Is it possible to billboard an animated object?

Game Engine Game Engine Support and Discussion
1

I’m trying to implement a crude explosion effect in my game. I have a flare texture on a plane, which is animated to expand rapidly fade fade. It tracks the camera using a Locked Track constraint. The Z axis is locked to keep the flare perpendicular to the ground (because, if it tips, a gap will be left below it).

The flare is on a hidden layer. It tracks the camera properly if I grab it and move it around. When I play the animation, however, it immediately stops tracking and goes to the orientation it was in when I animated it!

In the game itself, there is an additional problem in that the explosion inherits its orientation from a tumbling grenade. I can force it upright in Python, but I’m concerned that this might also prevent the tracking constraint from working.

Is it possible to camera-track an animated, forced-upright object?

2

You can switch on Billboard at the material.

3

yeah,

just have it invisible on frame 1

always---------and----------track to target (2d)
delay 1--------and-------visible

Side note, you will not be able to animate rotation this way,

To animate rot, parent the item to a object, have that track to instead, and play your action as the child object.

4

Why don’t you try and see. It’s quicker than posting a thread and waiting for an answer.
Yes, you can.

5

Thanks Monster, that worked!

I didn’t know that option existed.