Fixed timestep loop in C++

Question

I am trying to implement a fixed timestep loop so that the game refreshes at a constant rate. I found a great article at http://gafferongames.com/game-physics/fix-your-timestep/ but am having trouble translating that into my own 2d engine.

The specific place I am referring to is the function in the last part "The Final Touch" which is what most people recommend. This is his function:

double t = 0.0;
    const double dt = 0.01;

    double currentTime = hires_time_in_seconds();
    double accumulator = 0.0;

    State previous;
    State current;

    while ( !quit )
    {
         double newTime = time();
         double frameTime = newTime - currentTime;
         if ( frameTime > 0.25 )
              frameTime = 0.25;   // note: max frame time to avoid spiral of death
         currentTime = newTime;

         accumulator += frameTime;

         while ( accumulator >= dt )
         {
              previousState = currentState;
              integrate( currentState, t, dt );
              t += dt;
              accumulator -= dt;
         }

         const double alpha = accumulator / dt;

         State state = currentState*alpha + previousState * ( 1.0 - alpha );

         render( state );
    }

For myself, I am just moving a player across the screen keeping track of an x and y location as well as velocity rather than doing calculus integration. **I am confused as to what I would apply to the updating of the player's location (dt or t?). Can someone break this down and explain it further?

The second part is the interpolation which I understand as the formula provided makes sense and I could simply interpolate between the current and previous x, y player positions.

Also, I realize I need to get a more accurate timer.

Answer 1

If you can get at least microsecond accuracy, try this:

long int start = 0, end = 0;
double delta = 0;
double ns = 1000000.0 / 60.0; // Syncs updates at 60 per second (59 - 61)
while (!quit) {
    start = timeAsMicro();
    delta+=(double)(start - end) / ns;
    end = start;

    while (delta >= 1.0) {
       doUpdates();
       delta-=1.0;
    }
}