path: root/doc/api.texi

@menu
* Kernel::                      The fundamental components.
* Input::                       Keyboard, mouse, and controller input.
* Math::                        Linear algebra and more.
* Graphics::                    Eye candy.
* Audio::                       Sound effects and music.
@end menu

@node Kernel
@section Kernel

At the very core of Chickadee, in the @code{(chickadee)} module, lies
an event loop.  This loop, or ``kernel'', is responsible for creating
and managing the game window, dispatching input events, ensuring that
the game is updated at the desired interval, and rendering graphics.
The kernel implements what is known as a ``fixed timestep'' game loop,
meaning that the game simulation will be advanced by a fixed interval
of time and will never vary from frame to frame, unlike some other
styles of game loops.  The appropriately named @code{run-game} and
@code{abort-game} procedures are the entry and exit points to the
Chickadee kernel.

On its own, the kernel does not do very much at all.  In order to
actually respond to input events, update game state, or draw something
to the game window, a hacker with a penchant for game development must
latch onto extension points built into the kernel, called ``hooks'',
and specify what action ought to be taken for any given event.  For
example, the @code{key-press-hook} can be used to respond to the
@code{a} key being pressed by swinging the player's mighty sword.
There are many hooks available, so read on to learn about all of them.
For information about using Guile's hook API, see @xref{Hooks,,,
guile, GNU Guile Reference Manual}.

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} run-game [#:window-title "Chickadee!"]
       [#:window-width 640] [#:window-height 480] [#:window-fullscreen? #f]
       [#:update-hz 60]
Start the event loop.  This procedure will not return until
@code{abort-game} is called.

The @code{update-hook} will be run @var{update-hz} times per second.

A new graphical window will be opened with @var{window-width} x
@var{window-height} as its dimensions, @var{window-title} as its
title, and in fullscreen mode if @var{window-fullscreen?} is
@code{#t}.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} abort-game
Stop the currently running Chickadee event loop.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} time
Return the current game time in milliseconds.
@end deffn

@defvr {Scheme Variable} load-hook
A hook that is run once when the event loop boots, before any other
hook is run.  This hook is run with zero arguments.

@example
(add-hook! load-hook (lambda () (display "hello!\n")))
@end example

@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} update-hook
A hook that is run every time the game simulation should be advanced.
This hook is run with a single argument @var{dt}, the fixed timestep
that was configured when the event loop was started, in milliseconds.

@example
(add-hook! update-hook (lambda (dt) (display "tick!\n")))
@end example

@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} before-draw-hook
A hook that is run before a frame is rendered.  This hook is run with
zero arguments.

@example
(add-hook! before-draw-hook (lambda () (display "about to draw!\n")))
@end example

@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} after-draw-hook
A hook that is run after a frame is rendered.  This hook is run with
zero arguments.

@example
(add-hook! after-draw-hook (lambda () (display "done drawing!\n")))
@end example

Combined with @code{before-draw-hook}, one can perform a frames per
second calculation to monitor game performance and stability.

@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} draw-hook
A hook that is run each time a frame should be rendered.  This hook is
run with a single argument @var{alpha}, a value in the range [0, 1]
which represents how much time has past since the last game state
update relative to the upcoming game state update, as a percentage.
Because the game state is updated independent of rendering, it is
often the case that rendering is occuring between two updates.  If the
game is rendered as it was during the last update, a strange
side-effect will occur that makes animation appear rough or
``choppy''.  To counter this, the @var{alpha} value can be used to
perfrom a linear interpolation of a moving object between its current
position and its previous position.  This odd trick has the pleasing
result of making the animation look smooth again, but requires keeping
track of previous state.

@c TODO: Add example of linear interpolation

@example
(add-hook! draw-hook (lambda (alpha) (display "<(._.<) \n")))
@end example

@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} quit-hook
A hook that is run when the user clicks the close button on the game
window.  This hook is run with zero arguments.

@example
(add-hook! quit-hook (lambda () (display "bye!\n")))
@end example

@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} key-press-hook
A hook that is run when a key is pressed on the keyboard.  This hook
is run with four arguments:

@enumerate
@item
@var{key}: The symbolic name of the ``virtual'' key that was pressed.
For example: @code{backspace}.  It's called a virtual key because the
operating system may map a physical keyboard key to another key
entirely, such as how the author binds the ``caps lock'' key to mean
``control''.

