Recently, I saw the Star Wars movies episodes 1 through 3. The battle sequences reminded me of the Star Wars video game, so I tried to achieve the same tank-driving functionality seen in it. It flopped. Here's what I tried to do:

The tanks in Star Wars hover above the ground, giving them an all-terrain driving technique. I thought I could get the same effect by doing such:

1. Most importantly, I need some detection method that can "feel" when the front, back, left or right sides of the tank encounter an incline, and tilt  the tank accordingly.
2. A method that supplies momentum, so that the movement is more realistic.

The momentum is not very high on my agenda. The real problem is the "incline sensors". I tried a point3D, but I can't position it relative to the tank/ship. Same goes for a Model3D. How might I reach my goal? How can I position a point/model relative to the ship? Thanks.

you might try ship.translatePoint(0,0,0)  this creates a point3d that is relative to the model3D.  TranslatePoint(0,0,0)  the three values are x,y,z, you put how far away you want the object in those parameters. 

for instance

define shipFrontBumper  as point3d

define shipRightBumper as point3d

define shipLeftBumper as point3d

define shipRearBumper as point3d

define frontBumper as model3d

define rightBumper as model3d

define leftBumper as model3d

define rearBumper as model3d

define gameOver as boolean = false

 

while gameOver = false

    shipFrontBumper = ship.translatePoint(0,0,5) will create a point 5 in front of the ship.

    shipRightBumper = ship.translatePoint(5,0,0) will create a point 5 to the ships right.

    shipLeftBumper = ship.translatePoint(-5,0,0) will create a point 5 to the ships left.

    shipRearBumper = ship.translaetPoint(0,0,-5) will create a point 5 behind ship.

 

     frontBumper.location = shipFrontBumper.location

    rightBumper.location = shipRightBumper.location

    leftBumper.location = shipLeftBumper.location

    rearBumper.location = shipRearBumper.location

 

end while

 

momentum will be more difficult(for me anyway) as it has to do with physics, you might try looking at SpringyThingy.kpl under the physics section in math programs.  This is a very complex program so good luck, but i think it has what your looking for, when ever the balls in the program break from the frame the continue with their own momentum.
 

 

 

Thank you so much! I thought there was some method that would do that, but I couldn't find it. You saved my day!

your welcome, thats what forums are for, if you get a momentum class or method working please post it so we can see an example of what you have, because i would really like to see a simpler example than SpringyThingy.kpl. 

Here is the code I have so far. The collisions are not working properly:

 

 Program HoverShip
   
     Define ground As Model3D
    Define ship As Model3D
    Define cam As Camera
    Define sky As Skybox3D
   
    Define front As point3D
    Define left As point3D
    Define back As point3D
    Define right As point3D
    Define mid As Point3D
   
    Define f As Model3D
    Define l As Model3D
    Define b As Model3D
    Define r As Model3D
    Define m As Model3D
   
    Define loopy As Boolean = True
    Define speed As Decimal = 0.5
   
    Define ramp As Model3D
   
    Method Main()
   
        maximize()
        switchTo3D()

        LoadAll()
       
        While Not iskeydown( escape )
            cam.PointAtModel( ship )
            cam.Follow( ship, 5, 2 )
           
            drive()
            adjustShip()
            If mouse.MouseWheel > 0 Then
                cam.Forward( mouse.MouseWheel )
            Else If mouse.MouseWheel < 0 Then
                cam.Back( 1 )
            End If
            renderframe()
        End While
       
    End Method
   
    Method LoadAll()
       
        cam.MoveTo( 50,50,50 )
        cam.PointAt( 0,0,0 )
       
        ground.LoadMesh( "face2h.x" )
        ground.static = True
        ground.Scale( 50, 00, 50 )
       
        ship.LoadMesh( "fighter.x" )
        ship.MoveTo( 0, 3, 0 )
        ship.Scale( .1,.1,.1 )
       
        f.LoadMesh( "sphere.x" )
        b.LoadMesh( "sphere.x" )
        r.LoadMesh( "sphere.x" )
        l.LoadMesh( "sphere.x" )
        m.LoadMesh( "sphere.x" )
       
