Fix simloop divergence

3 files changed, 105 insertions, 37 deletions

diff --git a/simloop/include/simloop.h b/simloop/include/simloop.h
index f267d40..6ee3b98 100644
--- a/simloop/include/simloop.h
+++ b/simloop/include/simloop.h
@@ -3,6 +3,37 @@
  * This implements a simulation loop but in a way that the client retains
  * control flow. The client steps the loop and then checks whether the
  * simulation must be updated and/or the result rendered.
+ *
+ * If the simulation's update cannot keep up with the desired frame rate, then
+ * the loop degrades to match the simulation's rate by requesting a single
+ * update.
+ *
+ * Under a variable time delta, the loop could simply update the simulation
+ * with a large delta that puts the simulation back into the current clock
+ * time. Under a fixed time delta this isn't possible, and we seem to have two
+ * choices instead:
+ *
+ *   a) Queue as many updates as necessary to bring the simulation back to the
+ *      current clock time (time_diff / fixed_delta).
+ *
+ *   b) Queue a single update.
+ *
+ * The issue with (a) is that the number of requested updates diverges and
+ * eventually the simulation appears to freeze. At every loop, the number of
+ * queued updates increases with respect to the last iteration as the
+ * simulation fails to keep up with the desired frame rate. Example:
+ *
+ *   desired delta = 10ms (100 fps)
+ *   actual  delta = 20ms ( 50 fps)
+ *   ---------------------------
+ *   iter, sim time, clock time
+ *   ---------------------------
+ *      0,        0,          0, initial state
+ *      1,        0,         10, queue 1 update
+ *      2,       10,         30, queue (30-10)/10  = 2 updates
+ *      3,       30,         70, queue (70-30)/10  = 4 updates
+ *      4,       70,        150, queue (150-70)/10 = 8 updates
+ *      ...
  */
 #pragma once
 
@@ -21,8 +52,8 @@ typedef struct SimloopOut {
   time_delta render_elapsed; ///< Amount of time elapsed in the rendering.
   time_delta update_elapsed; ///< Amount of time elapsed in the simulation.
   time_delta update_dt;      ///< Delta time for simulation updates.
-  int  updates_pending; ///< Number of frames the simulation should produce.
-  bool should_render;   ///< Whether the simulation should be rendered.
+  bool       should_update;  ///< Whether the simulation should update.
+  bool       should_render;  ///< Whether the simulation should be rendered.
 } SimloopOut;
 
 typedef struct SimloopTimeline {
@@ -35,10 +66,13 @@ typedef struct Simloop {
   SimloopTimeline render; ///< Render timeline.
   uint64_t        frame;  ///< Frame counter.
   Timer*          timer;
+  bool            first_iter;
 } Simloop;
 
 /// Create a simulation loop.
 Simloop simloop_make(const SimloopArgs*);
 
 /// Step the simulation loop.
+///
+/// The simulation always triggers a render of the initial state of simulation.
 void simloop_update(Simloop*, SimloopOut*);
diff --git a/simloop/src/simloop.c b/simloop/src/simloop.c
index 11f4d6d..aa2b6b7 100644
--- a/simloop/src/simloop.c
+++ b/simloop/src/simloop.c
@@ -12,12 +12,13 @@ Simloop simloop_make(const SimloopArgs* args) {
   assert(args->update_fps > 0);
 
   return (Simloop){
-      .frame  = 0,
-      .update = (SimloopTimeline){.ddt       = ddt_from_fps(args->update_fps),
-                                  .last_step = args->timer->start_time},
-      .render = (SimloopTimeline){  .ddt = ddt_from_fps(args->max_render_fps),
-                                  .last_step = args->timer->start_time},
-      .timer  = args->timer,
+      .frame      = 0,
+      .update     = (SimloopTimeline){.ddt       = ddt_from_fps(args->update_fps),
+                                      .last_step = args->timer->start_time},
+      .render     = (SimloopTimeline){  .ddt = ddt_from_fps(args->max_render_fps),
+                                      .last_step = args->timer->start_time},
+      .timer      = args->timer,
+      .first_iter = true,
   };
 }
 
