IDs in addition to tags

[oaklandgit]

I know that a class of game objects can be referenced by tag, as in:

const enemies = get("enemy")

and that a single game object can be referenced via variable, as in:

const enemy1 = add([ etc ])

but letting Kaboom manage unique objects would be useful, and likely easier for newbies like:

add([
   ID: "somethingUnique"
])

which could later be referenced as:

get("somethingUnique")

[lajbel]

hmmm, yeah, something like id comp, like a tag but unique

[slmjkdbtl]

Sounds like a sugar for get("name")[0]? A write barrier might be helpful to ensure there's no id is reused. This kind of custom component should do it:

const nameRegistry: Record<string, GameObj> = {};

function name(name: string) {
	return {
		id: "name",
		name: name,
		add() {
			if (nameRegistry[name]) {
				throw new Error(`Name already exists: ${name}`)
			}
			nameRegistry[name] = this;
		},
		destroy() {
			delete nameRegistry[name];
		},
	}
}

function getUnique(name: string) {
	return nameRegistry[name];
}

add([
    sprite("froggy"),
    name("player"),
])

One thing is I think get() should always return an array to avoid unpredictability, thats why I put the awkwardly named getUnique() up there

[oaklandgit]

Yes, this is exactly what I had in mind. (And I don't think getUnique() is awkward at all. Tho maybe getById() is another option.)