Answered Detach root node for objects? Not persons. (Thread is now a CUA journey)

[TRSD]

I'm animating a CUA hurricane lantern in my scene. Using a ISTube to give it physics and collision around the metal body. But I'd like to move the root node to the handle above the body, so it pivots around from gravity correctly.
It looks like it should be possible, as the option "detachControl" is revealed under available triggers. But it doesn't do anything.

The end goal is to then parent the position of the node to the hand of a person, saving a whole lot of time trying to animate decent looking physics in TimeLine.

I've tried messing around with creating a pivot point with an empty atom, but that takes up the parenting slot I need for the hand. Or if parenting the tube to the empty atom; sending things flying.

 

[atani]

Timeline has parenting per animation, this should help out changing it whenever you need to:

Parenting

Advanced and intuitive keyframe animations for Virt-A-Mate - acidbubbles/vam-timeline

github.com

 

[TRSD]

Below is an example of experimenting with creating a pivot/handle point.

The problem is the pivot/control of the ISTube being in the center. If it could be detached and placed above, I imagine the physics would be applied accordingly. But I don't know. I might have animate it swaying by hand.

 

[atani]

I really have no idea. Perhaps @Matt Richard who's used to CUAs might know.

 

[Matt_]

If you have this in unity use a hinge joint between the handle and lantern base. Move the assemble to match up the pivot point in unity ( usually put a sphere at 0,0,0 in unity) if you have the model send it to me and ill see what i can do. Look at my resources, i did some stuff where it has a handle a pivots off it

 

[TRSD]

I can't access your profile to find your resources. I like what I'm hearing.

I don't have the model, but I'm using this: https://hub.virtamate.com/resources/lantern-free-content.4555/
And the source must be this: https://polyhaven.com/a/Lantern_01

I'll give it a go in Unity. Your clues are helpful as I have only the most basic experience exporting Unity assets. But if I get nowhere further help will be appreciated thanks.

 

[Matt_]

Ill try and find a lantern that is shareable and try it also

 

[CheersMate]

Have you tried using a cone atom? The center of mass/rotation there are different so you may get the swinging effect you want.
Cascade them lantern -> cylinder (for collision) -> cone (for mass) -> hand (animation)

 

[TRSD]

Damn, a whole washing machine huh.

Yeah the cone was actually the first I tried, but to make the collision on the sides look right I had to make it so tall it would collide with the hand. But I haven't tried the combo you got. Looks promising, gonna go try that as it's easier than launching Unity.


EDIT: This works great. It might be a problem that Y rotation is unlocked though. Something I hadn't thought off. A better unity asset may be the cleaner solution. Nonetheless I'm gonna run some tests with my animation with this.

EDIT2: The Y rotation is there, but it's not super obvious. The wiggling looks great! Love the dance of light and shadow it's creating, without a ton of work from me.

 

[Matt_]

This is a lantern with physics and a hinge joint in VAM

 

[Matt_]

This is in Unity

 

[Matt_]

Added a point light

 

[CheersMate]

Added a point light

View attachment 201145

Nice! I gotta learn Unity

 

[Matt_]

I just posted it to the hub if you want to check it out

 

[TRSD]

Nice work!

The hack with multiple shapes was like a stack of cards, and it fell multiple times while I was trying to work it into my animation. I wasn't even aware CUA's could get so advanced. Clear that I also need to learn more Unity.

 

[Matt_]

Realize i also used blender to 1. Break the model into handle and base (separate models original was one model) 2. Add a material for the glass light (original was one material) .

 

[TRSD]

Yeah I'm giving it all a quick look in Unity and Blender with a model I found. Looks doable. Got something to work on when I return home later.

 

[TRSD]

I'm so close, but can't get the physics right after an hour of messing around. It's moving in molasses.

Adding colliders helped but not there yet.

 

[Matt_]

it looks like you put the hinge on the wrong part...

 

[Matt_]

post your screenshots of unity inspector for the handle and base

 

[Matt_]

 

[Matt_]

Heres a good guide

 

[TRSD]

I mostly got it now. My problem was I had a third body in play for the glass in order to make it transparent. But fix jointing it to the base only caused physics issues, plus it got that classic CUA delay when moving fast.
Without it it works.

edit: I now know what to do about the glass too.

 

[Matt_]

What's it look like in VAM

 

[TRSD]

Not great. Need to create a proper alpha texture for the glass. And the physics are still floaty; they take forever to settle.