Verlet integration movement - doubt for on_key_press() methods

Question

Based on my understanding of Verlet integration I tryed to use it over my Euler method to move my character in a 2D space. I will put only the neccessery code, but if anything else is needed I will edit my post.

This is my Character class (which I probably need to rename to Charactor)

class PlayerData(object):
    def __init__(self):
        self.applied_force = Vector(0, 0)
        self.mass = 70 /killograms
        self.position = Vector(15, 200)
        self.old_position = Vector(self.position.x, self.position.y)
        self.acceleration = Vector(self.applied_force.x / self.mass, 0)

    # These methods seems smelly
    def on_left_key_pressed(self):
        self.applied_force.x = -200
        self.old_position.x = self.position.x + 3
    def on_right_key_pressed(self):
        self.applied_force.x = 200
        self.old_position.x = self.position.x - 3
    def on_left_key_released(self):
        self.applied_force.x = 0
        self.old_position.x = self.position.x
    def on_right_key_released(self):
        self.applied_force.x = 0
        self.old_position.x = self.position.x
    def keys_up(self):
        self.applied_force = Vector(0, 0)
        self.old_position = Vector(self.position.x, self.position.y)

    def verlet(self, dt):
        self.acceleration = Vector(self.applied_force.x / self.mass, 0)
        temp = Vector(self.position.x, self.position.y)

        self.position.x += self.position.x - self.old_position.x + \
                           self.acceleration.x * dt * dt

        self.old_position = Vector(temp.x, temp.y)

    def update(self, dt):
        self.verlet(dt)
        // here be a collision detection method which I need to write
        self.rect.left = self.position.x
        self.rect.top = self.position.y

And this is the Event class which has 2 main methods - listener and handler

class EventManager(object):
    def __init__(self, player):
        self.player = player
        # few bools to indicate key states, the listener method toggles them

    def handler(self):
        ''' Calls Player on_x_key_pressed(), on_x_key_released()
        methods according to event bools set from the listener method.
        '''
        # Moving
        if self.left:
            self.player.on_left_key_pressed()
        elif self.right:
            self.player.on_right_key_pressed()
        else:
            self.player.on_keys_up()

I have jumping but I'm still trying to understand the right aproach to writing a proper verlet integration method. I can controll how fast my object is moving by setting the self.old_position.x = self.position.x + 3 to self.old_position.x = self.position.x + 20 for example. This also stops the movement, but I truly suspect that this is incorect or simply a very bad aproach.

EDIT: Redesigned the event handler method and shortened the bool names for simplicity. I have no problems running the code, it is working as intented. The thing I dont like is how my on_x_key_pressed() methods look, you can find them in PlayerData class. I have the feeling that, to stop my character from continues move in some direction I have to set old_position.x = position.x. Is this the right aproach to stop character movement? And to control how fast the object is moving (the velocity), I have to manually set old_position to some value bigger/lower than position.x as seen in on_left_key_pressed() and on_right_key_pressed(). I wonder if there is better aproach to control the velocity?

Answer 1

    def handler(self):
        '''
        Calls Player on_x_key_pressed(), on_x_key_released()
        methods according to event bools set from the listener method.
        '''
        # Moving
        if self.left_key_pressed and self.right_key_pressed:
            self.player.keys_up()

From this point, you know that both keys cannot be pressed at the same time, so you can continue with:

        elif self.left_key_pressed:
            self.player.on_left_key_pressed()
        elif self.right_key_pressed:
            self.player.on_right_key_pressed()
        else:
            self.player.keys_up()

It's up to you to see if you find it more easy to read.

I'm afraid I can't help much with the way you use verlet integration. Last comment: Try to avoid passing the key events around too much, or try to be more 'semantic', eg. send move_left to self.player instead of on_left_key_pressed.