I forgot to add my ways to deal with fake Dampening and Elasticity.

Right now i'm faking Dampening with this events using Bullet Behavior:

(Given some kind of propulsion to object Player with bullet behavior)

ObjPlayer=>BulletDistanceTravelled > 100 |Actions=>|ObjPlayer.Bullet.Speed = -(200*dt)

BulletDistanceTravelled is a system condition

Bullet Speed is the speed taken/given from/to the bullet behavior.

If i add another event to slow down acceleration i get more dampening but since i cannot reset BulletDistanceTravelled it starts to acumulate until theres no more movement even after a new collision agains the object.

This is my envent to slow down acceleration:

ObjPlayer=>BulletDistanceTravelled > 100 |Actions=>|ObjPlayer.Bullet.Acceleration = -(50*dt)

Using only the speed event seems to work okey as a Dampening emulation, adding the acceleration breaks it the more the objects moves.

Some know a better solution to simulate Linear Dampening using Bullet Behavior?

And to fake Elasticity i give a multiplier to the speed of the object at collision. I didn't play much with this one. Dampening is my priority.

I need some ideas for this two effect if someone know of one.

Hello all!

I'm playing a lot with physics and bullet behaviors in top view (no gravity) trying to emulate as much as possible some physics attributes.

I can interact with both behaviors mostly nicely. But the more i can "cheat" with bullet behavior the better (for performance).

So far i'm good faking force, impulse, density and normal bounciness with the bullet behavior and some dangerous "set positions" and angles.

But i fail to get Linear Dampening/Friction in a believable way.

Also i fail to make a "bumper" effect so Elasticity is also a failure on my list.

Someone know how to emulate those effects without the physics behavior?

Any method can be used i don't mind. You can even fake the effects as i do. Don't need the perfect equation to simulate the effect exactly (as i'm trying to gain performance)

Thanks! I will give further info is needed.

Thank for the replies!

So in the end it's all about formulas than hardcoded positions. I was talking with a friend about this (my friend is a programmer), but i ended up blowing his head off with performance issues.

I will try your equations R0J0hound thanks for your help with this!

Playing with combinations of Physics and sine behavior i found that they don't play mean with each other as i expected. I will try to add bullet behavior to the mix. I didn't take it into account for some reason.

Let me see how it goes!

Thanks for helping me ;)

I wrote a topic about this kind of movement (a request not a solution).

I forgot that sine Behavior will not work well with physic objects so i'm in a double trouble with this kind of stuff.

You solved part of my problem with your custom "sine behavior" (and sorry to steal the post). I also ask some insight of the code, mostly what all those variables do so i don't program in the dark something similar.

I have to refloat this topic since i'm still struggling with a method to make "movement patterns" or "arrangements in custom shapes formations" and things like that.

More examples of what i try to do (do and do efficiently):

1) Move objects in an eight shape or spawn an "eight formation" of objetcs.

2) Move objects in some kind of curved line or zigzag line.

3) Move objects around another object following a rotating path around it. (Like orbiting around an object). This one is easy but i put it as an example of Movement Patterns.

Again the link of a game with a lot of this kind of movement patterns i want:

What make me dizzy is how to save those patterns in a efficient way.

Hard code them? Spawn objects with an array? Create an xml with each movement and call functions from this file?

Fixed formations is one thing, but movements following a figure kills me.

This feels like the way one should program "Bullet Hells".

I need some direction here   <img src="smileys/smiley18.gif" border="0" align="middle">

Hello all!

What i'm trying to do is a way to build a level with objects arranged in specific patterns in relation to other objects or with some "formation" pattern by themselves.

To best clarify my intention see this quick video:

It's a Arkanoid like game with many objects following different movement patterns, like circling around an object, or following a zigzag line.

Some movements and patterns are easy to do. Sine Behavior and Pin Behavior solves many of those patterns but some others seems hard to make.

The "line movement" with or without abstract form is a hard one for me.

Circular movements around another object feels like a Pin thing with parenting and rotations but sometimes it doesn't work as intended.

Anyway, if someone made similar movement patterns and know how to make them in a manageable, editable way. I will appreciate it.

(Also interested in how to best load those patterns, like using xml, or something like that)

To narrow the question:

How would you make a circular sprite with "physics" on, without rotation, to move sliding narrow curved halleys? Again like in pinball games, popular puzzles games like "Rolling Hero", "Rolando", "Iblast Moki", "Worms Golf", etc.

This question not only is related to a "best way" to move the object. But also how would you build the level so the physical object collides and slide correctly and performance aware.

I'm missing something here..

Hello all!

Did you see all those games that uses curved scenary in many "physics puzzles games" like "Rolling Hero", "Rolando", "Iblast Moki", Worms Golf, etc?

My question is:

What would be the most accurate and optimized way to create such levels. So when you shoot a ball it rolls along the curved surface.

I could think of "sprite chunks" with a hollow zigzag alley or building the level with two halves of what makes the curved alley.

I guess i should use masks but big sprites are always a bad idea.

Any advice about this kinds of levels in regards of precise collisions and rollings around the irregular surfaces will be appreciated!

Thanks

Pixel Perfick,

I really liked your method there. I will take it as a reference for this and also future projects. I don't know why i cannot solve this kind of problems. In others bussiness i always had my tricks and solutions to "manage" payments. I guess it's because this line of work is new and a partner of two with my added "protection" of interest throws conventional methods out the window.

I consider myself satisfied with all your help people! As i said before, keep showing more of this for anybody else in my same position.

Regards and thanks to all of you! ;)

Procrastinator,

I know there's a "unfair" share here. It's personal matter only for this first project and only with her because i try to help her impulse her career with a project that, as you said, she can show in her portfolio.

In this, and only this, first project i play a little like santa. So i can keep this 50/50 and also pay a reasonable amout of money for her work. Just to make it as some sort of safety net if anything goes wrong at relase times.

My question is how much is good enough to pay for an artist work and what methods of payment worked better for all of you. But forget the end shares in the equation.

In my opinion, a debugger/profiler should come far before multiplayer or any complex feature like that. It helps already made projects and the ones to come, especially when mobiles are the targets.

Modularity sounds nice but since it's a more abstract feature i think more explicit features could be made faster or more easily.

Sounds like it could have it's own poll. Or could be added in mini updates.

The most needed feature, along a debugger/profiler to me, it's a more focused atention into microtransactions on the most popular platforms (iso/android/windows phone). Similar to the level reached with windows 8.

I think that close the circle better for us as developers.

Then, with a foundation that works good enough at development times and also at release times you could add more features like multiplayer and the like.

Well, that's my two cents (I never liked that expresion ;) )

Rabidsheep and EatCreatures,

Thanks for your examples. That's exactly what i was looking for.

So we have a $15-20-25 up to $70 with or without further sharing.

I decided (with my partnert agreetment) something like EatCreatures said. I pay her for her work based on the complexity of the art needed. Since we are both partners in the enterprise we will go 50-50 as planed and for my personal decision as i said before.

Seeing your examples of payment per hour and resuming the total amount of artwork needed we agreed in a monthly fee for x months until the job is done. For that fee my partner do any art needed. So far i'm happy, she is happy and we keep motivated each on it side of the project.

We will use this first project as a test for every detail and for the second project we will rework our contract with the best solution we found at that point. In the end we are close friends.

Keep sharing your thoughts about this, could help people in my position!

Thanks to everyone for your help! ;)

PD: Running a hosting company i will broke a golden rule and posted this in the middle of a server migration. Was lost into oblivion of course so i posted today again.