Cannot subclass MG::Sprite using normal Ruby initializer

[andrewhavens]

In trying to subclass MG::Sprite I discovered that it is possible to subclass MG::Sprite. However, the technique is not intuitive. In order to subclass MG::Sprite you have to define a self.new method instead of the typical initialize method:

class Character < MG::Sprite
  # this works, but is not like Ruby
  def self.new(filename = "default.png")
    puts "Executing Character.new"
    instance = super
    instance.attach_physics_box
    instance.dynamic = false
    instance.scale = 2
    instance
  end

  # this is the approach that I would expect, but it does not get called
  def initialize(filename = "default.png")
    puts "Executing Character#initialize" # does not get called
    super
    attach_physics_box
    self.dynamic = false
    self.scale = 2
  end
end