Why does the app lag a lot when calling functions - swift

Question

I am building a game that requires a function (out of several) to be called depending if a condition is true or not. The condition checks the variable every 0.0001 seconds for game purposes, but the functions are called every 4-6 seconds. I just needed the
Whenever I was testing the game on a device, I noticed that the app lags at certain times. I believe its when a function is called but I'm not sure.
This is an SKAction that calls the function that checks the condition:
let triangle = SKAction.sequence([SKAction.run(obstaclesFunc),SKAction.wait(forDuration: 0.0001)])
run(SKAction.repeatForever(triangle))
This is the condition checker:
func obstaclesFunc() {
GameScene.nextObstacle = Int(arc4random_uniform(6) + 1 )
if(GameScene.first == true){
GameScene.randomNum = 1
}
if (GameScene.pass == true){
number = GameScene.nextObstacle
print(number)
//Rectangle Call Function
if(GameScene.randomNum == 1){
sideRectangles()
//More code at bottom
}
I noticed that the biggest lag occurs when this function is called:
func sideRectangles() {
let rectangle1 = SKSpriteNode(imageNamed: "rectangleWalls")
let rectangle2 = SKSpriteNode(imageNamed: "rectangleWalls")
let rectangle3 = SKSpriteNode(imageNamed: "rectangleWalls")
let rectangleTexture = SKTexture(imageNamed: "rectangleWalls")
//Physics World
rectangle1.physicsBody = SKPhysicsBody(texture: rectangleTexture, size: CGSize(width: rectangle1.size.width - 20, height: rectangle1.size.height - 20))
rectangle1.physicsBody?.categoryBitMask = PhysicsNumbering.rectangle_1
rectangle1.physicsBody?.contactTestBitMask = PhysicsNumbering.player
rectangle1.physicsBody?.affectedByGravity = false
rectangle1.physicsBody?.isDynamic = true
rectangle1.physicsBody?.collisionBitMask = 0
//Physics World
rectangle2.physicsBody = SKPhysicsBody(texture: rectangleTexture, size: CGSize(width: rectangle1.size.width - 20, height: rectangle1.size.height - 20))
rectangle2.physicsBody?.categoryBitMask = PhysicsNumbering.rectangle_2
rectangle2.physicsBody?.contactTestBitMask = PhysicsNumbering.player
rectangle2.physicsBody?.affectedByGravity = false
rectangle2.physicsBody?.isDynamic = true
rectangle2.physicsBody?.collisionBitMask = 0
//Physics World
rectangle3.physicsBody = SKPhysicsBody(texture: rectangleTexture, size: CGSize(width: rectangle1.size.width - 20, height: rectangle1.size.height - 20))
rectangle3.physicsBody?.categoryBitMask = PhysicsNumbering.rectangle_3
rectangle3.physicsBody?.contactTestBitMask = PhysicsNumbering.player
rectangle3.physicsBody?.affectedByGravity = false
rectangle3.physicsBody?.isDynamic = true
rectangle3.physicsBody?.collisionBitMask = 0
let moveDown = SKAction.moveTo(y: self.frame.minY - rectangle3.size.height / 2, duration: 2)
let moveDown2 = SKAction.moveTo(y: self.frame.minY - rectangle3.size.height / 2, duration: 3)
let moveDown3 = SKAction.moveTo(y: self.frame.minY - rectangle3.size.height / 2, duration: 4)
let removeNode = SKAction.removeFromParent()
rectangle1.position = CGPoint(x: self.frame.minX - rectangle3.size.height * 0.1, y: self.frame.maxY + rectangle3.size.width) //use 4.5 for the close one
rectangle2.position = CGPoint(x: self.frame.minX - rectangle3.size.width / 40 , y: self.frame.maxY + rectangle3.size.height) //use 4.5 for the close one
rectangle3.position = CGPoint(x: self.frame.midX - rectangle3.size.width / 1.55, y: self.frame.maxY + rectangle3.size.height * 1.8)
rectangle1.run(SKAction.sequence([moveDown,removeNode]))
