@tenoch_code/tlaloopi

A robust game loop implementation with fixed timestep updates and variable rendering for JavaScript games and animations.

Features

• Fixed timestep updates with variable rendering
• Configurable FPS limit
• Prevents spiral of death with update limiting
• Smooth FPS calculation
• Clean API with method chaining

Installation

npm install @tenoch_code/tlaloopi

Usage

import Loop from '@tenoch_code/tlaloopi';

// Create a new game loop
const gameLoop = Loop({
  maxFPS: 60,      // Maximum frames per second (0 for uncapped)
  timestep: 1000/60 // Duration of each physics update in ms (16.67ms ≈ 60fps)
},
// Update function (runs at fixed timestep)
function update(deltaTime) {
  // Update game state here
  // deltaTime is in seconds
},

// Render function (runs as fast as possible or limited by maxFPS)
function render(interpolation) {
  // Render your game here
  // interpolation is a value between 0 and 1 for smooth rendering
});

// Optional frame start callback
function onFrameStart(timestamp, delta) {
  // Called at the start of each frame
},

// Optional frame end callback
function onFrameEnd(fps, updates) {
  // Called at the end of each frame
  // fps: current frames per second
  // updates: number of updates in this frame
});

// Start the game loop
gameLoop.start();

// To stop the loop
gameLoop.stop();

// To clean up resources
gameLoop.destroy();

API

Loop(config, update, render, [onFrameStart], [onFrameEnd])

Creates a new game loop instance.

• config (Object): Configuration options

  • maxFPS (Number): Maximum frames per second (default: 60, 0 for uncapped)
  • timestep (Number): Duration of each physics update in ms (default: 16.67 ≈ 60fps)
  • limit (Number): Maximum number of updates per frame (default: 300)
  • fps (Number): Initial FPS value (default: 60)

• update(deltaTime) (Function): Called for each fixed timestep update

  • deltaTime (Number): Time since last update in seconds

• render(interpolation) (Function): Called for each frame render

  • interpolation (Number): Interpolation factor between updates (0 to 1)

• onFrameStart(timestamp, delta) (Function, optional): Called at the start of each frame

  • timestamp (Number): Current timestamp in ms
  • delta (Number): Time since last frame in ms

• onFrameEnd(fps, updates) (Function, optional): Called at the end of each frame

  • fps (Number): Current frames per second
  • updates (Number): Number of updates in this frame

Instance Methods

• start(): Starts the game loop
• stop(): Stops the game loop
• reset(): Resets the game loop state
• destroy(): Cleans up resources
• panic(): Handles panic condition (too many updates)
• begin(timestamp, delta): Called at the start of each frame
• end(fps, updates): Called at the end of each frame

License

ISC