Function isn't updating as I'd expect it to?

Freeman_Reigns

I have a function that is supposed to constantly check for the closest enemy and target them, but it only seems to work once, despite the script running constantly. If the closest enemy changes, the character/unit ignores them and continues to follow their initial target. Does anyone know what the problem could be?

Relevant character script:

if action == "Idle":
		moving = false
		self.velocity = Vector2.ZERO
		if stance == "Defensive":
			def_pos = self.global_position
		_targeting()

if action == "Walking_To_Attack":
		moving = true
		pos = target.global_position
		var angle = get_angle_to(pos)
		self.velocity.x = cos(angle) * speed
		self.velocity.y = sin(angle) * speed
		_walk()
		_targeting()

func _targeting():
	targeting = true
	yield(get_tree().create_timer(1), "timeout")
	targeting = false
	yield(get_tree().create_timer(1), "timeout")

Area2D script:

func _process(delta):
	if p.targeting == true:
		_target()
		
func _target():
	var ppp = get_parent().get_parent().get_parent()
	if p.stance == "Aggressive":
		var bodies = get_overlapping_bodies()
		for body in bodies:
			if body.is_in_group("Unit"):
				if body.tribe == "Romans":
					if ppp.Romans == "Hostile":
						body.sighted = 1
						if not p.exhausted == true \
							and not body.action == "Housed":
								print("target!")
								var closest = bodies[0]
								var old = closest.global_transform.origin.distance_to(global_transform.origin)
								var new = body.global_transform.origin.distance_to(global_transform.origin)
								if new < old:
									closest = body
									closest.sighted = 1
									p.target = closest
									p.action = "Walking_To_Attack"
								else:
									closest = body
									closest.sighted = 1
									p.target = closest
									p.action = "Walking_To_Attack"
				if body.tribe == "Votadini":
					if ppp.Votadini == "Hostile":
						body.sighted = 1
						if not p.exhausted == true \
							and not body.action == "Housed":
								var closest = bodies[0]
								var old = closest.global_transform.origin.distance_to(global_transform.origin)
								var new = body.global_transform.origin.distance_to(global_transform.origin)
								if new < old:
									closest = body
									closest.sighted = 1
									p.target = closest
									p.action = "Walking_To_Attack"
								else:
									closest = body
									closest.sighted = 1
									p.target = closest
									p.action = "Walking_To_Attack"

TwistedTwigleg

I would recommend using a print-statement based approach for debugging this! I would add a print statement to the condition that calls the function (I think before lines 6 and 15) to see if the condition is executing. Then if something prints to the console, you know it's something in the function itself that is not working. At that point, what I would recommend doing is adding print statements before each of the conditions in the function to see which one isn't working like you would expect. It is tedious and time consuming, but I have found it's a good way to deduce what exactly is not working correctly in problems like this.

Freeman_Reigns

So a bit of an update... it seems like the script functions are all running fine as far as I can tell. What I've noticed though is that the unit always aims for a specific enemy unit, the one furthest from range initially... not exactly sure what's causing that.

TwistedTwigleg

Sounds like it might not be comparing the distances correctly then, or the code doesn't properly iterate through all possible units. Looking at the code, I think it might be lines 17 and 35, which always set the closest distance to the last element in the array. I think what you may want to do is pull the closest target outside of the loop and then apply it at the end. Something like this:

func _target():
	var ppp = get_parent().get_parent().get_parent()
	if p.stance == "Aggressive":
		var bodies = get_overlapping_bodies()
		var closest_body = null;
		var closest_distance = 0;
		for body in bodies:
			if body.is_in_group("Unit"):
				if body.tribe == "Romans":
					if ppp.Romans == "Hostile":
						body.sighted = 1
						if not p.exhausted == true \
							and not body.action == "Housed":
								print("target!")
								
								# if closest_body is null, then set it to this body and move on
								if (closest_body == null):
									closest_body = body
									closest_distance = closest_body.global_transform.origin.distance_to(global_transform.origin)
								# otherwise, compare distances
								else:
									var new_dist = body.global_transform.origin.distance_to(global_transform.origin)
									if (new_dist < closest_distance):
										closest_body = body
										closest_distance = new_dist
				if body.tribe == "Votadini":
					if ppp.Votadini == "Hostile":
						body.sighted = 1
						if not p.exhausted == true \
							and not body.action == "Housed":
								
								# if closest_body is null, then set it to this body and move on
								if (closest_body == null):
									closest_body = body
									closest_distance = closest_body.global_transform.origin.distance_to(global_transform.origin)
								# otherwise, compare distances
								else:
									var new_dist = body.global_transform.origin.distance_to(global_transform.origin)
									if (new_dist < closest_distance):
										closest_body = body
										closest_distance = new_dist
		# after the loop, check the closest body and set the variables based on it
		if (closest_body != null):
			closest_body.sighted = 1
			p.target = closest_body
			p.action = "Walking_To_Attack"

Edit: I also uploaded the example code above as text file, since the code block doesn't show the longer code statements very well.

Freeman_Reigns

This works great! Thanks so much :)