        //f.Scale( .2,.2,.2 )
        //b.Scale( .2,.2,.2 )
        //r.Scale( .2,.2,.2 )
        //l.Scale( .2,.2,.2 )
        //m.Scale( .2,.2,.2 )
       
        f.AddCategory( "1" )
        b.AddCategory( "2" )
        r.AddCategory("3")
        l.AddCategory("4")
        m.AddCategory("5")
       
        ramp.LoadMesh( "face2h.x" )
        ramp.Scale( 20,5,20 )
        ramp.MoveTo( 30, 2, 0 )
        ramp.TiltUp( 3 )
        ramp.EnableCollisions( "1" )
        ramp.Static = True
        ramp.AddCategory( "obstacle" )
       
        sky.LoadMesh( "skybox10.x" )
       
        f.EnableCollisions( "obstacle" )
       
    End Method
   
    Method Drive()
       
        front = ship.translatePoint(0, -10, 30 )
        back = ship.translatePoint(0, -10, -15 )
        right = ship.translatePoint(20, -10, 0 )
        left = ship.translatePoint(-20, -10, 0 )
        mid = ship.TranslatePoint(0, -11, 0 )
       
        f.Location = front
        b.Location = back
        r.Location = right
        l.Location = left
        m.Location = mid
       
        If iskeydown("up") Then
            ship.Forward( speed )
        End If
       
        If iskeydown("down") Then
            ship.Back( speed )
        End If
       
        If iskeydown("Right") Then
           
            ship.TurnRight( speed / 10 )
        End If
       
        If iskeydown("left") Then
           
            ship.TurnLeft( speed / 10 )
        End If
       
        If iskeydown(space) Then
           
        End If
       
        If iskeydown(shift) Then
            speed = speed + .2
        End If
       
    End Method
   
    Method AdjustShip()
        If f.HasCollision( ramp ) Then
            ship.TiltUp( 100 )
            ship.Back( speed )
        End If
    End Method
   
End Program

 

 

Here is the code I have so far. The collisions are not working properly:

 

 Program HoverShip
   
     Define ground As Model3D
    Define ship As Model3D
    Define cam As Camera
    Define sky As Skybox3D
   
    Define front As point3D
    Define left As point3D
    Define back As point3D
    Define right As point3D
    Define mid As Point3D
   
    Define f As Model3D
    Define l As Model3D
    Define b As Model3D
    Define r As Model3D
    Define m As Model3D
   
    Define loopy As Boolean = True
    Define speed As Decimal = 0.5
   
    Define ramp As Model3D
   
    Method Main()
   
        maximize()
        switchTo3D()

        LoadAll()
       
        While Not iskeydown( escape )
            cam.PointAtModel( ship )
            cam.Follow( ship, 5, 2 )
           
            drive()
            adjustShip()
            If mouse.MouseWheel > 0 Then
                cam.Forward( mouse.MouseWheel )
            Else If mouse.MouseWheel < 0 Then
                cam.Back( 1 )
            End If
            renderframe()
        End While
       
    End Method
   
    Method LoadAll()
       
        cam.MoveTo( 50,50,50 )
        cam.PointAt( 0,0,0 )
       
        ground.LoadMesh( "face2h.x" )
        ground.static = True
        ground.Scale( 50, 00, 50 )
       
        ship.LoadMesh( "fighter.x" )
        ship.MoveTo( 0, 3, 0 )
        ship.Scale( .1,.1,.1 )
       
        f.LoadMesh( "sphere.x" )
        b.LoadMesh( "sphere.x" )
        r.LoadMesh( "sphere.x" )
        l.LoadMesh( "sphere.x" )
        m.LoadMesh( "sphere.x" )
       
