Slide delay: Difference between revisions

'''Slide delay''' is a mechanic that exists only in the MS version of [[Chip's Challenge]], and was programmed into [[Tile World]], that makes [[monster]]s and [[block]]s lag when sliding, and it can greatly alter the outcome of a level. It pertains to [[monster]]s and [[block]]s that enter and leave [[force floor]]s, [[ice]], and [[teleport]]s.

The ''sliplist'' is a list of moving objects, blocks or monsters, that are currently sliding on force floors, ice, or teleports. Chip will never be on the sliplist, is never affected by slide delay, and, importantly, always moves before sliding blocks. Each row in the sliplist contains two elements: the object, and the coordinates of the destination square on the Chip's Challenge [[grid]].

At the start of a level, the sliplist is empty, even if [[monster]]s are currently on sliding tiles; objects cannot enter the sliplist until they make a move. When a monster or block steps on any sliding tile (ice, force floor, or teleport), that object will be added to the end of the sliplist, and when it leaves a "slip" tile, it will be removed from the sliplist. Additionally, if a block slides directly off a sliding tile onto a [[trap]] (like in [[Torturechamber]]), it will remain on the sliplist, and when released, it will slide off the trap one further square in the same direction it was sliding in.

Also notably, should only one sliding space separate Chip from a sliding block in front of him, and the block reaches the ice corner at the same time slide delay affects it, Chip will gain an extra half-move and be one space behind. Since Chip is unaffected by slide delay, he moves before the block, and [[cross-checking]] occurs.

When an object hits an obstacle, such as a [[wall]], while sliding, the impact is counted as a non-slip tile, and the object will leave the sliplist. However, after the object bounces off the wall, it is now considered sliding, and will be added back onto the ''end'' of the sliplist.

| [[Image:Blank.png]]

| class="tilebackground-ice" | [[Image:Glider E.png]]

| [[Image:Wall.png]]

| [[Image:Wall.png]]

| [[Image:Wall.png]]

| [[Image:Wall.png]]

| class="tilebackground-ice" | [[Image:Glider E.png]]

| [[Image:Wall.png]]

| [[Image:Wall.png]]

| [[Image:Wall.png]]

| [[Image:Wall.png]]

In play, the above glider will not appear as moving in the MS version, but in [[Lynx]], failed moves can be seen, so a glider in this type of prison would be shown continuously turning left and right every 1/10 of a second.

== Slide delay ==

Every tick, which is 1/10 of a second, the game accesses the sliplist and processes them in sequential order, moving each tile from its starting square to its destination square. When an object leaves the sliplist in the middle of this processing, the table will be modified (everything after that object will be shifted up one). However, the processing will ignore this and continue to process the object at the next index; as a result, an object will be skipped. This is what is known as slide delay.

A more concrete example is shown below.

The game ignores this and continues to process the second element; however, the second element is now still the block, and it proceeds to move the block from [2, 1] to [1, 1]. Now the slip engine is finished, and the net result is that nothing moved.

Look at the example below.

| [[Image:Glider E.png]]

| [[Image:Force Floor E.png]]

| [[Image:Red Button.png]]

| [[Image:Fire.png]]

| [[Image:Clone Block E.png]]

| [[Image:Ice.png]]

| [[Image:Ice.png]]

| [[Image:Ice.png]]

| [[Image:Red Button.png]]

| [[Image:Ice.png]]

| [[Image:Ice.png]]

| [[Image:Ice.png]]

| [[Image:Clone Block W.png]]

| [[Image:Glider N.png]]

| [[Image:Glider E.png]]

| [[Image:Force Floor E.png]]

| [[Image:Wall.png]]

Above is a different principle of slide delay. Slide delay is created because the destination of the glider is always the force floor, and will always return to the sliplist. Blocks in this situation will leave the sliplist if they are [[ram]]med.

| [[Image:Glider E.png]]

| [[Image:Ice.png]]

| [[Image:Wall.png]]

*([[David Stolp]]) [http://www.davidstolp.com/old/chips/slidedelay/index.html Dr. pieguy explains slide delay]