public function die():void {
if(stageRef.contains(this)) {
removeEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, loop);
//
stageRef.removeChild(this);
}
}

….

and I added to the Engine class…

var lose:Boolean=false;

and I have an if statement in my Engine loop function…

if (hud.s_hits>10 && !lose) {
ourShip.die();
lose=true;
}
————————————————————–
this removes the ourShip object from the screen, but…
*the enemy ships can still find the ourShip object and fire a stinger bullet
*all of the hitTests still work as if the ship is just standing still at the place that it died…

___________________________________________
can anyone explain why this is happening?

basically…
even though I remove the ship… everything acts as if the ship were still there…

Thanks

public function die():void {
if(stageRef.contains(this)) {
//
removeEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, loop);
//
var explosion:Explosion=new Explosion(stageRef,1,x,y);
stageRef.addChild(explosion);
stageRef.removeChild(this);
}
}

I’m a complete novice when it comes to AS3, how would I duplicate the smoke so I could have to smoke trails?

}
and in the Engine.as, under the preLoader.addEventListener…stuff, add the following:
stage.addEventListener(”gameSTART”, fGameStart);

then in the Engine.as, create the following function:

private function fGameStart(evt:Event):void {

//code to start your game goes here…
myPerson = new Person(stage);
myPerson.x = stage.stageWidth / 2;
myPerson.y = stage.stageHeight / 2;
stage.addChild(myPerson);

scoreHUD = new ScoreHUD(stage); //create our HUD
stage.addChild(scoreHUD); //and display it.

myGerm = new Germ(stage, myPerson);
stage.addChild(myGerm);

trace(GermRemoved );
if (GermRemoved == 0)
{
addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, loop, false, 0, true);
trace(“Yesloop”);
//GermRemoved = 1;
trace(GermRemoved );
}
else
{
trace(“Noloop”);
}

}
Basically I waited to add anything to stage form my game until I was ready to press the play button.
Finally to get rid of the Main Menu I just added:
unload();
to
private function playGame(e:MouseEvent) : void
{
unload();
this.stageRef.dispatchEvent(new Event(“gameSTART”));
}
And now to continue with my game development!
Hope this helps someone.