// from the game world
 // called within the main loop
function calculateDistances() {
  // pre-calculate distances of:
  //   ball to char - store distance to the character's ballDist variable
  //   char to char - store all other character's (enemy's) distance to character's enemyDist container variable
}

  // used to store the ball object also do determine if the we have the ball; set to null if we not
var myBall:Ball;
  // the distance of the ball from character in Vector2D (x, y)
var ballDist:Vector2D;
  // contains enemies distances
var enemyDist:Object;
  // assuming that 25 is the range where the character can punch it's enemies
var punchRange:Number = 25;
 
 // moves the character
function moveChar( xdir, ydir ) {
  //  xdir - move left (-1) or right (1)
  //  ydir - move up (-1) or down (1)
}
 
 // determines if we have the ball else if the ball is close & not owned (by enemy) then get it
function getBall():Object {
  //  use ballDist for the calculated distance;
  //  returns: ball object - if our char already has it
  // 	      null - if the ball is nowhere near
}
 
 // shoots the ball
function shoot() {
  // release the ball towards the ring
  // set myBall to null
}
 
 // attacks the enemy
 //  params: enemy:Object - the enemy instance to punch
function punch( enemy:BaseChar ):Boolean {
  //  returns: true - if successful hit
  //           false - else not
}

  // runs with the main loop for each AI character
function thinkAI(){
  var xdir = 0;
  var ydir = 0;
 
    // if we have the ball
  if ( getBall() ) {
      // then shoot it!!
    shoot();
    // if not
  }else {
      // get the direction of the ball
    xdir = ballDist.x ? ballDist.x / Math.abs( ballDist.x ) : 0;
    ydir = ballDist.y ? ballDist.y / Math.abs( ballDist.y ) : 0;
      // and move towards it
    moveChar( xdir, ydir );
  }
}

function thinkAI() {
  var xdir = 0;
  var ydir = 0;
 
    // if we have the ball
  if ( getBall() ) {
      // then shoot it!!
    shoot();
    // if not,
  }else {
    var ball = GameWorld.ball;
    var dist:Vector2D;
      // check if another char has the ball, since definitely it isn't this char
    if ( ball.owner ) {
        // store the enemy who has the ball in a local var
      var targetEnemy = enemyDist[ ball.owner.id ];
        // this is the distance of the enemy char with respect to this char
      dist = targetEnemy.dist;
        // if this enemy is within punching range
      if ( dist.len < punchRange ) {
        punch( ball.owner );
          // no need to do the processes below...
        return;
      }
    } else {
      dist = ballDist;
    }
      // get the direction
    xdir = dist.x ? dist.x / Math.abs( dist.x ) : 0;
    ydir = dist.y ? dist.y / Math.abs( dist.y ) : 0;
      // and move towards it
    moveChar( xdir, ydir );
  }
}

function thinkAI() {
  var xdir = 0;
  var ydir = 0;
 
    // if we have the ball
  if ( getBall() ) {
      // then shoot it!!
    shoot();
      // if not,
  } else {
    var ball = GameWorld.ball;
    var dist:Vector2D;
      // check if another char has the ball, since definitely it isn't this char
    if ( ball.owner ) {
        // store the enemy who has the ball in a local var
      var targetEnemy = enemyDist[ ball.owner.id ];
        // targetEnemy.dist is the distance of the enemy char with respect to this char
      dist = targetEnemy.dist;
        // if this enemy is within punching range
      if ( dist.len < punchRange ) {
        punch( ball.owner );
          // no need to do the processes below...
        return;
      }
    } else {
        // default the distance from the ball
      var dist = ballDist;
      var ds;
        // loop through enemies
      for ( c in enemyDist ) {
        ds = enemyDist[ c ].dist;
          // see if they are closer
        if ( ds.len < dist.len )
          dist = ds;
          // it seems that this enemy is already in range, no need to check the others
        if ( ds.len < punchRange )
          break;
      }
        // if this is not the ball distance then it could only be the enemy
      if ( dist != ballDist ) {
          // if this enemy is within punching range
        if ( dist.len < punchRange ) {
            // attack!!
          punch( ball.owner );
            // no need to do the processes below...
          return;
        }
      }
    }
      // get the direction
    xdir = dist.x ? dist.x / Math.abs( dist.x ) : 0;
    ydir = dist.y ? dist.y / Math.abs( dist.y ) : 0;
      // and move towards it
    moveChar( xdir, ydir );
  }
}