rectangle2.run(SKAction.sequence([moveDown2,removeNode]))
rectangle3.run(SKAction.sequence([moveDown3,removeNode]))
//second set
let rectangle5 = SKSpriteNode(imageNamed: "rectangleWalls")
let rectangle6 = SKSpriteNode(imageNamed: "rectangleWalls")
let rectangle7 = SKSpriteNode(imageNamed: "rectangleWalls")
//Physics World
rectangle5.physicsBody = SKPhysicsBody(texture: rectangleTexture, size: CGSize(width: rectangle1.size.width - 20, height: rectangle1.size.height - 20))
rectangle5.physicsBody?.categoryBitMask = PhysicsNumbering.rectangle_5
rectangle5.physicsBody?.contactTestBitMask = PhysicsNumbering.player
rectangle5.physicsBody?.affectedByGravity = false
rectangle5.physicsBody?.isDynamic = true
rectangle5.physicsBody?.collisionBitMask = 0
//Physics World
rectangle6.physicsBody = SKPhysicsBody(texture: rectangleTexture, size: CGSize(width: rectangle1.size.width - 20, height: rectangle1.size.height - 20))
rectangle6.physicsBody?.categoryBitMask = PhysicsNumbering.rectangle_6
rectangle6.physicsBody?.contactTestBitMask = PhysicsNumbering.player
rectangle6.physicsBody?.affectedByGravity = false
rectangle6.physicsBody?.isDynamic = true
rectangle6.physicsBody?.collisionBitMask = 0
//Physics World
rectangle7.physicsBody = SKPhysicsBody(texture: rectangleTexture, size: CGSize(width: rectangle1.size.width - 20, height: rectangle1.size.height - 20))
rectangle7.physicsBody?.categoryBitMask = PhysicsNumbering.rectangle_7
rectangle7.physicsBody?.contactTestBitMask = PhysicsNumbering.player
rectangle7.physicsBody?.affectedByGravity = false
rectangle7.physicsBody?.isDynamic = true
rectangle7.physicsBody?.collisionBitMask = 0
rectangle5.zPosition = 0
rectangle6.zPosition = 0
rectangle7.zPosition = 0
rectangle5.position = CGPoint(x: self.frame.maxX + rectangle3.size.height * 0.1, y: self.frame.maxY + rectangle3.size.width) //use 4.5 for the close one
rectangle6.position = CGPoint(x: self.frame.maxX + rectangle3.size.width / 40 , y: self.frame.maxY + rectangle3.size.height) //use 4.5 for the close one
rectangle7.position = CGPoint(x: self.frame.midX + rectangle3.size.width / 1.55, y: self.frame.maxY + rectangle3.size.height * 1.8)
rectangle5.run(SKAction.sequence([moveDown,removeNode]))
rectangle6.run(SKAction.sequence([moveDown2,removeNode]))
rectangle7.run(SKAction.sequence([moveDown3,removeNode]))
addChild(rectangle1)
addChild(rectangle2)
addChild(rectangle3)
addChild(rectangle5)
addChild(rectangle6)
addChild(rectangle7)
}
Can someone please help me find out what is causing this lag? I cannot seem to figure it out. Thank You in advance!

Answer 1

Generating physicsBodies on the fly is very expensive and that is why your game will lag everytime it tries to do that.
I suggest you create the objects and put them in an array of the obstacle and then copy the array items whenever you need to recreate them.
You have soooooo much code that is being repeated for every object, I've tried to reduce the amount of code by reusing a lot of it for every obstacle.
FYI SKAction.wait(forDuration: 0.0001) is the same as 0 so it is pointless
The code in your obstaclesFunc contains irrelevant or code not contained in your questions so I have omitted that functionality, if it is dire to your game you'll have to figure it out and put it in the generateObstacles func.
//variables needed in your scene
private var rectangles = [SKSpriteNode]()
private var moveDown: SKAction!
private var moveDown2: SKAction!
private var moveDown3: SKAction!
private var removeNode: SKAction!
