How do I fix this rope?

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  • If I move the rope too fast, the members start to break apart and flicker around.

    Is there a way to stop it from happening in this basic setup? Maybe with another joint type or configuration?

    github.com/dupuqub/constructs/blob/master/Trail.c3p

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  • I've been trying to replicate this effect by skymen:

    youtube.com/watch

    I'm not entirely done yet, but I believe that physics was not the way to go.

    Since, I've tried another approach, but am still somewhat mesmerized by how he managed to do the inner part of the trail with the smoothest opacity transition ever.

    This is what I have so far, and it's going good enough, but I would still appreciate a lot any insights on the inner trail problem:

    github.com/dupuqub/constructs/blob/master/Trail%20(1).c3p

  • I now believe the only possible way to achieve the goal of the video is using a Drawing Canvas and a history-array of vectors.

    I say that because every part of the trail has a radial dissipation from the center of the screen and because there is still the very smooth gradient on the center portion of the trail.

    In the next days I'll try building a Drawing canvas verison of this trail, but again, I still deeply appreciate any insight on the making of the smooth gradient at the center. I imagine these are polygons drawn from the vector points?

    Also, if you frame-by-frame the video, you'll see the trail is being built always a little behind the mouse, so I guess this is another thing to be solved. Maybe the trail-builder runs on a timer?

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  • If you need a trail effect, here is an old slightly edited Rojo's demo:

    dropbox.com/s/1oopijoeqsnsomp/TrailEffect.capx

    You can add color changing based on opacity, or add a few animation frames with different colors to the sprite.

  • That's a pretty nice file, thanks!

    EDIT: just for posterity sake, this Rojo method may use up to 60% of CPU on its current configuration. It is simple and beautiful, but could have a steep cost.

  • Hey!

    I indeed used the drawing canvas to make the effect. There is a lot of trickery going on to achieve the effect. I wrote that trail for Rhythmy initially: rhythmygame.com

    I can probably try to find the C3P or the code within Rhythmy and share it/make a tutorial about it :)

    EDIT: found an old version of the trail I made (the one in the video actually) :

    drive.google.com/file/d/1gJkYq2HEh9qrTjmAkCQELI5engDpG6aO/view

    But I'm pretty sure I made a better one that was a bit more efficient, better looking and that didn't break as much for Rhythmy. If I find it, I'll make a tutorial.

  • skymen Thanks a bunch!

    That's a 20% CPU cost at best already.

    Amazing file, the community would really benefit from a tutorial.

    And, since we're here, how realistic you think an implementation of some trail behavior or effect would be to Construct 3 from your experience developing this?

  • Yeah, 20%CPU could probably have been improved in my latest implementation. Also note that CPU % varies a lot between computers, so maybe you have worse perf because you're previewing on browser vs NW.js or because you have a lower end laptop, I don't know.

    As an effect, trail isn't possible as far as I know. C3's effect system doesn't allow us to define effects that get applied over multiple frames, and to work you'd need to specify a lot of parameters and it'd be too much work for an end result that wouldn't be insane.

    As a behavior however, there is a point to be made, but the main limitation would be drawing on screen, and behaviors can't do that on their own.

    The best solution IMO would be an object type with a ton of parameters that draws a trail over its last positions, and you'd just move it to wherever you want, and it'd draw a trail on its own. It'd be even more useful with the new Scene graph that's coming to C3, because then adding a trail would just be inserting the object as a child of another one.

    However, IMO to get a great trail object, C3 would need two new object parameters: Graph param and color gradients.

  • Ashley Is it realistic enough? I think Skymen makes great points and I'll get it into the ideas page if it is, just asking beforehand so to not waste people's time and votes.

    This is would be such a HUGE improvement over the current methods we have for trailing.

    Appreciate any feedback, thanks.

  • Sorry, I'm not sure what you're asking here? If you're asking for a new feature, I can't really tell what it involves from a quick read of this thread. I'd advise using the feature suggestions platform as usual with a comprehensive description anyway.

  • Just to get it going, thought I would notify you guys.

    construct3.ideas.aha.io/ideas/C3-I-1449

    There is a very brief description of the behavior along with explanatory gifs.

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