My game lags when I press button - actionscript-3

Question

I have an app that I'm developing for iOS and Android using AS3. I'm currently having several performance issues with this project. This is my very first app and game. So any type of feedback or insight is greatly appreciated. My game is a dirt bike wheelie game. It allows the user to press a button (gasPress) to wheelie upward and another button (brake) to wheelie downward. Once the "gasPress" button is pressed, a boolean "holdGas" is set to true. In my "gameLoop" (Enter_Frame event), the bike is rotated upward, IF "holdGas" is equal to true. The code for pressing the brake is the same, except it rotates the bike donward. I have buildings that slide across the screen, creating the illusion that the bike is moving. The building movie clips are cached as bitmap. I use two instances of the same building movie clip. Once the first clip slides off the stage, it's placed behind the other. In a recycling kind of mechanism lol. The problem I'm having with this is, when i press the "gasPress" button, it lags before wheelie/rotating upward. When it lags, the buildings moving in the background skips. It happens every time. So if you keep tapping the gasPress, (which is part of the gameplay) the objects on the screen keep jumping. It makes the game unplayable. I've tested the buttons by completely removing the code to move the bike upward/downward and the game still skips. I've noticed more of a skip or lag when the gas is pressed and the bike rotates upward. I currently have the frame rate set to 32, it did the same at 24.
public function TheGame() {
//Connect to tapjoy's ad network
//tjClass = new TapJoyClass();
//stage.scaleMode = StageScaleMode.NO_SCALE;
//stage.align = StageAlign.TOP_LEFT;
//Give game focus so the keyboard keys will work on computer
stage.focus = this;
globalStage = this.stage;
//Checks if ScoreData and Bike data shared object has been created, if not it creates
scoreInfo = SharedObject.getLocal ( "ScoreData" );
bikeInfo = SharedObject.getLocal ( "BikeData" );
//scoreInfo.clear ();
//bikeInfo.clear ();
mostSprocketsCollected = scoreInfo.data.mostSprocketsCollected;
//Handling background
background1 = new Background;
background2 = new Background;
addChild ( background1 );
addChild ( background2 );
background1.cacheAsBitmap = true;
background2.cacheAsBitmap = true;
background1.mouseChildren = false;
background1.mouseEnabled = false;
background2.mouseChildren = false;
background2.mouseEnabled = false;
background1.x = background1.width;
background2.x = background1.x + background2.width;
//Handling buildings
building1 = new Buildings;
building2 = new Buildings;
addChild ( building1 );
addChild ( building2 );
building1.cacheAsBitmap = true;
building2.cacheAsBitmap = true;
building1.mouseChildren = false;
building1.mouseEnabled = false;
building2.mouseChildren = false;
building2.mouseEnabled = false;
building1.x = building1.width;
building2.x = building1.x + building2.width;
//Choose which bike will be used
if( bikeInfo.data.EquippedBike == undefined ){
//Start off with original bike
whichBike = "OriginalDirtBike";
bikeInfo.data.BikeColor = "OriginalDirtBike";
}else{
whichBike = bikeInfo.data.EquippedBike;
}
if( whichBike == "Banshee" ){
//Add far wheels first
wheelClip2 = new Banshee_Far_WheelClip;
addChild ( wheelClip2 );
//wheelClip2. = 208.30;
wheelClip2.y = 350;
//Add Banshee
bitmapBike = new Banshee_Bitmap ();
bitmapBike.gotoAndStop ( bikeInfo.data.BikeColor );
addChild ( bitmapBike );
bitmapBike.y = 399.80;
bitmapBike.x = 0;
//Add frontWheels
wheelClip = new Banshee_WheelClip ();
wheelClip.backTire.frontFace.gotoAndStop ( bikeInfo.data.BikeColor );
wheelClip.frontTire.frontFace.gotoAndStop ( bikeInfo.data.BikeColor );
addChild ( wheelClip );
wheelClip.x = 187.70;
wheelClip.y = 399;
}else if( whichBike == "SupermotoDRZ400" ){
//Add Wheels
wheelClip = new WheelClip ();
wheelClip.backTire.gotoAndStop ( bikeInfo.data.BikeColor );
wheelClip.frontTire.gotoAndStop ( bikeInfo.data.BikeColor );
addChild ( wheelClip );
wheelClip.x = 0;
wheelClip.y = 409.45;
//Add bike