@@ -26,15 +27,16 @@ static time_delta time_elapsed(const Simloop* sim, time_point t) {
   return time_diff(sim->timer->start_time, t);
 }
 
-static int step_update(const Simloop* sim, SimloopTimeline* timeline) {
+static bool step_update(const Simloop* sim, SimloopTimeline* timeline) {
   assert(sim);
   assert(timeline);
   assert(timeline->ddt > 0);
 
   const time_delta dt = time_diff(timeline->last_step, sim->timer->last_tick);
-  const time_delta steps = dt / timeline->ddt;
-  timeline->last_step    = time_add(timeline->last_step, dt);
-  return (int)steps;
+  const bool       should_step = dt >= timeline->ddt;
+  timeline->last_step =
+      should_step ? time_add(timeline->last_step, dt) : timeline->last_step;
+  return should_step;
 }
 
 static bool step_render(const Simloop* sim, SimloopTimeline* timeline) {
@@ -43,7 +45,7 @@ static bool step_render(const Simloop* sim, SimloopTimeline* timeline) {
 
   bool render = false;
   if (timeline->ddt > 0) {
-    render = step_update(sim, timeline) > 0;
+    render = step_update(sim, timeline);
   } else {
     timeline->last_step = sim->timer->last_tick;
     render              = true;
@@ -55,12 +57,12 @@ void simloop_update(Simloop* sim, SimloopOut* out) {
   assert(sim);
   assert(out);
 
-  const int new_frames = step_update(sim, &sim->update);
-  out->updates_pending = new_frames;
+  out->should_update = step_update(sim, &sim->update);
   out->should_render =
       step_render(sim, &sim->render) ||
-      (sim->frame == 0); // Trigger an initial render on the first frame.
-  sim->frame += new_frames;
+      (sim->first_iter); // Trigger an initial render on the first frame.
+  sim->frame += (out->should_update ? 1 : 0);
+  sim->first_iter     = false;
   out->frame          = sim->frame;
   out->render_elapsed = time_elapsed(sim, sim->render.last_step);
   out->update_elapsed = time_elapsed(sim, sim->update.last_step);
diff --git a/simloop/test/simloop_test.c b/simloop/test/simloop_test.c
index 3f2aa46..c79ee32 100644
--- a/simloop/test/simloop_test.c
+++ b/simloop/test/simloop_test.c
@@ -3,57 +3,89 @@
 #include <test.h>
 #include <timer.h>
 
-/// An initial render should always trigger on frame 0.
+/// At time/frame 0:
+///   1. An initial render is always triggered.
+///   2. No update is triggered (not enough time passed).
 TEST_CASE(simloop_initial_render) {
-  constexpr int UPDATE_FPS = 10;
+  Timer   timer   = {};
+  Simloop simloop = simloop_make(
+      &(SimloopArgs){.update_fps = 10, .max_render_fps = 0, .timer = &timer});
+  SimloopOut simout;
 
-  Timer      timer   = {};
-  Simloop    simloop = simloop_make(&(SimloopArgs){
-         .update_fps = UPDATE_FPS, .max_render_fps = 0, .timer = &timer});
+  simloop_update(&simloop, &simout);
+
+  TEST_TRUE(simout.should_render);
+  TEST_TRUE(!simout.should_update);
+  TEST_EQUAL(simout.frame, 0);
+}
+
+/// The initial render is not re-triggered if there is a render frame rate cap
+/// and time does not advance.
+TEST_CASE(simloop_initial_render_not_retriggered) {
+  Timer   timer   = {};
+  Simloop simloop = simloop_make(
+      &(SimloopArgs){.update_fps = 10, .max_render_fps = 10, .timer = &timer});
   SimloopOut simout;
 
   simloop_update(&simloop, &simout);
+
   TEST_TRUE(simout.should_render);
+  TEST_TRUE(!simout.should_update);
+  TEST_EQUAL(simout.frame, 0);
+
+  for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+    // Note that time does not advance.
+    simloop_update(&simloop, &simout);
+    TEST_TRUE(!simout.should_render);
+    TEST_TRUE(!simout.should_update);
+    TEST_EQUAL(simout.frame, 0);
+  }
 }
 
