For context, I have a RenderStepped loop in a LocalScript (Mainly used for camera manipulation), and I have a little if statement that changes a variable (the currentWay) based on a number calculated from the mouse’s and the camera’s positions.
I was wondering which option reduces more lag
This:
if yRot <= -(50 / 100) then
currentWay = "Right"
end
or this?:
if yRot <= -(50 / 100) then
if currentWay ~= "Right" then
currentWay = "Right"
end
end
Looking forward to hearing from you!
(Also should this post be in Development Discussion instead?)
I don’t think this belongs in Development Discussion, here is fine
Anyway, while the lag amount is miniscule, the second way would cause slightly more lag as you are doing a more advanced operation. Either way you’re checking something every frame, but with the first way you’re only setting a variable instead of doing an if operation then setting a variable if condition = true.
IMO the best way to do this would just have a loop grab on to whenever the yRot variable changes and do your code there :^)
I’d recommend the first one because it has less instructions:
3 instructions
if yRot <= -(50 / 100) then -- Reads yRot, checks if condition is true
currentWay = "Right" -- Writes "Right" to currentWay
end
4 if false, 5 if true
if yRot <= -(50 / 100) then -- Reads yRot, checks if condition is true
if currentWay ~= "Right" then -- Reads currentWay, checks if it's equal to "Right"
currentWay = "Right" -- Writes "Right" to currentWay
end
end
But I think you shouldn’t make a variable, and instead just calculate it each time you need to use it.
And as @RealMysticall already stated, the difference in lag is minuscule. But I still think you should use the first one because of readability.
We need to use something to keep track of things, right?
I mean you could make a function like getCurrentWay() that would calculate it instead of manually writing the math each time, but I mean it’s 5 chars added so use at your own will!
Wouldn’t change too much, to be honest.
I mean, we still have to call the function somehow, which in the end makes it (IMO) quite unnecessary to use.
I’d only create get[any]() functions in module scripts (when something in it needs to be retrieved). I’m not experienced in these lag reducing things, so let me know if I’m wrong about something!
What you’re asking about is really only relevant for changing properties of Instances, since Roblox sandboxes everything and there is a significant overhead with property/method calls if they’re being accessed extremely frequently (thousands of times per frame)
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here’s an example:
--outside loop
local prevVisibilityState: boolean
--inside loop
if prevVisibilityState ~= newVisibilityState then
prevVisibilityState = newVisibilityState
GuiObject.Visible = newVisibilityState --this will only run if the visibility state changes
end
By doing something like this, you avoid ever touching the Roblox API unless it’s absolutely necessary. All the logic stays confined within the script itself, which is well optimized.
Constantly changing the GuiObject’s .Visible property can incur an overhead (even if the value itself didn’t change) because writing anything to anything inside Roblox’s API will first pass through metatable checks and other internal engine stuff.
