Hydraulics with Turret AI setup?

[Madin 10]

Is it possible to have a 'LookAt' constraint work in a TurretAI set-up (I know that it is OK with key frame animating).

 

I have a tank barrel whose recoil is softened by hydraulics and I am wondering what will happen if I attempt use the barrel recoil bone in the 'WeaponRecoilBone' has the target for a 'LookAt' constraint?

 

Or would I have to animate it?

[Lauren 77]

Dunno what you mean by LookAt constraint.

[Madin 10]

Dunno what you mean by LookAt constraint.

From Max:

"The LookAt constraint controls an object’s orientation so that it’s always looking at another object. It locks an object’s rotation so that one of its axes points toward the target object. The LookAt axis points toward the target, while the Upnode axis defines which axis points upward. If the two coincide, a flipping behavior may result. This is similar to pointing a target camera straight up.

An example of a LookAt constraint’s use would be to constrain the eyeballs of a character to a point helper. The eyes will then always be aimed at the point helper. Animate the point helper, and the eyes follow. Even if you rotate the character’s head, the eyes maintain their lock on the point helper."

Edited May 31, 2015 by Madin

[Ravendark 43]

the game engine doesnt understand those settings afaik, it just looks at relative bone positions and rotations. a good exmaple is the juggernaught..the pistons in its leg use constraints, but the animation doesnt, it just looks at the bone positions themself for the animation, that those bone positions are the result of animation constraints doesnt matter for it.

 

I never had any luck with using constraints due to the above reasons. At the chance that i ****ed up when i was testing arround with that...feel free to prove me wrong and edjucate me on it....i have a few unit models planned that could do with a similar constraining system.

Edited May 31, 2015 by Ravendark

[Lauren 77]

I see, yes what Raven said. You can simulate the behavior by linking the end vertices of your hydraulics to the right bones (recoil and pitch, the "lookat" thing basically does that anyway it's just the inverse calculation). Don't forget you can set up 2 bones per vertex and give them weights.

Edited May 31, 2015 by Lauren