bitmapBike = new SuperMoto_Bitmap ();
bitmapBike.gotoAndStop ( bikeInfo.data.BikeColor );
addChild ( bitmapBike );
bitmapBike.y = 399.80;
}else if( whichBike == "OriginalDirtBike" ){
//Add wheels
wheelClip = new OriginalBike_WheelClip ();
wheelClip.backTire.gotoAndStop ( bikeInfo.data.BikeColor );
wheelClip.frontTire.gotoAndStop ( bikeInfo.data.BikeColor );
addChild ( wheelClip );
wheelClip.x = 0;
wheelClip.y = 405;
//Add Bike
bitmapBike = new OriginalBike_Bitmap ();
addChild ( bitmapBike );
bitmapBike.gotoAndStop ( bikeInfo.data.BikeColor );
bitmapBike.y = 399.80;
//Add rider
//rider = new Rider_Original_bitmap ();
//addChild ( rider );
//rider.y = 353.1
}
//bitmapBike.mouseChildren = false;
//bitmapBike.mouseEnabled = false;
//bitmapBike.cacheAsBitmapMatrix = bitmapBike.transform.concatenatedMatrix;
//bitmapBike.cacheAsBitmap = true;
//
trace ( "bitmap bike : " + getSize ( bitmapBike) );
//rider.cacheAsBitmapMatrix = rider.transform.concatenatedMatrix;
//rider.cacheAsBitmap = true;
rider.mouseChildren = false;
rider.mouseEnabled = false;
gasPress.addEventListener ( MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, hitGas );
gasPress.addEventListener ( MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, releaseGas );
brake.addEventListener ( MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, hitBrake );
brake.addEventListener ( MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, releaseBrake );
stage.addEventListener ( KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN, useKeyboard);
stage.addEventListener ( KeyboardEvent.KEY_UP, stopUseKeyboard);
addEventListener ( Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, init );
ScoreBoardFormat = new TextFormat ();
ScoreBoardFormat.bold = true;
sprocketVector = new Vector.< MovieClip > ();
sprocketPool = new SprocketPool( Sprocket, pool_SprocketAmount );
stage.addEventListener ( Event.RESIZE, resizeObjects );
stage.dispatchEvent( new Event( Event.RESIZE ) );
if( Accelerometer.isSupported ){
//on mobile device
}else{
//on desktop
gravity = 15; // low values for phone
dy = 60; // low values for phone
backgroundDx = -160;
buildingDx = -300;
dx = 300; // speed and direction
}
//start bike off in a wheelie
bitmapBike.rotation = -45;
rider.rotation = -45;
wheelClip.x = -15;
rider.x = bitmapBike.x;
//Add the first sprocket
addSprocket();
}
//Following Functions are Gas and Brake related
public function hitGas (e:MouseEvent){
e.stopImmediatePropagation();
holdGas = true;
pressedBrake = "no";
}
public function hitBrake (e:MouseEvent){
e.stopImmediatePropagation();
pressedBrake = "yes";
}
public function releaseGas (e:MouseEvent){
e.stopImmediatePropagation();
holdGas = false;
}
public function releaseBrake (e:MouseEvent){
e.stopImmediatePropagation();
pressedBrake = "no";
}
//Game Loop
public function gameLoop ( e:Event ):void{
e.stopImmediatePropagation();
var timePassed:int = getTimer()-lastTime;
lastTime += timePassed;
if ( whichBike == "SupermotoDRZ400" ){
//Keep wheels in position with the bike
wheelClip.rotation = bitmapBike.rotation;
wheelClip.x = bitmapBike.x;
//make tires spin
wheelClip.frontTire.rotation += 75*timePassed/1000;
wheelClip.backTire.rotation += 75*timePassed/1000;
rider.rotation = bitmapBike.rotation - 1;
rider.x = bitmapBike.x + 25;
}else if ( whichBike == "OriginalDirtBike" ){
//Keep wheels in position with the bike
wheelClip.rotation = bitmapBike.rotation - 1.5;
wheelClip.rotation = bitmapBike.rotation;
wheelClip.x = bitmapBike.x + 16.5;
//make tires spin
wheelClip.frontTire.rotation += 75*timePassed/1000;
wheelClip.backTire.rotation += 75*timePassed/1000;
//rider
rider.x = bitmapBike.x;
rider.rotation = bitmapBike.rotation;
}else if ( whichBike == "Banshee" ){
rider.rotation = bitmapBike.rotation;
rider.x = bitmapBike.x;
//First wheels
wheelClip.x = bitmapBike.x;
wheelClip.rotation = bitmapBike.rotation;
wheelClip.frontTire.frontFace.rotation += 75*timePassed/1000;
wheelClip.frontTire.backFace.rotation += 75*timePassed/1000;
wheelClip.backTire.frontFace.rotation += 75*timePassed/1000;
wheelClip.backTire.backFace.rotation += 75*timePassed/1000;
