Question Movement like a third person game for example GTA

[Degenerate_Weeb]

Wondering if there are any plugins that allow for movement like third person games, where for example I can move the character with WASD.

If there are no plugins that directly allow this, what options do i have?

Was wondering I could probably trigger timeline animations with my keyboard, not sure about it. Would love to hear some thoughts.

Also, attach the camera to the character
Thanks.

 

[ZRSX]

For the movement part, it can be done with the built-in Person animation.
You just need something to trigger the proper animation. Like a UI button and/or Animation pattern. There should be a way to configure shortcuts.

There is this concept scene by @Uno23 that makes use of it.
There's a bit of reverse engineering to do if you want to see how it's done.

Note that in the concept scene, they've done it with a button that triggers an Animation pattern and collision triggers on the controller: there should be no need if you don't want to use a controller, you can put all actions on the button.

 

[TToby]

VaM has been developed as a sandbox tool with VR in mind and in VR it shows its true potential. The desktop mode is something that only "works too". IMHO only a very small part of the VR user would like to use a keyboard or an additional gamepad for movement, and movement in VR is made in a completely other way. So, VaM is everything but a first or third person shooter, I don't think this will have a high priority compared to other highly demanded stuff or functions. Like ZRSX said, there are some few custom made plugins, that are going into this direction... But first thing to think about: What would you like to do with a figure in desktop mode running through the small VaM environments in WASD movement and with no way to interact with stuff? This would be a completely other "game", I think. Though, I am sure there will be a custom made scene in the future with exactly that functionality as a proof of concept... but VaM is so much more than this!

 

[ZRSX]

Like ZRSX said, there are some few custom made plugins, that are going into this direction... But first thing to think about: What would you like to do with a figure in desktop mode running through the small VaM environments in WASD movement and with no way to interact with stuff?

Nope, what I'm talking about is 100% built-in
Except maybe the shortcuts, I haven't looked into that.

And there are ways to interact with stuff. You can do a lot with collision triggers.
For instance, this scene could have been done by making the character go towards the various devices and trigger the pose when they've got close enough, instead of clicking on the buttons. I might give it a shot one day, if I'm bored ^^

 

[TToby]

Hi,

Nope, what I'm talking about is 100% built-in
Except maybe the shortcuts, I haven't looked into that.

Yes, those walking animations are build in, but using them to move a person to a certain place would need plugins. There were some older plugins, that makes a figure following the VR pointer, for instance.

What makes VaM unique is the fact, that you could almost create everything you can think of.
Of course, you can create a very complex scene, where you can steer a person through a labyrinth and to trigger various events by collision triggers, for instance.
But that would be only a funny sort of game IN VaM made WITH VaM.
There are many new users who didn't know that VaM is a sandbox tool and not a kind of ready made game like Koikatsu, for instance, where you can run around in some levels and doing stuff, and therefore are dissapointed. There were some other questions in this regard.
Others are unhappy with the way you generally move the camera or persons around in desktop mode.
As far as I have understand, the OP was asking for a plugin or build-in functions to directly move a given person plus camera with keyboard keys (obviously in desktop mode) like in a completely other style of games.
I have to apologize, If he was only looking for a way to create his own advanced scenes. Thinking about it, I maybe was stupidly fooled by his "New Member" status.

Sorry!
Yes, as VaM is a sandbox tool with almost infinity capabilities, you can do your own third-person game style scenes, if you really want.
No, I unfortunately don't know any plugins that you could use for this purpose out-of-the-box.
Your options are to search through other scenes which will have some aspects you want to use for your own idea.
There is those recent scene linked by ZRSQ above, or you maybe want to have a look at "Synthia" by VAMDeluxe, which is the old plugin that I have mentioned.
There are some plugins you could look at to maybe code your own or ask the creators for help.
- Acidbubble's Keybindings.
- McGruber's VirtualLock plugin (part of "Connect") is detecting button presses and then triggers stuff based on it.
- Fabio's Basic Gamepad Support for VAM.
- Ife's Keyboard Shortcuts
- For the camera novement maybe Acidbubble's Passenger and Improved POV.
- Some more that I don't know.

