 0 ? -1:1;
            tempYvelocity = 0;
            tempXvelocity = (int) velocityX;
        } else if(posX >= nextXPos && tempXvelocity > 0 || posX <= nextXPos && tempXvelocity < 0) {
            nextYPos *= (int) (Math.random() * heightScreen / 3);
            nextYPos += heightScreen/2;
            tempYvelocity = (int) velocityY;
            tempYvelocity *= nextYPos < posY ? -1:1;
            tempXvelocity = 0;
        }
    }

It should work now.

[edgy wolf]

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[plush dirge]

it worked perfectly !!! thank you so much for all the help

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