Draw table of multiple types

Question

I have two zombie objects, one is Grunt and one is Runner.

My Grunt.lua file:

function InitGrunt()
  grunt = {}
  grunt.x = 0
  grunt.y = 0
  grunt.speed = 120
  grunt.hitBox = (sprites.grunt:getHeight() + sprites.grunt:getWidth())/2
  grunt.hit = false

  gruntDefCD = 2
  gruntCD = gruntDefCD
  gruntMinCD = 0.4
  gruntTimer = gruntCD
  gruntTimerDecr = 0.8
end

function SpawnGrunt()
  local side = math.random(1, 4)

  --randomize spawn position

  table.insert( zombies, grunt )
end

and my Runner.lua:

function InitRunner()
  runner = {}
  runner.x = 0
  runner.y = 0
  runner.speed = 240
  runner.hitBox = (sprites.runner:getWidth() + sprites.runner:getHeight())/2
  runner.hit = false

  runnerDefCD = 4
  runnerCD = runnerDefCD
  runnerMinCD = 2
  runnerTimer = runnerCD
  runnerTimerDecr = 0.95
end

function SpawnRunner()
      local side = math.random(1, 4)

      --randomize spawn position

      table.insert( zombies, runner )
end

So zombie table will have grunts and runners. How do I print both of them in Draw()?

I can draw one with:

function DrawGrunts()
  for i, z in ipairs(zombies) do
    love.graphics.draw(sprites.grunt, z.x, z.y, PlayerZombieAngle(z), nil, nil, sprites.grunt:getWidth()/2, sprites.grunt:getHeight()/2 )
  end
end

But how do I draw both of them in one function, ideally?

Answer 1

Give the different entities a pointer to their sprite object:

runner = { }
runner.x = 0
runner.y = 0
runner.sprite = sprites.runner
-- Rest of runner definition

grunt = { } 
grunt.x = 0 
grunt.y = 0
grunt.sprite = sprites.grunt
-- Rest of grunt definition

And your draw function becomes:

for i, z in ipairs(zombies) do
    love.graphics.draw(z.sprite, z.x, z.y, ...)
end