[pygame] Time-based vs. Frame-based

[James Hofmann <jwhinfinity@xxxxxxxxx>]

I should point out that time-based methods have only
become popular with the advent of 3d graphics. In 2d
games there is a huge emphasis on pixel-accurate
distance judgements and precise movements(like
steering your UFO between 1000s of enemy bullets),
wheras in 3d games the control is so much more
difficult that the gameplay is usually structured to
be less timing-based and to allow for more mistakes.
Also, in networked multiplayer, the game cannot slow
down for any one person, so frames have to be skipped;
there is no getting around that.

Older 2d games, in the 8 and 16-bit era, almost
universally chose to slow the game down during intense
moments because it worked in favor of the player in an
era when most games were made to challenge players to
their limits. If a slow system plays your game and
gets 5 fps and you're skipping frames, it may become
too hard to play because the player isn't getting
enough information to successfully make those precise movements.

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