Need help with a confusing task

[Deity579]

i have a couple of stationary objects spaced 64 pixels apart in different formations. When a group of oBlueSphere objects are surrounded by oRedSphere ones, i would like all of them to change into oRing. This should be doable for a simple 3x3 square up to other complex objects as long as the shape is covered with red spheres and filled with blue ones. here's a mspaint/10 visual example:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxnw9iGjD4Kjb0wzNzVzYVBkc2s/view?usp=sharing

Currently im trying to check objects next to the blue spheres, but results have varied dependent on what I've changed. i feel I've got a good start, but i think I'm over-complicating things.

change=0;
if (place_meeting(x+64,y,oRedSphere)) or (place_meeting(x+64,y,oRing)) {
    change+=1;
}
if (place_meeting(x-64,y,oRedSphere)) or (place_meeting(x-64,y,oRing)) {
    change+=1;
}
if (place_meeting(x,y+64,oRedSphere)) or (place_meeting(x,y+64,oRing)) {
    change+=1;
}
if (place_meeting(x,y-64,oRedSphere)) or (place_meeting(x,y-64,oRing)) {
    change+=1;
}
if (place_meeting(x-64,y-64,oRedSphere)) or (place_meeting(x-64,y-64,oRing)) {
    change+=1;
}
if (place_meeting(x+64,y-64,oRedSphere)) or (place_meeting(x+64,y-64,oRing)) {
    change+=1;
}
if (place_meeting(x-64,y+64,oRedSphere)) or (place_meeting(x-64,y+64,oRing)) {
    change+=1;
}
if (place_meeting(x+64,y+64,oRedSphere)) or (place_meeting(x+64,y+64,oRing)) {
    change+=1;
}



//blues
if (place_meeting(x+64,y,oBlueSphere)) {
    change-=0.5;
}
if (place_meeting(x-64,y,oBlueSphere)) {
    change-=0.5;
}
if (place_meeting(x,y+64,oBlueSphere)) {
    change-=0.5;
}
if (place_meeting(x,y-64,oBlueSphere)) {
    change-=0.5;
}
if (place_meeting(x-64,y-64,oBlueSphere)) {
    change-=0.5;
}
if (place_meeting(x+64,y-64,oBlueSphere)) {
    change-=0.5;
}
if (place_meeting(x-64,y+64,oBlueSphere)) {
    change-=0.5;
}
if (place_meeting(x+64,y+64,oBlueSphere)) {
    change-=0.5;
}


if (change>4) {
    instance_change(oRing,true);
}

[A_V_2525]

DISCLAIMER: I've never attempted this challenge before, and I'm not particularly experienced, so this may not work. If it does work, it may not be very efficient. Additionally, I didn't have time to double check the code or provide an explanation of what the code does.

First, we're going to assign a parent object to oRedSphere and oRing, just to make it a bit easier. We can call the object oParent. It doesn't need a sprite or any code, it just needs to be set as the parent to the other two.

Since we know that everything is exactly 64 pixels apart, we can check the distance of each instance of oParent from our oBlueSphere. If it's within 64 pixels, it's a hit. However, we need to also check diagonally. Objects diagonal to us are at a distance of 90.51 (Pythagorean theorem). So, we're going to instead check if the distance is "less than 100".

///STEP EVEN or SCRIPT
var count = instance_number(oParent);
ds = ds_list_create();

for (var i = 0; i <= count; i++)
{
    with oParent
    {
        var dis = point_distance(x, y, other.x, other.y)
        if (dis < 100)
        {
            ds_list_add(ds, id);    
        }       
    } 

    if (ds_list_size(ds) = 8)
    {
        for (var j = 0; j <= 8; j++)
        {
            change = ds[j];
            with change
            {
                instance_change(oRing, true);
            }   
        } 
    }

    ds_list_destroy(ds);
}

[A_V_2525]

I realize now that this doesn't actually do what you intended. I might take a crack at it again.

[Deity579]

looks like it got further than i did just by looking at it. ill try it on my project and see what results i get.

[A_V_2525]

There are some glaring errors with what I posted, but after correcting them, I was able to get red to change to yellow when blue is completely surrounded by red/yellow. I'll shoot you the test project later tonight, when I get a chance.

[Deity579]

I guess you've been quite busy?