Handling multiple keypressess at the same time in SDL - c++

Question

I'm making a simple top down 2D shooter, where you move with WASD and shoot in the direction you're looking at with space. I can move and shoot just fine, but I can't do them both at the same time. For example if I'm shooting and start moving, my character will stop shooting until I release and press space again, and if I then start moving in another direction I have to release and press space again.
Here's my main method:
int main(int argc, char* args[])
{
if (!init())
{
log("Failed to initialize!\n");
}
else
{
log("Initialized SDL and SDL subsystems. \nLoading assets:\n");
if (!loadAssets())
{
printf("Failed to load assets!\n");
}
else
{
log("All assets loaded successfully.\n");
bool running = true;
SDL_Event e;
std::vector<Shot> shots;
LTimer shotTimer;
float cooldown = 250.0f;
float previousCooldown = 0.0f;
Player player;
log("Game running.\n");
shotTimer.start();
while (running)
{
while (SDL_PollEvent(&e) != 0)
{
if (e.type == SDL_QUIT)
{
log("SDL_QUIT event triggered.\n");
running = false;
}
else if (e.type == SDL_KEYDOWN)
{
switch (e.key.keysym.sym)
{
case SDLK_ESCAPE:
{
running = false;
break;
}
}
}
player.handleEvent(e);
if (SDL_GetTicks() - previousCooldown > cooldown)
{
previousCooldown = SDL_GetTicks();
shots = shoot(e, player, shots);
}
}
player.move();
for (int i = 0; i < shots.size(); i++)
{
shots[i].move();
}
/*if (shotTimer.getTicks() >= cooldown)
shotTimer.restart();*/
SDL_SetRenderDrawColor(renderer, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff);
SDL_RenderClear(renderer);
background.render(0, 0);
for (int i = 0; i < shots.size(); i++)
{
shots[i].render();
}
player.render();
SDL_RenderPresent(renderer);
}
}
}
close();
return 0;
}
Here's my shoot() function, which is probably what's causing this:
std::vector<Shot> shoot(SDL_Event& e, Player player, std::vector<Shot> shots)
{
bool shoot = false;
if (e.type = SDL_KEYDOWN && e.key.repeat == 1)
{
switch (e.key.keysym.sym)
{
case SDLK_SPACE:
{
shoot = true;
break;
}
}
}
else if (e.type = SDL_KEYUP && e.key.repeat == 1)
{
switch (e.key.keysym.sym)
{
case SDLK_SPACE:
{
shoot = false;
break;
}
}
}
if (shoot)
{
Shot newShot(player.getDir(), player);
shots.push_back(newShot);
}
return shots;
}
And this is how I move the player
void Player::handleEvent(SDL_Event& e)
{
if (e.type == SDL_KEYDOWN && e.key.repeat == 0)
{
switch (e.key.keysym.sym)
{
case SDLK_w: mVelY -= PLAYER_VEL; mDir = 0; break;
case SDLK_s: mVelY += PLAYER_VEL; mDir = 1; break;
case SDLK_d: mVelX += PLAYER_VEL; mDir = 2; break;
case SDLK_a: mVelX -= PLAYER_VEL; mDir = 3; break;
}
}
else if (e.type == SDL_KEYUP && e.key.repeat == 0)
{
switch (e.key.keysym.sym)
{
case SDLK_w: mVelY += PLAYER_VEL; break;
case SDLK_s: mVelY -= PLAYER_VEL; break;
case SDLK_d: mVelX -= PLAYER_VEL; break;
case SDLK_a: mVelX += PLAYER_VEL; break;
}
}
}

Answer 1

Separate your event polling from the rest of the game logic.
Poll all events once per frame in a separate function and store the state of the keystates into an array. Then, when you need the state, simply check the array.

Answer 2

You can also use SDL_GetKeyboardState to sample the surrent state of the keys, without having to handle the key events yourself.