This is to document the system used in the video shown below, where I revealed the first ever completely controlled full-range motion flight controls. Now, just about any object can be outfitted with the right components to make it fly around any map! Make your own custom ships and cinematic sequences! The final scene in this video is intended to showcase what you can do with some careful programming of a cinematic sequence. Note: This is not necessarily a new smooth motion technique, but a carefully constructed blending of smooth linear motion, the "nudge" rotation method by @RPG3000 (aka rpgallagher) as seen in "Chronosphere" by @CaptainDireWolf , and several physical properties, to make them complement each other. First: A recap of Smooth linear motion (foundational) Object chases a target by repeating a Move To command This Move To Command has very fast repeat (usually .05) and a very long completion time (usually 1.0) By instructing the Target object (affectionately called a "rabbit") to move to several waypoints, it can appear as though the chasing object is smoothly accelerating and braking. Introduces an unavoidable delay in the Chase object's movement. Can be compensated for in most cases or fine-tuned. (Full tutorial) How The "Pelican Mark I" Prefab Works Prefab Part 1 - Ship. Set to normal physics after placing inside Part 2 Cages. Prefab Part 2 - Cages, target, control nodes. Ungroup. You can use this system to attempt to make any object/welded group fly, probably within certain limits. Study how the Pelican was engineered, and you'll probably be able to build your own machines, and possibly improve upon this design! In short, a welded group, including a ship of some kind, are set inside two Joint HInge Cages that act as a central axis for controlling Roll. All of the welded group's pieces minus the ship itself, and two control nodes are instructed to follow the Target "rabbit" at different offsets. Some in front, some to the side, and some on the interior of the ship. By instructing the Target to rotate, the offset positions automatically move, and therefore, the nodes must move as well. Because they use different offsets, they will cause the nose of the ship to move. Roll is achieved by the nudge method, where the chasing offsetting control nodes push down on the control surfaces of the wings, and cause the ship to roll. Maneuvers are remotely programed and a full control system for remote control is still in development. A list of components (Click on "Why" to learn more) ALL Normal Physics pieces are welded into the same group with the ship. The rest are Phased physics. (Note - boundary on A is for visual demonstration purposes. Disable). Obect (H), the internal pivot node, is the welded group's Parent. A - Chase Target "Rabbit" [Phased]- Joint Spherical (Advanced) Label = Victor Spoiler: Why? For smoothly following at various offsets. For receiving flight instructions. Advanced Spherical Joints are preferred in this case because they do not interact with anything when phased. B - Forward Chase Node [Normal] - Joint Spherical (Advanced) Label = Whiskey, SPawn Order = 64. Spoiler: Why? Welded with ship, it drags the ship as it chases the target. Movements other than forward/backward will cause nose to pivot around central pivot node. When sett to Normal physics, it interacts only with its cage. C - Forward Node Cage [Phased] - Joint Cage (Advanced) Label = Whiskey, SPawn Order = 64 Spoiler: Why? Follows target at same offset and instructed by same script so that cage and ball always move together. Phased because changes in orientation are not needed, and avoids more collisions/complexity. NOTE: This piece can be doubled up and rotated so that no open space is showing. This double-cage is in place on the "Mark 1". D - Port Control Node [Phased] - Joint Spherical (Simple) Label = Whiskey, Spawn Order = 63 Spoiler: Why? This is part of the "nudge" rotation technique. Simple ball joint will interact properly with the control surface. E - Starboard Control Node [Phased] - Joint Spherical (Simple) Label = Whiskey, Spawn Order = 62 Spoiler: Why? This is part of the "nudge" rotation technique. Simple ball joint will interact properly with the control surface. F - Port Control Surface [Normal] - Invisible Blocker (Vehicle) Spoiler: Why? Control surface for control node to press on in the "nudge" method, used primarily for roll, but also for overall stability. Must