Path Movement Behavior

Path Movement Behavior 1.4

new as of 4/25/10

<img src="http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/184/pathedit130.jpg"><img src="http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/675/properties130.jpg">

<img src="http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/8593/conditions130.jpg"><img src="http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/4088/actions130.jpg">

<img src="http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/1774/expressions130.jpg">

EDIT: Latest Version 1.4

Path Movement Behavior Download Version 1.4

+ Added set/get speed (direction of motion is preserved)

+ Added Acceleration.

+ Added option to set location on path to either move the object or just the path under it.

+ Added option to compare path distance by 'floating point' or 'integer.

+ Added compare path distance in range.

+ Added compare path distance from endpoints.

version 1.3:http://www.box.net/shared/9dgbggcu7c

+Curved motion option (using Catmull-rom interpolation)

+Triggered conditions at endpoints of path.

+more comparison conditions.

+ACE's are now better organized.

+[fix] "add node" action after moving sprite

version 1.1:http://www.box.net/shared/n4genz71b0

+ Now with an in editor path editor.

old version 1.0:http://www.box.net/shared/e0qay38vaa

Example cap

Cheers

Awesome!!

Okay, this is interesting and all that. But do you care to share with us how the paths are made? And what these .path files consist of?

And I know you've probably done a lot of work on this, and that's appreciated, but it seems to me that a path movement like this isn't going to be terribly useful unless you can easily draw the paths. Also, having a bunch of external .path files seems rather odd to me, is there any way possible that you could internalize them somehow? The best way for a user to draw the path in my opinion would be in the Construct IDE somehow. Perhaps in a similar method to how the custom masks are drawn with the Physics plugin.

Other than that it appears to work rather well. I'd like to play with this some more but... I don't know how the paths are made.

Ah, I just realized that you have to create the path first with actions. Never mind on that part.

I still think an actual visual editor would be best for this sort of thing. It would make it much more user friendly and remove the need for .path files. Still, I suppose it's no big deal to set a path with small "waypoint" sprites in the editor and use a loop to designate your path with the path object.

I'm looking into using the custom collision edit from the physics behavior for edit time path creation. There's a lot to it though so it may take awhile.

It runs great and added to the Master Plugin Page.

Wow! I had thought this was the python concept thread!

downloading, let's see how this goes =)

I'm looking into using the custom collision edit from the physics behavior for edit time path creation. There's a lot to it though so it may take awhile.

Awesome

Also, some features I know I would like to see, and maybe perhaps might possibly get implemented if you have the time and energy:

• Bezier/Linear toggleable option
• Easing in/easing out option for motion at path beginning and end

Someone else mentioned branching paths but eh, you could always just draw two paths and jump the object from one to another. Of course this would probably require an "On node reached" condition to work.

This is officially cool.

<img src="http://www.nedarc.org/nedarc/analyzingData/images/stampOfApproval.gif">

About branching paths: maybe you could load several path segments and set the active one? If this was an object, you'd just have several instances with different data and shift between them but as a behavior you can't do that :s

OK how do make the paths? Tutorial anyone?

Here is a quick example showing how to create a path.

Download:

Make Path Example

Hopefully soon path editing will be possible in the IDE.

Thank you. And now I see how to make the path file and can load it.

This is a very useful plugin!

Any chance of an ease in and out? I Guess you can add a extra node near the end and play with velocity.

Is this what you mean by ease in and out?

Download: Ease in and out example

If so then it should be easily added.

Yes, that is pretty much exactly what I mean. It's an old animation term.

Flash uses it for their path movement and motion tweening and stuff. Back in the day it* was done as a simple percent like so:

In 50%, Out 0% = Object starts slow, gets to full speed at the halfway point, and stops at full speed

In 25%, Out 25% = Object starts slow, gets to full speed 1/4 the way through the path, begins slowing 3/4 the way through the path, and ends slow.

I'm sure you get what I mean even without the examples, I'm just making sure

*(I say back in the day because Flash apparently has these fancy graphs for creating your ease in/out settings now)

Just want to thank you for this plugin ROJOhound.

Great stuff.

I've just had more than a hundred aliens moving in several patterns on screen at once with no problem.

Nice one.

Krush.