AS3 Collision Detection through hitTestPoint for a map based game - actionscript-3

Question

I am trying to work out the best way to perform a hitTestPoint for a game with a character, enemies and objects that are non-walkable in the map.
I have created a version that works, which can be seen here:
http://www.hosted101.net/hit/mapHitTest.html (arrow keys to move, you're the square).
Using a previously suggested method, I have created a secondary version of all objects on the map, increased by half the size of the player and am running a hitTestPoint from centerX and centerY of the player.
This is great and works fine.
However, I feel it is not optimal and it could be unnessesary to have all these extra "boundry boxes" created, even if the user can't see them.
So, I created a second version. This time without the boundry boxes:
http://www.hosted101.net/hit/mapHitTestNew.html (arrow keys to move).
As this is still running from centerX and centerY of the player, if you approach an object but are below centerX/Y, you will be able to travel through it.
My question is this: to hitTest objects vs players/enemies/anything on a game like this, what is the best method? (with a fixed example for this simple project would be great)
Is it really creating a duplication of the map layer with additional bounding boxes, or can it be done in a more clean way?
My code is below, for mapHitTestNew.
Thanks.
var moveL:Boolean = new Boolean
var moveR:Boolean = new Boolean
var moveU:Boolean = new Boolean
var moveD:Boolean = new Boolean
var moveSpeed:int = 2
stage.addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN, updateKeysDown)
stage.addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_UP, updateKeysUp)
function updateKeysDown(e:KeyboardEvent){
var _keyCode = e.keyCode
switch (_keyCode){
case 37:
moveL = true;
break;
case 38:
moveU = true;
break;
case 39:
moveR = true;
break;
case 40:
moveD = true;
break;
}
collisionCheck()
}
function updateKeysUp(e:KeyboardEvent){
var _keyCode = e.keyCode
switch (_keyCode){
case 37:
moveL = false;
break;
case 38:
moveU = false;
break;
case 39:
moveR = false;
break;
case 40:
moveD = false;
break;
}
}
/**
***
*** Hit Test
***
***
**/
function collisionCheck():void{
var _MC:MovieClip = new MovieClip;
_MC.x = player.x
_MC.y = player.y
_MC.mouseEnabled = false
var centerX:Number = _MC.x + (player.width/2)
var centerY:Number = _MC.y + (player.height/2)
if(moveL){
trace("Stage 1 Move")
centerX -= moveSpeed
if(map.hitTestPoint((centerX-player.width/2), centerY, true)){
trace("Stage 1 HIT TEST!")
moveL = false
}
}
if(moveR){
trace("Stage 2 Move")
centerX += moveSpeed
if(map.hitTestPoint((centerX+player.width/2), centerY, true)){
trace("Stage 2 HIT TEST!")
moveR = false
}
}
if(moveU){
trace("Stage 3 Move")
centerY -= moveSpeed
if(map.hitTestPoint(centerX, (centerY-player.height/2), true)){
trace("Stage 3 HIT TEST!")
moveU = false
}
}
if(moveD){
trace("Stage 4 Move")
centerY += moveSpeed
if(map.hitTestPoint(centerX, (centerY+player.height/2), true)){
trace("Stage 4 HIT TEST!")
moveD = false
}
}
refreshMovement()
}
function refreshMovement():void{
if(moveL){
player.x -= moveSpeed
}
if(moveR){
player.x += moveSpeed
}
if(moveU){
player.y -= moveSpeed
}
if(moveD){
player.y += moveSpeed
}
}

Answer 1

It sounds like you're doing a kind of over-head view (considering you have the box moving in X and Y). I would have an 2D array with 0's and 1's in it (true/falses). When your character moves around, look up your characters hit box for the tiles that it occupies, which will generally be 1 to 4 tiles.
If there is a TRUE in any of thoses spots, he is hitting something. This way you only need hit boxes on objects that are active (they move etc)
I would also check out this article, and implement the solution that seems to work best for you:
http://higherorderfun.com/blog/2012/05/20/the-guide-to-implementing-2d-platformers/