@item
@var{scancode}: The symbolic name of the physical key that was
pressed.

@item
@var{modifiers}: A list of the symbolic names of modifier keys that
were being held down when the key was pressed.  Possible values
include @code{ctrl}, @code{alt}, and @code{shift}.

@item
@var{repeat?}: @code{#t} if this is a repeated press of the same key.

@end enumerate

@example
(add-hook! key-press-hook
           (lambda (key scancode modifiers repeat?)
             (display "pressed key: ")
             (display key)
             (newline)))
@end example

@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} key-release-hook
A hook that is run when a key is released on the keyboard.  This hook
is run with three arguments:

@enumerate
@item
@var{key}: The symbolic name of the ``virtual'' key that was released.

@item
@var{scancode}: The symbolic name of the physical key that was
released.

@item
@var{modifiers}: A list of the symbolic names of modifier keys that
were being held down when the key was released.

@end enumerate

@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} text-input-hook
A hook that is run when printable text is typed on the keyboard.  This
hook is run with a single argument, @var{text}, a string containing
the text that was entered.
@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} mouse-press-hook
A hook that is run when a mouse button is pressed.  This hook is run
with four arguments:

@enumerate

@item
@var{button}: The symbolic name of the button that was pressed, such
as @code{left}, @code{middle}, or @code{right}.

@item
@var{clicks}: The number of times the button has been clicked in a row.

@item
@var{x}: The x coordinate of the mouse cursor.

@item
@var{y}: The y coordinate of the mouse cursor.

@end enumerate

@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} mouse-release-hook
A hook that is run when a mouse button is released.  This hook is run
with three arguments:

@enumerate

@item
@var{button}: The symbolic name of the button that was released.

@item
@var{x}: The x coordinate of the mouse cursor.

@item
@var{y}: The y coordinate of the mouse cursor.

@end enumerate

@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} mouse-move-hook
A hook that is run when the mouse is moved.  This hook is run with
five arguments:

@enumerate

@item
@var{x}: The x coordinate of the mouse cursor.

@item
@var{y}: The y coordinate of the mouse cursor.

@item
@var{dx}: The amount the mouse has moved along the x axis since the
last mouse move event.

@item
@var{dy}: The amount the mouse has moved along the y axis since the
last mouse move event.

@item
@var{buttons}: A list of the buttons that were pressed down when the
mouse was moved.

@end enumerate

@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} controller-add-hook
A hook that is run when a game controller is connected.  This hook is
run with a single argument, @var{controller}, the controller that was
connected.
@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} controller-remove-hook
A hook that is run when a game controller is disconnected.  This hook
is run with a single argument, @var{controller}, the controller that
was disconnected.
@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} controller-press-hook
A hook that is run when a button on a game controller is pressed.
This hook is run with two arguments:

@enumerate

@item
@var{controller}: The controller that triggered the event.

@item
@var{button}: The symbolic name of the button that was pressed.
Possible buttons are:

@itemize
@item
@code{a}
@item
@code{b}
@item
@code{x}
@item
@code{y}
@item
@code{back}
@item
@code{guide}
@item
@code{start}
@item
@code{left-stick}
@item
@code{right-stick}
@item
@code{left-shoulder}
@item
@code{right-shoulder}
@item
@code{dpad-up}
@item
@code{dpad-down}
@item
@code{dpad-left}
@item
@code{dpad-right}

@end itemize

@end enumerate

@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} controller-release-hook
A hook that is run when a button on a game controller is released.

This hook is run with two arguments:

@enumerate

@item
@var{controller}: The controller that triggered the event.

@item
@var{button}: The symbolic name of the button that was released.

@end enumerate

@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} controller-move-hook
A hook that is run when an analog stick or trigger on a game
controller is moved.  This hook is run with three arguments

@enumerate

@item
@var{controller}: The controller that triggered the event.

@item
@var{axis}: The symbolic name of the axis that was moved.  Possible
values are:

@itemize
@item
@code{left-x}
@item
@code{left-y}
@item
@code{right-x}
@item
@code{right-y}
@item
@code{trigger-left}
@item
@code{trigger-right}
@end itemize

@end enumerate

@end defvr

@node Input
@section Input

@node Math
@section Math

Chickadee contains data types and procedures for performing the most
common computations in video game simulations such as linear algebra
with vectors and matrices and axis-aligned bounding box collision
detection.

