You mean like: (pseudo-code) if (inRange(hero)) { int dx = hero.x - this.x, dy = hero.y - this.y; boolean useX = dx^2 > dy^2; // determines which direction is farther int velocity =(useX) ? ((dx > 0) ? 1 : -1) : ((dy > 0) ? 1 : -1); // sets right/down (1) or left/up (-1) move((useX) ? velocity : 0, (useX) ? 0 : velocity); // moves in the determined direction } The use of conditions within these statements avoid a lot of variable setting and if statements. Example (in the last statement): (useX) ? velocity : 0 'useX' returns a true/false value; if 'true', the first value after the question mark is used (velocity); if 'false', the other value is used (0).