Creating a ball character

[Mint_Sauce]

The problem I'm having is that I'm trying to rig up a control system to a ball but it's just not working properly, the ball rolls around my level on the PC but doesn't move on the iPhone.

I'm using a KActor but have also tried a StaticMesh but neither worked on my Apple devices. I'm now wondering if I'm doing things the wrong way and maybe I should be using the MobilePlaceablePawn (like in the Jazz tutorial) but then that needs bones etc. Is this the correct approach to do what I'm trying to do properly?

TIA.

[zero4]

I think that it can be connected with physics. But on the other hand Castle have one physical asset with bones and it's animated by them...

Not sure but: Try to use SkeletalMeshComponent (extending from MobilePlaceablePawn or just GamePawn) and try to add PhysicalAsset to it. For ball you will need only one bone inside your ball that will be root.

[Blade[UG]]

PhysX does not work on iOS at the moment.

[Mint_Sauce]

Hi Blade, I've heard PhysX doesn't work but apparently the inbuilt physics work.

@zero4, I've added a central bone in max and exported, how do I tell UDK that it's now a skeletal mesh rather than a static one?

[zero4]

I've added a central bone in max and exported, how do I tell UDK that it's now a skeletal mesh rather than a static one?

You'll need to add SkelethalMeshComponent to your Pawn defaultproperties.

[Mint_Sauce]

Thanks, I did that but it's the same behaviour as before. I found that having a camera intersecting with a model stops that model from working on iOS but not on the PC. That was my main problem.

I'm trying to get clear in my head the best way to get a user controllable ball rolling around a basic level with physics. For example, rolling at a wall really fast will cause some bounce which at the moment this isn't happening. I'm guessing it's a combination of phys_material and writing a custom script for the ball?

[Mint_Sauce]

I've done some more investigating! I've learnt that the way I'm controlling the ball currently is taking over the coordinates of the ball. So when I press on the movement stick the ball comes to a halt.

I'm now experimenting with getting the balls direction and velocity then adding to it depending on where the stick is and then feeding it back to the ball. This should mean the ball keeps it's velocity and direction with the player just coaxing it's position.

Does this sound like a good way to go about it?

I've found the Whizzle documentation really helpful, I can see what they're doing but unfortunately I'm not sure on how to add my own classes on to existing ones (where the files actually go etc). I think this is probably a more robust and proper way of doing it but a bit beyond me at the moment. If this is the only real way of getting good results it would be good to know so I can research that way of doing it. TIA and sorry for my probably idiotic questions it's a bit overwhelming right now, I need to get a good overview of how everything works in the UDK then I can probably figure most things out myself (given plenty of time :P).

[CSlegers]

Hi mint_sauce
are you making any progress with this?

I'm trying to make a rolling ball (tlooked like a good start to get to know udk)
But cant seem to make it roll. how did you do it eventually, with a skeleton mesh?

Thnx

[Mint_Sauce]

Nope! I'm still fighting with it, spent about 9 hours solid today and not made any progress but have learnt tons since I last posted. I think Unrealscript is going to take a while for me to understand.

Give me a shout if you make any progress or if you just want to talk about it.

[pesdelisi]

Hi mate. I'm working on it. When i finished i'll give source... Whatever. In the theory;
-------
For the a rolling ball you must simply create a sphere in 3dsmax and bone/skin it. And save as psk / import from UDK. Apply Material / Create Physic Asset and for the use as pawn just code as skeletal mesh component in uscript. And use it with Framework HUD(+Control System) + Kismet based camera/ modify control system. Just that.
-------
Edit:
For the rolling ball character just use Jazz Jack Rabbit Tutorial and replace MobilePawn with UDKKActorBreakable. But due to velocity ball physics won't be realistic. And about camera; camera rolling 360' with ball. So you need write your own camera with UScript.

Note: If you can't use on Kactor try interpactor or add static mesh as rigidbody and replace it with mobile pawn.

[B-Train]

PhysX does not work on iOS at the moment.

Can anyone tell me if PhysX is still not supported in iOS? If so, anyone know when this will be resolved, or if it's in the works to be resolved?

[Blade[UG]]

I read in a diff forum you already were using it and didn't know it