@menu
* Vectors::                     Euclidean vectors.
* Matrices::                    Transformation matrices.
* Rectangles::                  Axis-aligned bounding boxes.
@end menu

@node Vectors
@subsection Vectors

@node Matrices
@subsection Matrices

@node Rectangles
@subsection Rectangles

@node Graphics
@section Graphics

Chickadee aims to make hardware-accelerated graphics rendering as
simple and efficient as possible by providing high-level APIs that
interact with the low-level OpenGL API under the hood.  Anyone that
has worked with OpenGL directly knows that it has a steep learning
curve and a lot of effort is needed to render even a single triangle.
The Chickadee rendering engine attempts to make it easy to do common
tasks like rendering a sprite while also providing all of the building
blocks to implement additional rendering techniques.

@menu
* Rendering Engine::            Rendering state management.
* Textures::                    2D images.
* Sprites::                     Draw 2D images.
* Lines and Shapes::            Draw line segments and polygons.
* Fonts::                       Drawing text.
* Blending and Depth Testing::  Control how pixels are combined.
* Vertex Arrays::               Create 2D/3D models.
* Shaders::                     Create custom GPU programs.
* Framebuffers::                Render to texture.
* Viewports::                   Restrict rendering to
@end menu

@node Rendering Engine
@subsection Rendering Engine

Chickadee defines rendering using a metaphor familiar to Scheme
programmers: procedure application.  A shader (@pxref{Shaders}) is
like a procedure for the GPU to apply.  Shaders are passed arguments:
A vertex array containing the geometry to render (@pxref{Vertex
Arrays}) and zero or more keyword arguments that the shader
understands.  Similar to how Scheme has @code{apply} for calling
procedures, Chickadee provides @code{gpu-apply} for calling shaders.

Additionally, there is some dynamic state that effects how
@code{gpu-apply} will behave.  Things like the current viewport,
framebuffer, and blend mode are stored as dynamic state because it
would be tedious to have to have to specify them each time
@code{gpu-apply} is called.

The following procedures and syntax can be found in the
@code{(chickadee render)} module.

@deffn {Scheme Syntax} gpu-apply @var{shader} @var{vertex-array} [#:uniform-key @var{uniform-value} ...]
@deffnx {Scheme Syntax} gpu-apply* @var{shader} @var{vertex-array} @var{count} [#:uniform-key @var{uniform-value} ...]

Render @var{vertex-array} using @var{shader} with the uniform values
specified in the following keyword arguments.

While @code{gpu-apply} will draw every vertex in @var{vertex-array},
@code{gpu-apply*} will only draw @var{count} vertices.

@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} current-viewport
Return the currently bound viewport.  @xref{Viewports} for more
details about using viewports.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} current-framebuffer
Return the currently bound framebuffer.  @xref{Framebuffers} for more
details about using framebuffers.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} current-blend-mode
Return the currently bound blend mode.  @xref{Blending and Depth
Testing} for more details about using blend modes.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} current-depth-test
Return @code{#t} if depth testing is currently enabled.
@xref{Blending and Depth Testing} for more details about using the
depth test.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} current-texture
Return the currently bound texture.  @xref{Textures} for more details
about using textures.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} current-projection
Return the currently bound projection matrix.  @xref{Matrices} for
more details about matrices.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Syntax} with-viewport @var{viewport} @var{body} ...
Evaluate @var{body} with the current viewport bound to @var{viewport}.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Syntax} with-framebuffer @var{framebuffer} @var{body} ...
Evaluate @var{body} with the current framebuffer bound to
@var{framebuffer}.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Syntax} with-blend-mode @var{blend-mode} @var{body} ...
Evaluate @var{body} with the current blend mode bound to
@var{blend-mode}.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Syntax} with-depth-test @var{depth-test?} @var{body} ...
Evaluate @var{body} with the depth-test disabled if @var{depth-test?}
is @code{#f}, or enabled otherwise.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Syntax} with-texture @var{texture} @var{body} ...
Evaluate @var{body} with the current texture bound to @var{texture}.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Syntax} with-projection @var{projection} @var{body} ...
Evaluate @var{body} with the current projection matrix bound to
@var{projection}.
@end deffn

@node Textures
@subsection Textures

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} load-image @var{file} [#:min-filter nearest]
       [#:mag-filter nearest] [#:wrap-s repeat] [#:wrap-t repeat]

Load the image data from @var{file} and return a new texture object.

