How to Implement Multiple While Loops Simultaneously in Pygame

In Pygame, it is possible to execute multiple while loops concurrently, allowing for independent and continuous operations within your program.

Overcoming Execution Blocking

In the provided code snippet, the issue arises from the presence of two while loops attempting to run at the same time. The second loop, which incorporates a time.sleep() function to introduce a delay, interferes with the execution of the first loop, which is crucial for the program's ongoing functionality.

Utilizing System Time for Delay

Instead of relying on time.sleep() to delay the execution of a specific block of code, it is recommended to leverage the pygame.time module. Pygame.time.get_ticks() provides access to the system time in milliseconds since program initialization.

Integration with Loop

To prevent the blocking of one loop by another, consider incorporating the following strategy:

• Determine the time interval at which the content should be updated.
• Implement a conditional check within the main loop to assess if the elapsed time exceeds the specified interval.
• If the interval has elapsed, perform the necessary updates and reset the time interval accordingly.

This approach allows the delayed action to run concurrently with the primary loop without disrupting its execution flow.

Alternative Approach using Timer Events

Alternatively, you can employ Pygame timer events to schedule actions at specific time intervals. This method proves particularly beneficial when dealing with constant time intervals.

Example Code

Refer to the following code snippet for a complete example showcasing the implementation of multiple while loops in Pygame:

import pygame
import random

# Initialize Pygame
pygame.init()

# Define screen dimensions
screen_width = 800
screen_height = 600
screen = pygame.display.set_mode((screen_width, screen_height))

# Define some faces
faces = ['^-^', '^v^', '◠◡◠', "'v'", '⁀◡⁀']

# Define the current face
current_face = random.choice(faces)

# Set up the font
font = pygame.font.SysFont('Arial', 100)

# Render the face
face_surface = font.render(current_face, True, (0, 255, 0))

# Get the center of the screen
center_x = screen_width // 2
center_y = screen_height // 2

# Set up the main loop
running = True
while running:

    # Process events
    for event in pygame.event.get():
        if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
            running = False

    # Calculate the next time the face should be updated
    next_update_time = pygame.time.get_ticks()   randint(5000, 10000)

    # If the time has come to update the face, do it
    if pygame.time.get_ticks() >= next_update_time:
        current_face = random.choice(faces)
        face_surface = font.render(current_face, True, (0, 255, 0))

    # Draw everything to the screen
    screen.fill((0, 0, 0))
    screen.blit(face_surface, (center_x - face_surface.get_width() // 2, center_y - face_surface.get_height() // 2))
    pygame.display.update()