SineTable Generator

If you're working on a retro video game, and design is more your thing instead of programming, SinTable Generator might be a tool to keep close for aid. What this small, yet effective, app manages to do is help one calculate the necessary moving pattern for a chosen sprite by using pre-calculated sinewave algorithms.

It sounds more complicated than it actually is. You get to adjust the sinewave by altering a couple of options, and the string of instructions is created. You even get to test your created pattern in a dedicated area of the app. Of course, this can only work for NPCs in your game, not player-controlled characters.

While sinewave algorithms are quite difficult to understand for individuals not so eager to dive into mathematical theories and calculations, the basic idea is you need to input some data into the app, and the calculation process is in the program's hands. Unfortunately, if you want to have encouraging results, you'll need to understand what effect each particular setting has on your sprite's movement.

Start by choosing colors for your wave diagram. The better you see it, the easier it will be for you to decide on what adjustments are needed. Input wave height and width, as well as the number of cycles. A good work policy, in this case, would be to allow the app to show a wave baseline. This way you'll have a reference point for the sinewave creation process.

After the sinewave is created, you will have already generated some strings of numbers. You can check them in the lookup-table section, switching from Sin to Cos values. The right side of the program will offer testing grounds. Choose how the sprite movement will function. Is it going to be horizontal or vertical?

Choose to see coordinates if you want to observe where potential mistakes might have been made. Adjust animation speed. The sprite can be changed with any number of your very own creations. That way you can see if the movement fits your character. Export the lookup table once you're sure the movement is right, and integrate it into your project.

SineTable Generator is a simple application that deals with complex calculations. It can help you avoid mistakes and wasting time in exchange for a more accurate version of your sprite's movement. Provided you're not a math genius and take pleasure in calculating all those numbers by yourself, this application should be a much-needed aid.