@var{min-filter} and @var{mag-filter} describe the method that should
be used for minification and magnification when rendering,
respectively.  Possible values are @code{nearest} and @code{linear}.

@var{wrap-s} and @var{wrap-t} describe how to interpret texture
coordinates that are greater than @code{1.0}.  Possible values are
@code{repeat}, @code{clamp}, @code{clamp-to-border}, and
@code{clamp-to-edge}.

@end deffn

@node Sprites
@subsection Sprites

For those who are new to this game, a sprite is a 2D rectangular
bitmap that is rendered to the screen.  For 2D games, sprites are the
most essential graphical abstraction.  They are used for drawing maps,
players, NPCs, items, particles, text, etc.  In Chickadee, bitmaps are
stored in textures (@pxref{Textures}) and can be used to draw sprites
via the @code{draw-sprite} procedure.

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} draw-sprite @var{texture} @var{region}
       [#:scale] [#:rotation] [#:blend-mode alpha] [#:texture-region]
       [#:shader]

@end deffn

It's not uncommon to need to draw hundreds or thousands of sprites
each frame.  However, GPUs (graphics processing units) are tricky
beasts that prefer to be sent few, large chunks of data to render
rather than many, small chunks.  Using @code{draw-sprite} on its own
will involve at least one GPU call @emph{per sprite}, which will
quickly lead to poor performance.  To deal with this, a technique
known as ``sprite batching'' can be used.  Instead of drawing each
sprite immediately, the sprite batch will build up a large of buffer
of sprites to draw and defer rendering until the last possible moment.
Batching isn't a panacea, though.  Batching only works if the sprites
being drawn share as much in common as possible.  Every time you draw
a sprite with a different texture or blend mode, the batch will be
sent off to the GPU.  Therefore, batching is most useful if you
minimize such changes.  A good strategy for reducing texture changes
is to stuff many bitmaps into a single image file and create a
``texture atlas'' (@pxref{Textures}) to access the sub-images within.

Taking advantage of sprite batching in Chickadee is easy, just wrap
the code that is calling @code{draw-sprite} a lot in the
@code{with-batched-sprites} form.

@deffn {Scheme Syntax} with-batched-sprites @var{body} @dots{}
Use batched rendering for all @code{draw-sprite} calls within
@var{body}.
@end deffn

With a basic sprite abstraction in place, it's possible to build other
abstractions on top of it.  One such example is the ``nine patch''.  A
nine patch is a sprite that can be rendered at various sizes without
becoming distorted.  This is achieved by diving up the sprite into
nine regions:

@itemize
@item
the center, which can be scaled horizontally and vertically
@item
the four corners, which can never be scaled
@item
the left and right sides, which can be scaled vertically
@item
the top and bottom sides, which can be scaled horizontally
@end itemize

The one caveat is that the bitmap regions must be designed in such a
way so that they are not distorted when stretched along the affected
axes.  For example, that means that the top and bottom sides could
have varying colored pixels vertically, but not horizontally.

The most common application of this technique is for graphical user
interface widgets like buttons and dialog boxes.  By using a nine
patch, they can be rendered at any size without unappealing scaling
artifacts.

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} draw-nine-patch @var{texture} @var{region}
       [#:margin 0] [#:top-margin margin] [#:bottom-margin margin]
       [#:left-margin margin] [#:right-margin margin]
       [#:texture-region] [#:scale] [#:rotation] [#:blend-mode alpha]
       [#:shader]

Draw a nine patch sprite.  A nine patch sprite renders @var{texture}
as a @var{width} x @var{height} rectangle whose stretchable areas are
defined by the given margin measurements @var{top-margin},
@var{bottom-margin}, @var{left-margin}, and @var{right-margin}. The
@var{margin} argument may be used to configure all four margins at
once.

Refer to @code{draw-sprite} (@pxref{Sprites}) for information about
the other arguments.
@end deffn

@node Lines and Shapes
@subsection Lines and Shapes

@node Fonts
@subsection Fonts

Unlike the traditional TrueType font format that many are accustomed
to, Chickadee loads and renders bitmap fonts in the
@url{http://www.angelcode.com/products/bmfont/doc/file_format.html,
Angel Code format}.  But why use this seemingly obscure format?  It's
easy to find TTFs but not easy to find FNTs (the canonical file
extension used for Angel Code fonts) and bitmap fonts don't scale
well.  The reason is efficiency.

