I define a movement method for a character, but I don't know how to itmake it pause for a moment between each move

Question

def playermove(self,dice_status):
        self._position += dice_status
        '''i want to Add some pauses at each step so 
           it doesn't look like it flashed past'''

def playerlocate(self,screen):
    if self._position <= 19:
        screen.blit(self._image, mapCoordinate[self._position])
    elif 19 < self._position <= 30:
        screen.blit(pygame.transform.rotate(self._image,-90),mapCoordinate[self._position])
    elif 30 < self._position <= 48:
        screen.blit(pygame.transform.rotate(self._image, -180), mapCoordinate[self._position])
    elif 48 < self._position <= 54:
        screen.blit(pygame.transform.rotate(self._image, -270), mapCoordinate[self._position])
    else:
        screen.blit(pygame.transform.rotate(self._image, -270), mapCoordinate[self._position-55])
        self._position -= 55

mapCoordinate=[[1184,773],[971,873],...] #I have 55 map grids

#self._position is a attribute of the player，It corresponds to the serial number of each grid on the map.And I also have a function to convert _position to coordinates and draw the player on the map. I tried to add some time control but I don't know how to do it.Please

Answer 1

If you want to control something over time in Pygame you have two options:

1. Use pygame.time.get_ticks() to measure time and and implement logic that controls the object depending on the time.

   e.g.:

   time_interval = 500 # 500 milliseconds == 0.1 seconds
   next_step_time = 0 
   
   while run:
       # [...]
   
       current_time = pygame.time.get_ticks()
       if current_time > next_step_time :
           next_step_time += time_interval
   
           # move object
           player.playermove(dice_status)
   

2. Use the timer event. Use pygame.time.set_timer() to repeatedly create a USEREVENT in the event queue. Change object states when the event occurs.

   e.g.:

   time_interval = 500 # 500 milliseconds == 0.1 seconds
   timer_event = pygame.USEREVENT+1
   pygame.time.set_timer(timer_event, time_interval)
   
   while run:
       for event in pygame.event.get():
           if event.type == timer_event:
   
               # move object
               player.playermove(dice_status)
   

See also Spawning multiple instances of the same object concurrently in python

---

Example 1: Minimal examples: PYGBAG demo

import pygame

pygame.init()
window = pygame.display.set_mode((400, 200))
clock = pygame.time.Clock()
rect = pygame.Rect(0, 80, 40, 40)

time_interval = 500 # 500 milliseconds == 0.1 seconds
next_step_time = 0 

run = True
while run:
    for event in pygame.event.get():
        if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
            run = False 

    current_time = pygame.time.get_ticks()
    if current_time > next_step_time :
        next_step_time += time_interval
    
        rect.x += 40
        if rect.x >= 400:
            rect.x = 0

    window.fill(0)
    pygame.draw.rect(window, (255, 0, 0), rect)
    pygame.display.flip()
    clock.tick(100)

pygame.quit()
exit()

Example 2: Minimal examples: PYGBAG demo

import pygame

pygame.init()
window = pygame.display.set_mode((400, 200))
clock = pygame.time.Clock()
rect = pygame.Rect(0, 80, 40, 40)

time_interval = 500 # 500 milliseconds == 0.1 seconds
timer_event = pygame.USEREVENT+1
pygame.time.set_timer(timer_event, time_interval) 

run = True
while run:
    for event in pygame.event.get():
        if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
            run = False 

        if event.type == timer_event:

            rect.x += 40
            if rect.x >= 400:
                rect.x = 0

    window.fill(0)
    pygame.draw.rect(window, (255, 0, 0), rect)
    pygame.display.flip()
    clock.tick(100)

pygame.quit()
exit()