Question How to implement changes in scene variables over time?

[eb123]

Hello,

I tried to find a guide and implement it myself, but I couldn't, can you help please?

I want to implement this logic (an abstract example so as not to be tied to specific plugins and variables):

I want to write two triggers:

Trigger 1 - the task starts within 10 seconds.

The variable plugin1.value1 changes linearly from 0 to 1 within 10 seconds
The variable plugin1.value2 changes along a curve from 0 to 1 within 10 seconds
The variable plugin2.value3 changes linearly from 0 to 1 5 seconds after the start for 5 seconds
At the seventh second, the plugin3.value4 variable simply changes its value from 5 to 6 (with custom if logic)

Trigger 2 - cancel task (all pending actions must be canceled)


Example Image:

I can write it in Kotlin roughly like this:

import kotlinx.coroutines.*

fun main() {
    val job = Job()
    val scope = CoroutineScope(Dispatchers.Default + job)

    scope.launch {
        val startTime = System.currentTimeMillis()
        while (System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime < 10000) {
            val progress = (System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime) / 10000.0
            val value1 = progress.coerceIn(0.0, 1.0)
            plugin1.value1 = value1
            delay(100)
        }

        startTime = System.currentTimeMillis()
        while (System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime < 10000) {
            val progress = (System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime) / 10000.0
            val value2 = Math.sin(progress * Math.PI).coerceIn(0.0, 1.0)
            plugin1.value2 = value2
            delay(100)
        }

        delay(5000)
        startTime = System.currentTimeMillis()
        while (System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime < 5000) {
            val progress = (System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime) / 5000.0
            val value3 = progress.coerceIn(0.0, 1.0)
            plugin2.value3 = value3
            delay(100)
        }

        delay(7000)
        //for example with custom logic !
        if (plugin3.value4 < 10)
        plugin3.value4=plugin3.value4*2

        job.cancelAndJoin()
        println("Task canceled")
    }

    // Trigger 2 (to cancel the task)
    val trigger2 = readLine()
    if (trigger2 == "cancel") {
        job.cancel()
    }
}

It doesn't matter how it can be implemented,using plugins, clean code, I just want to know how to do this as simply and cleanly as possible.

Thank you in advance!

 

[MacGruber]

The easiest is probably to use Timeline plugin to animate your values. Not sure about "custom logic"...because its a Timeline...it doesn't do much logic.

Another option is to combine a couple of LogicBricks, probably Blend and Delay bricks....maybe a StateMachine brick.

If you want to code, you could look at the Blend brick as an example to make your own custom brick that does precisely what you want.

 

[eb123]

Thanks for the answer!

Yes, I looked at the timeline, and it seems that it does not suit me precisely because it does not allow for additional logic to be implemented and does not implement a state machine.

I can't do the following:
a) Own function for changing a variable
b) Change with custom condition
c) It’s not very convenient to build chains of function calls/cancellations

In fact I need a framework that implements:
A finite state machine with the ability to create states, events, transitions, conditions, etc.

On top of the state machine there should be additional “timeline++” logic for creating and managing dependent, deferred FSM events, functions for custom changes to variables, etc.

I'll dive deeper into LogicBricks - come back with the results later.

 

[eb123]

yes, that's what I need, thanks!

I learned in detail MacGruber_Utils.cs - a useful thing that explains a lot of undocumented things.

And I implemented my own additional plugin for the functionality described above. MacGruber Thank you!