If all of the glyphs of a font are pre-rendered and packed into an
image file then it becomes possible to use a texture atlas
(@pxref{Textures}) and a sprite batch (@pxref{Sprites}) when
rendering, which is a more efficient way to render fonts than using,
say, @url{https://www.libsdl.org/projects/SDL_ttf/, SDL_ttf} or other
solutions that involve using the FreeType library directly.

Now what about scaling?  In libraries that use TTF fonts, one must
choose the size that the glyphs will be rasterized at up front.  To
use @code{n} sizes of the same font, one must load @code{n} variants
of that font.  If the size of the text is dynamic, some kind of
texture scaling algorithm must be used and the text will inevitably
look blurry.  At first glance, using bitmap fonts seem to have an even
worse issue.  Instead of just loading the same font @code{n} times at
different sizes, one would need to generate @code{n} image files for
each font size needed.  This is where the ``signed distance field''
rendering technique comes in.  Introduced by
@url{http://www.valvesoftware.com/.../2007/SIGGRAPH2007_AlphaTestedMagnification.pdf,
Valve} in 2007, signed distance field fonts can be efficiently stored
in a bitmap and be rendered at arbitrary scale factors with good
results.  Chickadee can render both traditional bitmap fonts and
signed distance field fonts.

While Chickadee does not yet offer a tool for converting TTF fonts
into FNT fonts, tools such as
@url{https://github.com/libgdx/libgdx/wiki/Hiero, Hiero} may be used
in the meantime.

The following procedures can be found in the @code{(chickadee render
font)} module.

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} load-font @var{file}
Load the Angel Code formatted XML document in @var{file} and return a
new font object.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} font? @var{obj}
Return @code{#t} if @var{obj} is a font object.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} font-face @var{font}
Return the name of @var{font}.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} font-line-height @var{font}
Return the line height of @var{font}.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} font-line-height @var{font}
Return the line height of @var{font}.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} font-bold? @var{font}
Return @code{#t} if @var{font} is a bold font.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} font-italic? @var{font}
Return @code{#t} if @var{font} is an italicized font.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} draw-text @var{font} @var{text} @var{position}
       [#:scale] [#:rotation] [#:blend-mode]

Draw the string @var{text} with the first character starting at
@var{position} using @var{font}.

@example
(draw-text font "Hello, world!" (vec2 128.0 128.0))
@end example

Refer to @code{draw-sprite} (@pxref{Sprites}) for information about
the other arguments.
@end deffn

@node Blending and Depth Testing
@subsection Blending and Depth Testing

@node Vertex Arrays
@subsection Vertex Arrays

@node Shaders
@subsection Shaders

Shaders are programs for the GPU to evaluate.  They are written in the
OpenGL Shading Language, or GLSL.  Chickadee does not currently
provide a Scheme-like domain specific language for writing shaders.
Since shaders must be written in GLSL and not Scheme, they are
considered an advanced feature.

@node Framebuffers
@subsection Framebuffers

@node Viewports
@subsection Viewports

@node Audio
@section Audio

Chickadee has two data types for audio: samples and music.  Samples
are for short sound effects like explosions.  Music is for, well,
uh@dots{}, music.

Supported file formats include WAV and OGG.

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} load-sample @var{file}
Load audio sample from @var{file}.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} set-sample-volume! @var{volume}
Set the volume that all samples are played at to @var{volume}, an
integer value between 0 and 128.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} play-sample @var{sample}
Play @var{sample}.  Pretty straightforward!
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} load-music @var{file}
Load music from @var{file}.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} music-volume
Return the volume level for music, an integer value between 0 and 128.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} set-music-volume! @var{volume}
Set the volume that music is played at to @var{volume}, an integer
value between 0 and 128.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} play-music @var{music} [@var{loop?}]
Play @var{music}.  If @var{loop?}, play it over and over and over and
over and@dots{}
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} pause-music
Pause the current music track.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} resume-music
Resume the current music track.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} rewind-music
estart the current music track from the beginning.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} stop-music
Stop playing the current music track.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} music-playing?
Return @code{#t} if music is currently playing.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} music-paused?
Return @code{#t} if music is currently paused.
@end deffn