        //f.Scale( .2,.2,.2 )
        //b.Scale( .2,.2,.2 )
        //r.Scale( .2,.2,.2 )
        //l.Scale( .2,.2,.2 )
        //m.Scale( .2,.2,.2 )
       
        f.AddCategory( "1" )
        b.AddCategory( "2" )
        r.AddCategory("3")
        l.AddCategory("4")
        m.AddCategory("5")
       
        ramp.LoadMesh( "face2h.x" )
        ramp.Scale( 20,5,20 )
        ramp.MoveTo( 30, 2, 0 )
        ramp.TiltUp( 3 )
        ramp.EnableCollisions( "1" )
        ramp.Static = True
        ramp.AddCategory( "obstacle" )
       
        sky.LoadMesh( "skybox10.x" )
       
        f.EnableCollisions( "obstacle" )
       
    End Method
   
    Method Drive()
       
        front = ship.translatePoint(0, -10, 30 )
        back = ship.translatePoint(0, -10, -15 )
        right = ship.translatePoint(20, -10, 0 )
        left = ship.translatePoint(-20, -10, 0 )
        mid = ship.TranslatePoint(0, -11, 0 )
       
        f.Location = front
        b.Location = back
        r.Location = right
        l.Location = left
        m.Location = mid
       
        If iskeydown("up") Then
            ship.Forward( speed )
        End If
       
        If iskeydown("down") Then
            ship.Back( speed )
        End If
       
        If iskeydown("Right") Then
           
            ship.TurnRight( speed / 10 )
        End If
       
        If iskeydown("left") Then
           
            ship.TurnLeft( speed / 10 )
        End If
       
        If iskeydown(space) Then
           
        End If
       
        If iskeydown(shift) Then
            speed = speed + .2
        End If
       
    End Method
   
    Method AdjustShip()
        If f.HasCollision( ramp ) Then
            ship.TiltUp( 100 )
            ship.Back( speed )
        End If
    End Method
   
End Program

 

 

I downloaded this and am working on a solution(not that I'm an expert, but I do have some time).

One thing that I noticed right off the bat is your method Adjustship().

you have

if f.HasCollision(ramp) then

    ship.tiltUp(100)

    ship.Back(speed)

end if

the problem is that once you get to the ramp you will have a collision every cycle of the main game loop so the ship will tilt up 100 every loop.

******** suggestion  ****

create a boolean

define collide as boolean = false

if ship.HasCollision(ramp) then

    collide = true

end if

if collide = true

    ship.tiltUp(100)

end if

this will have the ship tilt up once, im not sure if you want the ship to tilt at the same angle as the ramp.

 

Have you downloaded DriveMyShip yet?  It might be a handy example - in it, the 3D ships "bounce" back up when they hit the "ground."

Yes, and I've made another 3D program and the collisions worked fine. I think I used a while loop to move the ship toward an object as long as the ship is not touching it. This created a sort of gravity. But somehow I cannot duplicate the collision handling.

strange, i replaced the f.hasCollisions( ramp ) with ship.hasCollisions( ramp )( and made the proper changes) - the ship works exactly how it is supposed to? I will try to look further into it.

what's face 2H?

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sorry: duplicate post

 

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hylaminer7729:

what's face 2H?

 It's a basic 3D plane(flat surface). I have no idea why it's called Face2H.
 

well, you should use ground.x, the one with the old BZphrog.

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I have come up with a solution for you momentum problem.  If you have not already addressed it.

Pseudocode -

maxSpeed = 10.00;  minSpeed = 0.00;

     while acceleration key is down and speed < max speed, speed *= 1.1

     if speed = max speed, speed = max speed

    if acceleration key is not down and speed > min speed, speed *= .95

    if speed = min speed, speed = min speed

end while

basically - your speed starts out at zero, you press on the accleration and build up speed by 10 percent until you reach max speed.  Once you let go of the acceleration you speed will slowly decline by 5 percent.  All the values in this pseudocode may be changed, they are just examples.  I'm not sure if phrogram uses integer values or decimal values for it's .forward method( which is what I assume your using for movement) if it does not uses decimal values it may present a problem.  I will be interested to see if this code is helpful, I am going to try and implement it into my own game as well.