United3dArtists Archive

BNG · Post by **BNG** » 28 Aug 2013, 14:46

I was playing around with the path library and adding an object to animate along a ovular typical military tank like tracked path, but I've only been able to use a single object rather then an entire array of tank like track pads. Is it possible to animate the entire array to make the array of objects move together along a common path?

Emmanuel · Post by **Emmanuel** » 29 Aug 2013, 13:11

BNG wrote:Is it possible to animate the entire array to make the array of objects move together along a common path?

You can't animate an array of objects moving along the common path. This is a feature I miss a LOT by the way.

A workaround is to create one object and an animation path for it.
Set the loop option for the animation.
Next, copy that object, and in the KFE move the animation of that new object along the time line, to make it start a bit later.
Do that again and again until your path is full of objects.
Start your animation at a frame where your path has all its objects in the loop.

I dream of a plugin that would automate that :

1- Create the object and path,
2- load the plugin with a simple interface to :
- select the object to animate,
- enter the number of copies to generate
- set the frames delay between each animation
- RUN !

Is there still some plugin maker around, reading this message ?

BNG · Post by **BNG** » 30 Aug 2013, 11:24

Bummer? I was watching some UTube videos from other modeling software like Maya, MAX, and Blender and this kind of stuff is done using constraints and controller scripts which Caligari software seems to lack support for sadly. It's a shame that Python, VB, and Jscript in TS can't do the same thing or can it? Maybe someone could give some general pointers for writing these kinds of scripts at some point in the future. Python, looks promising as it supports the older TS UI layout. Does anyone know if the workspace side of TS can work with Python; the modelside has some support though, but very little information exists from my many searches to learn Python for TS? Thanks, Leroy.

BNG · Post by **BNG** » 31 Aug 2013, 16:10

Don't know much about this TS plugin, but ChromeDragon ask about doing something similar a while back on AW Portal that pointed to an old site that no longer exists, but I did a search on the Wayback Machine and found 2 plugins; one for TS 4.3 and another for TS 5/6. I got em both to test out and here's the link if anyone else has some use for them. Leroy http://wayback.archive.org/web/20071006 ... opyex.html"

Emmanuel · Post by **Emmanuel** » 31 Aug 2013, 19:21

CopyEx is a must-have plugin for creating arrays of objects. I am using it all the day.

But you can't animate with it.

DesignDevil · Post by **DesignDevil** » 31 Aug 2013, 22:33

There was a old Plugin named "vcTek" which was included in the aniPAK.

From the readme:

With vcTek you can design, build and fully animate wheeled and tracked
vehicles as well as machinery like chain and belt drives, gearboxes,
etc. Comes with free sample tanks, trucks and other models.

vcTek is an accurate engineering and animation plug-in for Caligari trueSpace. vcTek allows you to design, construct and animate complex machines and vehicles. vcTek comes with a wide range of free sample models that can be built and animated with just a few mouse clicks. vcTek vehicles can be driven in straight lines or around curves with all wheels and tracks automatically turning.

But i never see any animation created with that and i am not sure if it is possible to get it because it was a commercial plugin from http://www.virtualcaledonia.com" (site seems to be dead). I'm also not sure if it runs on never trueSpace version (was made until tS v5.0) and if there is a password needed. I never tested this.

In other words ... there was a plugin ... that's all i know so far.

BNG · Post by **BNG** » 01 Sep 2013, 11:20

Thanks guys, I think I tried the VCTEK link, but like Draise said it's no longer available. I did find one way to do it in Anim8or 3D using a couple of ASL scripts. Here's the link for any other peeps that need a solution> http://www.tranceportsoftware.com/anim8orstuff/" I'll give that a whirl and see if it can work some how with Truespace; it still has to be converted from an Anim8or format to something that TS can handle. I'll post an update if I discover something of value for TS modders. Leroy.

Update: Both the Truespace and Anim8or methods work for constructing tank track array's, both do animation of the completed track assembly, however, only the Truespace method can construct the entire vehicle. The blueprint scripts are a bit complicated, but making the kits themselves is as easy as grouping TS objects in a Hierarchal tree and saving it as a COB object in the right folder in the Vctek plugin folder.

Emmanuel · Post by **Emmanuel** » 02 Sep 2013, 10:46

I tried to get in touch with Virtual Caledonia to ask if he would share the plugin with us, but got no response.
The website is down ; vcTek is not available for purchase since several years now and obviously there is no support for it. It is a kind of abandonware...
So, here is the plugin in its version 2.

It is a rather complicated tool though.

Let's try to animate something Leroy, and if you succeed, please bring a tutorial of your work !

stan · Post by **stan** » 02 Sep 2013, 13:35

here's the sherman tank that came with it..

Jimmer · Post by **Jimmer** » 03 Sep 2013, 12:30

vcTek Did work with ts6.6. I had tried the demo set-up and a few
simple ones I had made. It seemed to work OK. You will want the
HELP files with it... If I remember, it came with LOTS of "demo"parts and set-ups to use !!!

BNG · Post by **BNG** » 03 Sep 2013, 21:16

Wow! It looks like the plugin can do way more then just animate tank tracks. Any one can also use it for complex machinery assemblies, wheeled vehicles and entire models using the kits that can be created with VcTek. Thanks for posting the file. I plan on experimenting with the sample files and attempt to make a new tank model as I slowly decipher all the tools themselves. It seems to load okay in the modelside of TS and hopefully I can figure it all out. Over joyed by it all Leroy!

BNG · Post by **BNG** » 05 Sep 2013, 00:57

The plugin seems to work ok. At first I was having some problems with the build portion as the plugin would begin building and then oddly cease to finish the task; I had to close TS because it stopped responding altogether. I finally disabled my anti virus software Avast and retried the Tank I blueprint script and TS was able to complete the build task; dang those anti virus programs. Leroy. PS: Thanks for posting the plugin for us air heads.

BNG · Post by **BNG** » 05 Sep 2013, 15:54

stan wrote:here's the sherman tank that came with it..

The DL is somehow not working as when I DL'ed it the file was a PHP file type rather then RAR? Update: I had to remove and reinstall Free Download manager and the RAR dowloaded just fine; FDM can also extract the file as well. Thanks for uploding the file Stan. Leroy.

stan · Post by **stan** » 06 Sep 2013, 01:49

I can only say I just tested the dl and it was as it should be, the tank.exe in a .rar file . best try again..

BNG · Post by **BNG** » 09 Sep 2013, 07:18

stan wrote:I can only say I just tested the dl and it was as it should be, the tank.exe in a .rar file . best try again..

Thanks Stan, once I bypassed my DL manager FDM and used the Windows default the file DL'ed ok. Had to DL a free RAR extractor called Extract Frog; which works just fine. Leroy.

Emmanuel · Post by **Emmanuel** » 26 Oct 2013, 17:35

I just watched your video. Great job Horsy ! And welcome on the forum.
Will you make a step by step tutorial on how you managed to use the plugin for your Abrams animation ?
(even in French... I will to the translation for the community if it helps

United3dArtists Archive

Is it possible to animate tank track assembly?

Is it possible to animate tank track assembly?

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Re: Is it possible to animate tank track assembly?

Re: Is it possible to animate tank track assembly?

Re: Is it possible to animate tank track assembly?

Re: Is it possible to animate tank track assembly?

Re: Is it possible to animate tank track assembly?

Re: Is it possible to animate tank track assembly?

Re: Is it possible to animate tank track assembly?

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Re: Is it possible to animate tank track assembly?

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