: Is waiting for vertical retrace the only method to pause? Won't the delay depend on how much is drawn, and be different everytime. what is a "timer". how is it accessed? I use C DOS, and my own library.<br>
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A timer is simply an a bit of code that calls a function at a set interval. The normal timer that the PC clock uses is usually too slow for most games, only ticking something like eighteen times a second.<br>
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If you're using a library like Allegro which can install its own timers for you, you can use the timer to judge when you want to display a frame. Allegro uses a hardware timer which has 1193181 times a second.<br>
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What you use the timer for is to update your game's data, and then have a constant loop display the image. That way the frame-rate is dependant on the processor, etc. but the game itself isn't. Thus a person with a faster computer may enjoy higher frame-rate, but his game will still play at the same speed as a slow computer.<br>
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Old computer games were dependant on the frame-rate to determine the game speed. This would make those games too fast on newer computers.<br>
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Games like DOOM are frame-rate independant for game movement. The game may be jerkier for slower computers but the game speed is still the same. That's how slow computers can play against fast computers and still syncronize.<br>
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You need DJGPP, Linux, Xwindows, Visual C++ (with DirectX SDK 6.0+) to use Allegro<br>
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If you want Allegro, go to:<br>
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http://www.talula.demon.co.uk/allegro/<br>
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-Xotor-
