coroutine isn't waiting

Code (CSharp):

1.     void Update()
2.     {
3.         StartCoroutine(Spawn());
4.     }
5.  
6.     IEnumerator Spawn()
7.     {
8.         i += 1;
9.         if (i > 5)
10.         {
11.             i = 1;
12.         }
13.  
14.         if (i == 1)
15.         {
16.             Instantiate(zombie, new Vector3(spawnonex, spawnoney, spawnonez), Quaternion.identity);
17.             yield return StartCoroutine(wait());
18.         }
19.         else if (i == 2)
20.         {
21.             Instantiate(zombie, new Vector3(spawntwox, spawntwoy, spawntwoz), Quaternion.identity);
22.             yield return StartCoroutine(wait());
23.         }
24.         else if (i == 3)
25.         {
26.             Instantiate(zombie, new Vector3(spawnthreex, spawnthreey, spawnthreez), Quaternion.identity);
27.             yield return StartCoroutine(wait());
28.         }
29.         else if (i == 4)
30.         {
31.             Instantiate(zombie, new Vector3(spawnfourx, spawnfoury, spawnfourz), Quaternion.identity);
32.             yield return StartCoroutine(wait());
33.         }
34.         else if (i == 5)
35.         {
36.             Instantiate(zombie, new Vector3(spawnfivex, spawnfivey, spawnfivez), Quaternion.identity);
37.             yield return StartCoroutine(wait());
38.         }
39.         yield return StartCoroutine(wait());
40.     }  
41.  
42.     IEnumerator wait()
43.     {
44.         Debug.Log("started wait");
45.         yield return new WaitForSeconds(2.5f);
46.         Debug.Log("finsihed wait");
47.     }

i have tried many things and searched but whatever I try the zombies always seem to spawn every time the coroutine is called instead of every 2.5 seconds which is what I want (ignore the really bad code there are many better ways to do this I'm just bad if there is a easy way to do so feel free to correct it).

 

You're instantiating the zombie BEFORE you wait. So of course the zombie is spawned instantly. Do it in the reverse order. Wait THEN Instantiate.

Also i'm unsure why you need to wait at the end of the coroutine? That won't do anything really.

 

Slow down here. You're starting a fresh coroutine every frame (60 frames per second).

Take a moment and review how coroutines work before you start trying to chain them all together.

Start simple with a coroutine that:

waits
spawns
waits
spawns

Then see how that works.

 

You yield after Instantiating. So of course it is instantiating right when you start the coroutine. It is instantiating an object, then waiting, then waiting again at the bottom of the coroutine.
That's what you told it to do

 

I think my brain automatically replaced Update with Start! Yeah this is bad!

 

In other related news, are you aware you can make Start() into a coroutine "for free?"

Code (csharp):

1. IEnumerator Start()
2. {
3.   yield return new WaitForSeconds(2.0f);
4.   Debug.Log( "Yabo!");
5. }

It will however stop running permanently if you ever disable the GameObject it is located on, so beware.

 

thanks a lot i just tested it and it waits for the first spawn but once one is spawned it no longer waits.

 

ah ok ill give this ago thanks a lot for the help

 

got it working now thanks a lot, i do see now why it wasn't working before.

 

Excellent! Coroutines are two main things:

- amazingly easy and awesome ways to do stuff over time

- extremely easy to confuse yourself with

I will mark your character sheet down as having reached Level 2 in Coroutine Skill.