The more astute of you will notice it only has one track - if I can rig one, I can rig as many as I like, so I will not add the other until I am happy with this one, I think I should add more wheels to make it more realistic. Here it is on a rise:
Again I am only using AN and some Clockwork Magic, I can’t get Physics to do this by the way, let me know if I should continue in this thread, or not. No comment = “No Clockmender, go play somewhere else…”
Cheers, Clock.
PS. Compute time for the latest node tree is 0.15ms - not bad and far faster than Physics on my MacBook.
PPS. I have also stated using a plane only for the tank tracks, then done a “Dupliface Parent” for the pads. so they don’t distort on the wheels, like @Estajxo suggested.
I find your enthusiasm really enjoyable! I will probably not use any suspensions on my tank, so I am following this a little less than before. Actually, I have simplified my scene already a bit to make do with what is working the way I want.
Anyway, if you open another thread for your tank endeavours, please leave the link to it here; I will be sure to follow your progress!
I have no doubt that in the end your tank will be steered by your funny robot, just like your train.
OK, development has been on-going, I completely rebuilt the project from scratch (you can by that in the “Scratch” shops), with a new node and a better setup so the tank can tilt over humps, etc and the wheels stay put on the ground up to a maximum amount, then they break free as would be the case in real life. Here is the Video:
I also found the nice List Sort Node - very useful. I have only done one track for now, I believe I explained why earlier, but as I have also defied gravity, the tank does not fall over… :eek:
I made a new node to keep the tracks on the ground, or separate them from it, if the suspension travel is exceeded. It’s quite simple, but saves a number of complex Expression Nodes, or a Script Node. I am using Empties for controls at the moment, but may change this to a single Armature in the next phase. I then want to combine both this and the other track movement system I developed, into one overall system. I had a lot of fun playing with curve vertex normals and making sure that if the tank rotates on its longitudinal axis, the tracks do not distort. :yes:
It looks interesting, though I am not sure at which point the wheels actually leave the ground (except for that short moment over the gap?).
But it seems to be that sometimes the treads are standing still? Or is that just the matter of images taken per second at the right/wrong moments, so that they appear to be standing still?
This includes the tank “rolling” function to roll the tank about its longitudinal axis, if one side’s wheels are higher on average than the other. :eyebrowlift:
This is easier to control than the previous method and easier to implement, now I must add in the drive functions for going around corners, so add in the rig & nodes from “My Little Tank”. :spin:
You, my good sir, are the most passionate rigger that I know of (and the only one I know besides myself)!
It is starting to look quite professional with those arms at each wheel, though that might be an unreliable criterion.
So with each iteration your setup is both more capable and easier to use. I like that direction! :eyebrowlift2:
Shooting from it’s little hollow in the ground - I saw the British Army Tank Corps doing this with a Challenger on Salisbury Plain once at a live fire event. :eyebrowlift:
Next I am experimenting with switching from one path curve to another, so the scenario is:
Tank follows one path curve into the firing hollow (there must be a proper word for this).
Tank climbs out in reverse.
Tank spins on its axis though 120 degrees.
Tank goes off on another path curve somewhere else.
I will report once I have some progress, I am please the “hill” thing is all working as it should. :yes:
Cheers, Clock.
PS. The only thing I have animated myself is the start and end keyframes for the “Fixer” object that determines where the tank moves from and to. Yes, and I keyframed some movements of the camera and gun target - this uses an IK chain to keep the gun pointed at the target. The camera has a Track To to the tank and I keyframed some adjustments to the Focal Length.
You can see the two paths, the origin of the next one MUST be exactly at the location where the tank switches from one to t’other - I just keyframed the “eye” icons for the Curve Mods over one frame.
