From ec3bc0d2a134443fdbb3f326a0da760e45f083af Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Gabriel Kaszewski <gabrielkaszewski@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 22:14:35 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] feat(snake): 8 steps/s on fixed-period clock (draw time no
 longer adds to step)

---
 crates/apps/snake/src/main.rs | 41 +++++++++++++++++++++++++----------
 1 file changed, 29 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)

diff --git a/crates/apps/snake/src/main.rs b/crates/apps/snake/src/main.rs
index d573faf..ea79139 100644
--- a/crates/apps/snake/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/apps/snake/src/main.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ use libkos::syscall;
 use server_framework::Encode;
 use display_server::protocol::DisplayRequest;
 
-const TICK_DELAY: u64 = 5_000_000;
+/// Steps a second; QEMU virt's timebase is 10 MHz.
+const STEPS_PER_SECOND: u64 = 8;
+const TICK_DELAY: u64 = 10_000_000 / STEPS_PER_SECOND;
 const MAX_RENDER_CMDS: usize = 140;
 
 /// The display server, which the shell hands over because snake's manifest
@@ -53,6 +55,7 @@ fn main() {
     };
     // Takes focus; keys are polled every tick, the signal only wakes it.
     let _ = libkos::display::subscribe(display_ep(), alarm, types::badge::Badge::new(1 << 1));
+    let mut clock = Clock::new(alarm);
     let mut snake = Snake::new();
     let mut commands = [RenderCommand { x: 0, y: 0, w: 0, h: 0, color: 0 }; MAX_RENDER_CMDS];
 
@@ -71,12 +74,12 @@ fn main() {
             flush();
             // Any key leaves.
             while next_input() == Input::None {
-                wait_tick(alarm);
+                clock.wait_tick();
             }
             return;
         }
 
-        wait_tick(alarm);
+        clock.wait_tick();
         if handle_input(&mut snake) == Input::Quit {
             return;
         }
@@ -126,17 +129,31 @@ fn handle_input(snake: &mut Snake) -> Input {
     }
 }
 
-/// Sleeps until the next tick on `alarm`, instead of spinning. Keys
-/// signal it too (snake has one notification), so it waits again until
-/// the tick is really due.
-fn wait_tick(alarm: CapSlot) {
-    let deadline = syscall::get_time().raw() + TICK_DELAY;
-    if syscall::set_timer(alarm, Ticks::from_raw(deadline)).is_err() {
-        return;
+/// The game's clock: a step every `TICK_DELAY`, counted from the last
+/// step's deadline, so the time drawing takes does not slow it down.
+struct Clock {
+    alarm: CapSlot,
+    next: u64,
+}
+
+impl Clock {
+    fn new(alarm: CapSlot) -> Self {
+        Self { alarm, next: syscall::get_time().raw() }
     }
-    while syscall::get_time().raw() < deadline {
-        if syscall::wait(alarm).is_err() {
+
+    /// Sleeps until the next step is due, instead of spinning. Keys
+    /// signal `alarm` too (snake has one notification), so it waits again
+    /// until the step really is due.
+    fn wait_tick(&mut self) {
+        // After a stall, carry on from now rather than rushing to catch up.
+        self.next = (self.next + TICK_DELAY).max(syscall::get_time().raw());
+        if syscall::set_timer(self.alarm, Ticks::from_raw(self.next)).is_err() {
             return;
         }
+        while syscall::get_time().raw() < self.next {
+            if syscall::wait(self.alarm).is_err() {
+                return;
+            }
+        }
     }
 }