how can i smoothly turn an enemy to the player?

i tryed to adjust this code (from the manual) a bit

vec_set(temp,player.x);
vec_sub(temp,my.x);
vec_to_angle(my.pan,temp);

i tryed to directly turn..put the vec's in a temp vec and rotate the enemy (my) to the tempvec like this

if(my.pan > my.temp_pan)
{
my.pan -= 5 * time;
}
if(my.pan < my.temp_pan)
{
my.pan += 5 * time;
}

this method works but not without 'bugs'

when the player moves over some certains axis the enemy needs to turn all arround his pan before pans right.

so how to make the enemys pan smoothly without problems ?

if(temppan>180)
{
temppan-=360;
}
if(temppan<-180)
{
temppan+=360;
}
// rotate stuff here
if(my.pan>180)
{
my.pan-=360;
}
if(my.pan<-180)
{
my.pan+=360;
}

Just another alternative for you:
Code:

---

//////////////////////////////
// Object Always Facing Player
//////////////////////////////

//variable defintions
var face_pos[3];//used to set position then distance
var face_ang[3];//used to subtract pan angles for turning ent
var face_trn[3];//limits the turning of the ent

//define definitions
define face_speed, 3; // change 3 to your turning speed

action face_main {
  while(!player) { wait(1); }	
  while(1) {
    vec_set(face_pos,my.x);
    vec_sub(face_pos,player.x);
    vec_to_angle(face_ang,face_pos);
    face_trn.pan = ang(face_ang.pan - my.pan);
    if(face_trn.pan < 0) { my.pan += face_speed * time;	}
    else { my.pan -= face_speed * time;	}
    wait(1);
  }	
}


//////////////////////////////
// End
//////////////////////////////

---

-raiden

Thanks Raiden! This is what im looking for! One thing...when the speed is increased a lot the model is 'shaking'

i tryed this but it doesnt seem to work:

Code:

---

 
if(face_trn.pan < -5)
{ 
  my.pan += face_speed * time;
}
 if(face_trn.pan > 5)
{
  my.pan -= face_speed * time;
} 

---

does anyone know how to fix this?

You can use min/max!

if(face_trn.pan < 0) {my.pan += min(face_speed * time,face_trn.pan); }
else { my.pan += max(-face_speed * time,face_trn.pan); }

this code works perfectly exept for its now face the opposite way then to the player..but the min max works against the shaking

here's one that i use:

Code:

---

FUNCTION rotate_entity_(rotate_angle,rotate_speed)
{
	IF (my.pan == rotate_angle) { return; }
	result = ang(rotate_angle - my.pan);
	IF (result > 0) { my.pan += rotate_speed * time_step; }
	IF (result < 0) { my.pan -= rotate_speed * time_step; }
	IF (ang(rotate_angle - my.pan) < 0 && result > 0) { my.pan = rotate_angle; }
	IF (ang(rotate_angle - my.pan) > 0 && result < 0) { my.pan = rotate_angle; }
}

---

to use it add these lines to the action of the object to face the player:

var pan_pos;
vec_to_angle (pan_pos, player);
rotate_entity_(pan_pos,5);