//in your didMove func
//preload the obstacles into an array
createRectangles()
//in your startGame func
//this func call will start the generation of the obstacles
generateObstacles()
func createRectangles() {
let rectangle1 = createRectangle(category: PhysicsNumbering.rectangle_1)
rectangles.append(rectangle1)
let rectangle2 = createRectangle(category: PhysicsNumbering.rectangle_2)
rectangles.append(rectangle2)
let rectangle3 = createRectangle(category: PhysicsNumbering.rectangle_3)
rectangles.append(rectangle3)
let rectangle5 = createRectangle(category: PhysicsNumbering.rectangle_5)
rectangles.append(rectangle5)
let rectangle6 = createRectangle(category: PhysicsNumbering.rectangle_6)
rectangles.append(rectangle6)
let rectangle7 = createRectangle(category: PhysicsNumbering.rectangle_7)
rectangles.append(rectangle7)
let width: CGFloat = rectangle3.size.width
let height: CGFloat = rectangle3.size.height
//position the rectangles afterward creating them since they appear to be relevant to each other
rectangle1.position = CGPoint(x: frame.minX - height * 0.1, y: frame.maxY + width) //use 4.5 for the close one
rectangle2.position = CGPoint(x: frame.minX - width / 40 , y: frame.maxY + height) //use 4.5 for the close one
rectangle3.position = CGPoint(x: frame.midX - width / 1.55, y: frame.maxY + height * 1.8)
rectangle5.position = CGPoint(x: frame.maxX + height * 0.1, y: frame.maxY + width) //use 4.5 for the close one
rectangle6.position = CGPoint(x: frame.maxX + width / 40 , y: frame.maxY + height) //use 4.5 for the close one
rectangle7.position = CGPoint(x: frame.midX + width / 1.55, y: frame.maxY + height * 1.8)
//now create the actions so that they can be used again and again
createActions(height: height / 2)
}
func createActions(height: CGFloat) {
moveDown = SKAction.moveTo(y: frame.minY - height, duration: 2)
moveDown2 = SKAction.moveTo(y: frame.minY - height, duration: 3)
moveDown3 = SKAction.moveTo(y: frame.minY - height, duration: 4)
removeNode = SKAction.removeFromParent()
}
func generateObstacles() {
let randomWaitTime = Int(arc4random_uniform(6) + 1 )
self.run(.wait(forDuration: randomWaitTime) {
loadAndMoveRectangles()
//now call the generate func again to get a diff random time to wait
generateObstacles()
}
}
func loadAndMoveRectangles() {
let rectangle1 = rectangles[0].copy() as? SKSpriteNode
addChild(rectangle1)
let rectangle2 = rectangles[1].copy() as? SKSpriteNode
addChild(rectangle2)
let rectangle3 = rectangles[2].copy() as? SKSpriteNode
addChild(rectangle3)
let rectangle5 = rectangles[3].copy() as? SKSpriteNode
addChild(rectangle5)
let rectangle6 = rectangles[4].copy() as? SKSpriteNode
addChild(rectangle6)
let rectangle7 = rectangles[5].copy() as? SKSpriteNode
addChild(rectangle7)
rectangle1.run(.sequence([moveDown, removeNode]))
rectangle2.run(.sequence([moveDown2, removeNode]))
rectangle3.run(.sequence([moveDown3, removeNode]))
rectangle5.run(.sequence([moveDown, removeNode]))
rectangle6.run(.sequence([moveDown2, removeNode]))
rectangle7.run(.sequence([moveDown3, removeNode]))
}
func createRectangle(category: UInt32) -> SKSpriteNode {
let rectangle = SKSpriteNode(imageNamed: "rectangleWalls")
rectangle.zPosition = 0
rectangle.physicsBody = SKPhysicsBody(texture: rectangleTexture, size: CGSize(width: rectangle1.size.width - 20, height: rectangle1.size.height - 20))
rectangle.physicsBody?.categoryBitMask = category
rectangle.physicsBody?.contactTestBitMask = PhysicsNumbering.player
rectangle.physicsBody?.affectedByGravity = false
rectangle.physicsBody?.isDynamic = true
rectangle.physicsBody?.collisionBitMask = 0
return rectangle
}