 

[ZRSX]

I have to apologize, If he was only looking for a way to create his own advanced scenes. Thinking about it, I maybe was stupidly fooled by his "New Member" status.

Hey, no need to apologize! Maybe my interpretation is wrong. I was just trying to figure out what could be done with that. We could find some interesting concepts!

I think your list of plugins is spot on

Yes, those walking animations are build in, but using them to move a person to a certain place would need plugins.

Nope, the animation makes the character moves. You should try it out, it's funny

Here. No tricks, from an empty scene. You can see that there is no hidden Animation Pattern and no plugin. Just the built-in Walk animation. And you can see that the character is moving

And then, as you said, if you link the camera to the person and add AcidBubbles' "Embody" or "Passenger" plugin, it follows:

 

[TToby]

Hey, no need to apologize!

Maybe I am here and answering questions much too often and mistakenly read things between the lines that were from other popular questions before.
I definitely haven't read the question good enough... A beginner wouldn't have mentioned the Timeline plugin for instance. Sorry!

Nope, the animation makes the character moves

Thats right. But you can't tell VaM to what variable spot the figure should go at runtime only from the VaM UI. The animation plays at a standard lenght or loop. From the animation tab you can only do some very basic scripting: You can put some animations in the list like forward/left/stop/forward/right... and let them play one after another in a row. Yes, in theory the figure will then go dumbly away like scripted before. But to manually steer the figure to a variable location at runtime, you must have a plugin or a scene with UI and/or triggers that will make use of those animations.
As an very simple example: the user has clicked on the "left" button while the figure is moving ---> the forward animation stops at once, the turn left animation starts and after this the forward animation plays again until the user will press another button, or the figure will automatically stop and turn if it bumps into a wall...

 

[ZRSX]

But to manually steer the figure to a variable location at runtime, you must have a plugin or a scene with UI and/or triggers that will make use of those animations.
As an very simple example: the user has clicked on the "left" button while the figure is moving ---> the forward animation stops at once, the turn left animation starts and after this the forward animation plays again until the user will press another button, or the figure will automatically stop and turn if it bumps into a wall...

You can clear the animation list when a button/key is pressed, to add only the appropriate animation. If you add an animation pattern to the mix you can also make it stop automatically after a while.

But yes, it will always look clunky. As you said, VAM's not made for this.

 

[VENTONORTE]

Maybe I am here and answering questions much too often and mistakenly read things between the lines that were from other popular questions before.
I definitely haven't read the question good enough... A beginner wouldn't have mentioned the Timeline plugin for instance. Sorry!



Thats right. But you can't tell VaM to what variable spot the figure should go at runtime only from the VaM UI. The animation plays at a standard lenght or loop. From the animation tab you can only do some very basic scripting: You can put some animations in the list like forward/left/stop/forward/right... and let them play one after another in a row. Yes, in theory the figure will then go dumbly away like scripted before. But to manually steer the figure to a variable location at runtime, you must have a plugin or a scene with UI and/or triggers that will make use of those animations.
As an very simple example: the user has clicked on the "left" button while the figure is moving ---> the forward animation stops at once, the turn left animation starts and after this the forward animation plays again until the user will press another button, or the figure will automatically stop and turn if it bumps into a wall...

I'm thinking about it in another way, to provide a more advanced vr experience,

next...
with voice 2 , you would create a trigger for a vocal command that would say for example "sit" or "spread your legs" or "stand up" or "follow me" or "do dog style" and the "person" performs the animation or pose proper. for that i'm looking for motion transition animations for more smooth , do you think about it?

I could theoretically take "person"'s hand and say "follow me" and Person would start the walk...!!
this would take VAM to another level for sure !! , we would have "dolls" with a certain level of intelligence.

in future versions of VAM developers could add a type of intelligence manager inside the "Person" controls where we could have a series or group of predefined commands for basic movements like sit, stand, walk...etc. .or this becomes some kind of plugin here ... if the idea rolls over I want a copy !! kkkkkk