-/// A simulation loop with no render frame cap.
-TEST_CASE(simloop_test_no_render_frame_cap) {
-  constexpr int    UPDATE_FPS   = 10;
-  const time_delta STEP         = sec_to_time_delta(1);
-  const time_delta SIM_TIME_SEC = sec_to_time_delta(30);
+/// A simulation loop with no render frame cap:
+///   1. Updates based on the desired update frame rate.
+///   2. Renders at every loop.
+TEST_CASE(simloop_no_render_frame_cap) {
+  constexpr int    UPDATE_FPS    = 10;
+  const time_delta EXPECT_UPDATE = sec_to_time_delta(1.0 / (double)UPDATE_FPS);
+  const time_delta STEP          = sec_to_time_delta(1);
+  const time_delta SIM_TIME_SEC  = sec_to_time_delta(30);
 
   Timer      timer   = {};
   Simloop    simloop = simloop_make(&(SimloopArgs){
          .update_fps = UPDATE_FPS, .max_render_fps = 0, .timer = &timer});
   SimloopOut simout;
 
-  for (time_delta t = STEP; t < SIM_TIME_SEC; t += STEP) {
+  for (time_delta t = 0; t < SIM_TIME_SEC; t += STEP) {
     timer_advance(&timer, t);
     simloop_update(&simloop, &simout);
     TEST_TRUE(simout.should_render);
-    TEST_EQUAL(simout.updates_pending, UPDATE_FPS);
+    TEST_EQUAL((t > 0) && ((t % EXPECT_UPDATE) == 0), simout.should_update);
   }
 }
 
-/// A simulation loop with a render frame cap.
-TEST_CASE(simloop_test_with_render_frame_cap) {
+/// A simulation loop with a render frame cap:
+///   1. Updates based on the desired update frame rate.
+///   2. Renders based on the desired render frame rate.
+TEST_CASE(simloop_with_render_frame_cap) {
   constexpr int    UPDATE_FPS    = 10;
   constexpr int    RENDER_FPS    = 5;
-  const time_delta STEP          = sec_to_time_delta(0.1);
-  const time_delta SIM_TIME_SEC  = sec_to_time_delta(30);
   const time_delta EXPECT_UPDATE = sec_to_time_delta(1.0 / (double)UPDATE_FPS);
   const time_delta EXPECT_RENDER = sec_to_time_delta(1.0 / (double)RENDER_FPS);
+  const time_delta STEP          = sec_to_time_delta(0.1);
+  const time_delta SIM_TIME_SEC  = sec_to_time_delta(30);
 
   Timer      timer   = {};
   Simloop    simloop = simloop_make(&(SimloopArgs){
-         .update_fps = UPDATE_FPS, .max_render_fps = 0, .timer = &timer});
+         .update_fps = UPDATE_FPS, .max_render_fps = RENDER_FPS, .timer = &timer});
   SimloopOut simout;
 
-  for (time_delta t = STEP; t < SIM_TIME_SEC; t += STEP) {
+  for (time_delta t = 0; t < SIM_TIME_SEC; t += STEP) {
     timer_advance(&timer, t);
     simloop_update(&simloop, &simout);
-    TEST_TRUE(((STEP % EXPECT_RENDER) == 0) ? simout.should_render : true);
-    TEST_TRUE(((STEP % EXPECT_UPDATE) == 0) ? simout.updates_pending : true);
+    // Also expecting initial render at t=0.
+    TEST_EQUAL((t % EXPECT_RENDER) == 0, simout.should_render);
+    TEST_EQUAL((t > 0) && ((t % EXPECT_UPDATE) == 0), simout.should_update);
   }
 }