be a vehicle blocker because is okay to weld inside other Normal objects, but when set to Normal itself, is able to be nudged by the Simple Joint Ball. Side-effect, Spartans can also interact with them ... WHY SUCH A LARGE SURFACE? > because there is a shrinking effect of the circle that the red/green balls make in the air as they roll in pursuit of the offsets which themselves are changing position. This causes them to slide across the flying object, and so the control surface must be large enough to allow for variations in positioning. Test your craft for best precise setup! G - Starboard Control Surface [Normal] - Invisible Blocker (Vehicle) Spoiler: Why? Control surface for control node to press on in the "nudge" method, used primarily for roll, but also for overall stability. Must be a vehicle blocker because is okay to weld inside other Normal objects, but when set to Normal itself, is able to be nudged by the Simple Joint Ball. Side-effect, Spartans can also interact with them ... WHY SUCH A LARGE SURFACE? > because there is a shrinking effect of the circle that the red/green balls make in the air as they roll in pursuit of the offsets which themselves are changing position. This causes them to slide across the flying object, and so the control surface must be large enough to allow for variations in positioning. Test your craft for best precise setup! H - Internal Pivot Node [Normal]- Joint Spherical (Advanced), Label = Whiskey, SPawn Order = 60 Spoiler: Why? This is the point that serves as the pivot/fulcrum for all rotation of the ship. As the Fwd Chase Node moves, it moves around this point, which also follows the Target at its own offset. Sits just behind and below the Center of Mass for the ship, so that pivoting can work properly. I - Internal Pivot Node Cage [Phased] - Joint Cage (Advanced) Label = Whiskey, SPawn Order = 60 Spoiler: Why? Because it shares the same Spawn Order and label as the Internal Pivot Node, it should always stay with that node, preventing "pop-out". Experiment with rotating or doubling this cage for more pop-out stability if needed. Script 1 - Movement script for Forward Chase Node & Cage(s) Spoiler: Show Script 1 - Object (the ones we are moving) Spoiler: Show Script 1 - Target (This) Spoiler: Show Script 2 - Movement script for Internal Pivot Node & Cage(s) Spoiler: Show Script 3 - Movement Script for Port Control Node Spoiler: Show Use brains to program instructions for the Target piece. This can be as simple or complex as you desire. Advanced timing of several movement scripts will give you smooth transitions and natural looking sequences. IMPORTANT NOTE: Rotation in Halo 5 is World-based only, as there is no "local" checkbox like there is for linear movement. This is unfortunate, as what is a roll on one axis, becomes pitch on another axis. Yaw is always Yaw, however. Thus, be mindful of which direction your ship is facing when you give it a roll or pitch instruction, and compensate. Complex maneuvers one weird world angles may be extremely difficult to program! I am searching for a better solution for this... Movement script telling the Target "Rabbit" to repeatedly move a large number of units, but take longer to complete, and interrupting. This provides a somewhat smooth start to the movement of the rabbit and provides a perpetual forward motion for the craft. Spoiler: Show Script which will pitch the craft and yaw simultaneously. Spoiler: Show Script for a full roll. Note, two 180 deg roll commands are strung together. Spoiler: Show
I honestly don't care about scripting myself but thanks for all the effort you put in your smooth flying projects. I'm sure a lot of people can appreciate what you do. Keep it up.
Thanks, Just think of scripting as another layer of Aesthetics, and you'll understand how it could be used on some of your stuff.
The links you provided take me to your Forge Groups but there is no Ship or Cage. There's just a Smooth Auto-Lift. Your prefabs might not be set to Visible, could you fix this?
This really cool and I'm going to test this out though one thing first: With the Phantom Prop, how necessary are the invis vehicle blockers to the functions of the red and green nodes on the craft?
very important. You'll need them to extrude out of the sides of the phantom, unfortunately. However, if you make the control surfaces smaller than the ones I used, it could work if you limit the speed of your rolls especially.