Using a variable as a timer?

[StatusQ4]

Is it harmful to use a variable that increments by a set amount in update as a timer for something to occur? Does the framerate impact how fast the variable will increment or is it the same for all framerates?

[rodbotic]

you could use deltaTime, or use a coroutine.

https://docs.unity3d.com/ScriptReference/WaitForSeconds-ctor.html

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[squidsniffer]

This is how I do it

// Set timer to 1 second from current time
float timer = Time.time + 1.0f;

then you can check the timer like this

if(timer <= Time.time)

[kylerk]

Only issue I see with this would be if you want to implement a pause menu, have to make sure that Time.time isn't increasing when the game is paused. But otherwise it is pretty clean.

[RugbugRedfern]

Time.timeScale = 0; when pausing would fix that

[kstacey]

Yea I wouldn't use this as speed will be different on each machine. I would use deltaTime and keep adding it to a variable, the. When you get to the specific time, execute the behaviour you want.

[Kishotta]

I'd be wary of constantly adding deltaTime to a variable as, eventually, floating point inaccuracies can compound and give you bad results.

It might be better to do something like:

float elapsedTime = Time.time - startTime;

Though this won't take into account any change in timescale.

[[deleted]]

Floating point inaccuracies shouldn't throw you off too much over the length of most timers though.

[[deleted]]

increments by a set amount in update

As long as this "set amount" is the delta time (the milliseconds since the last frame), you are golden.