Method Overriding in My Game

What Is Method Overriding?

Method overriding happens when a child class replaces a method from a parent class with its own custom version.

This allows objects to:

  • behave differently
  • customize functionality
  • reuse parent systems while changing behavior

Overriding is commonly used in games for:

  • enemy AI
  • movement systems
  • rendering
  • collisions
  • animations

Why Method Overriding Is Useful

Many game objects share similar systems, but they should not all behave exactly the same.

For example:

  • sharks move differently from NPCs
  • enemies behave differently from players
  • objects can have unique update behavior

Method overriding allows classes to customize these behaviors.

Example 1: Custom Update Method

My game uses custom update() methods.

update: function () {

  if (this.isKilling) return;

  const players = this.gameEnv.gameObjects.filter(
    obj => obj.constructor.name === "Player"
  );

}

Explanation

This overridden update() method allows enemies to:

  • detect players
  • run AI logic
  • update movement every frame

The custom version replaces default behavior with enemy-specific behavior.

Example 2: Shark Movement Override

The shark enemy has its own movement system.

const speed = 2.2;

this.position.x += Math.cos(angle) * speed;
this.position.y += Math.sin(angle) * speed;

Explanation

This overridden behavior makes the shark:

  • move faster
  • chase the player
  • behave differently from normal NPCs

Method overriding allows specialized enemy behavior.

Example 3: Player Collision Override

The player object also overrides update behavior.

update: function () {

  const enemies = this.gameEnv.gameObjects.filter(
    obj => obj.spriteData?.id?.includes("EnemyElon")
  );

}

Explanation

This custom update method checks:

  • nearby enemies
  • collision distances
  • score deduction logic

The player object uses its own custom behavior during gameplay.

Example 4: Collision Reaction Override

The goldfish NPC overrides interaction behavior using a custom reaction method.

reaction: function () {

  gameEnv.gameScorer.collectCoin(10);

}

Explanation

This overridden method:

  • increases score
  • destroys the fish object
  • updates the scoreboard

Different NPCs can react differently using overridden methods.

Example 5: Reusable Systems With Custom Behavior

Enemies reuse the same base structure but override movement logic.

const baseEnemy = {

  update: function () {

    const speed = 1.2;

  }

};

Explanation

Each enemy can:

  • reuse common systems
  • customize speed
  • customize movement
  • customize interactions

Method overriding makes enemies flexible and reusable.

Why Method Overriding Helped My Game

Method overriding improved my project by:

  • allowing custom enemy behavior
  • reducing repeated code
  • improving game organization
  • making systems reusable
  • simplifying AI and collision systems

Without method overriding, every object would require completely separate code.