//second wheels
wheelClip2.x = bitmapBike.x;
wheelClip2.rotation = bitmapBike.rotation;
wheelClip2.farBackTire.frontFace.rotation += 75*timePassed/1000;
wheelClip2.farFrontTire.frontFace.rotation += 75*timePassed/1000;
wheelClip2.farFrontTire.backFace.rotation += 75*timePassed/1000;
}
if( popUp != null ){
this.setChildIndex ( popUp, this.numChildren - 2 );
}
this.setChildIndex ( rider, this.numChildren - 1 );
//Stores the bikes current rotation point
var currRotation = bitmapBike.rotation;
//make shadow follow bike
var bikeX:int = bitmapBike.x;
newShadow.x = bikeX + 150; //109.8;
//ANITMATING THE DRIVER!!!!
if( currRotation <= -11 ){ //This should occur at a lower
rider.gotoAndPlay ( "sitDown" );
sitDown = true;
newShadow.gotoAndStop ( "fullShadow" );
}
if( currRotation <= -15 ){
newShadow.gotoAndStop( "three4thShadow" );
leanBack = true;
}
//just change shadow with this one
if( currRotation <= -25 ){
newShadow.gotoAndStop ( "midShadow" );
}
if( currRotation <= -30 ){
rider.gotoAndPlay ( "LeanBack" );
leanBack = true;
newShadow.gotoAndStop ( "smallShadow" );
}
if( currRotation <= -34 ){ //Highest
rider.gotoAndPlay ( "LeanBack2" );
leanBack = true;
newShadow.gotoAndStop ( "smallestShadow" );
}
if( currRotation <= -35 ){ //Highest
rider.gotoAndPlay ( "LeanBack2" );
leanBack = true;
newShadow.gotoAndStop ( "allTheWayBack" );
}
//if player holds or hit the brake
if( pressedBrake == "yes" ) { //for some reason the opposite is working right now
var currBikePosition:int;
currBikePosition = bitmapBike.rotation;
bitmapBike.rotation += 2;
currBikePosition = 0;
}
//gravity pulling bike down
bitmapBike.rotation += gravity*timePassed/1000;
bitmapBike.rotation += gravity*timePassed/1000;
//if player holding gas, do wheeliez
if( holdGas == true ){
//Make bike wheelie
bitmapBike.rotation -= dy*timePassed/1000;
rider.rotation -= dy*timePassed/1000;
}
//Move Bike to center, then move buildings
if( bitmapBike.x <=187 ){
//move bike
bitmapBike.x += dx*timePassed/1000;
}else{
//move buildings and background
building1.x += buildingDx*timePassed/1000;
building2.x += buildingDx*timePassed/1000;
//buildings
if( building1.x <= -25 ){
building1.x = building2.x + building1.width;
}else if( building2.x <= -25 ){
building2.x = building1.x + building2.width;
}
background1.x += backgroundDx*timePassed/1000;
background2.x += backgroundDx*timePassed/1000;
//background
if( background1.x <=0 ){
background1.x = background2.x + background1.width;
}else if ( background2.x <=0 ){
background2.x = background1.x + background2.width;
}
}

Answer 1

How are you handling the masking of "background image"? How big is the image?
Most likely the drop is due to you having to redraw EVERYTHING when your bike moves since it can no longer reuse the old values of the cached bitmap. And since your background is HUGE this causes the performance drop you notice.
As a start, you should probably define a scrollRect on the "gigantic moving background" instead of just drawing the entire background. This causes only the part of image being shown to be sent to GPU. Such as bg.scrollRect = new Rectangle(offsetX,offsetY, 1280, 1024);
read http://gskinner.com/blog/archives/2006/11/understanding_d.html for a short introduction to scrollRect.
CacheAsBitmap might not be doing what you want it to do, if you are changing the look of a displayobject over each frame, you would actually loose performance since you first have to draw the items, then put them into a bitmap, and then draw that bitmap. Then on the next frame, you would end up redoing the exact same thing (since the old cached bitmap is no longer valid). cacheAsBitmap is very useful for when you have complex vector shapes that remain the same for an amount of frames.
For a more comprehensive optimization guideline, read the following two massive pdf-files:
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/as3/mobile/flashplatform_optimizing_content.pdf
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/as3/dev/as3_devguide.pdf

Answer 2

in Publish setting set your Hardware acceleration to GPU, that will lean off the processor