Stuck on how to get collision working on parts of a character! :S

[Mat-art]

Hi guys,
So I'm trying to add collision to a character for a little fight game I'm attempting to make. Basically I'm adding static meshes to the character limbs/ sockets in code that will be made invisible in future. I want to make it so that if the various parts hit whilst performing an exec function then it will register some damage to an object. I can get the static mesh spheres for the collisions in place but the problem is I cant seem to get any physics on to them. What am I doing wrong??? I'm a total noob to coding so any guidance would be really appreciated.


Getting the following warnings from compile when I try to do a collision component in the default properties.

warning, unknown property in defaults: Component.add(StaticMeshComponent) <looked in StaticMeshComponent>

warning, unknown property in defaults: CollisionComponent=StaticMeshComponent<looked in StaticMeshComponent>

my code is

var StaticMeshComponent Sphere;

simulated function PostBeginPlay()
{
        super.PostBeginPlay();
	Sphere = new class'StaticMeshComponent'; //making the element to attach
	Sphere.SetStaticMesh(StaticMesh'Monster_Mash.Sphere'); // directing to my static mesh to use 
        Mesh.AttachComponentToSocket(Sphere, 'Right_Hand'); // where i want it to connect to
        //SetPhysics(PHYS_RigidBody); //Doesn't work, character sinks in to ground and gets stuck!
        //CollisionComponent=Sphere; //Doesn't work!
        //bCollideWorld = true; //Doesn't work!
}


defaultproperties
{
        Begin Object Class=SkeletalMeshComponent Name=GA_SkeletalMesh 
        SkeletalMesh=SkeletalMesh'Monster_Mash.fish_man' //character mesh
        AnimTreeTemplate=AnimTree'Monster_Mash.Fish_Man_Tree' // animation tree
        PhysicsAsset=PhysicsAsset'Monster_Mash.fish_man_Physics' // physics asset to use
        AnimSets(1)=AnimSet'Monster_Mash.Fish_man_anims' // animations to use
        Scale=1.75
        End Object
        Mesh=GA_SkeletalMesh
        Components.Add(GA_SkeletalMesh)
        
               
        Begin Object Class=StaticMeshComponent Name=Hand_Sphere // 
                Components.Add(StaticMeshComponent); // getting the errors here 
                CollisionComponent=StaticMeshComponent // getting the errors here
               // bCollideWorld=true
               // bCollideActors=true
               // bBlockActors=true
        End Object
       
}

Again, any help would be awesome, I'm proper stuck with this now!
Cheers
Matt

[Mat-art]

So I'm still not having any joy with adding collision to my character, I've made a video to show what is happening.

http://matts-gameworks.tumblr.com/
The video saying collision not working!

The idea is that I want to use spheres in conjunction with an exec function so that when triggered they will gain physics and do some damage, but when not activated they will not bump in to/ knock things over.

The code that I'm using to connect and supposedly activate the spheres is this in my Pawn class

var StaticMeshComponent Sphere;
var StaticMeshComponent Sphere1;

simulated function PostBeginPlay()
{

        super.PostBeginPlay();
        	Sphere = new class'StaticMeshComponent';
	Sphere.SetActorCollision( true, true, true );
	Sphere.SetBlockRigidBody( true);
        	Sphere.SetTraceBlocking( true, true );
            bCollideWorld = true;
        	Sphere.SetStaticMesh(StaticMesh'Monster_Mash.Sphere');
        	Mesh.AttachComponentToSocket(Sphere, 'Right_Foot');


 	Sphere1 = new class'StaticMeshComponent';
	Sphere1.SetActorCollision( true, true, true );
	Sphere1.SetBlockRigidBody( true);
	Sphere1.SetTraceBlocking( true, true );
            bCollideWorld = true;
       	Sphere1.SetStaticMesh(StaticMesh'Monster_Mash.Sphere');
            Mesh.AttachComponentToSocket(Sphere1, 'Right_Hand');

// adds spheres to the hand and foot of the mesh, 
}

Problem is no collision is occurring and the other objects in the scene are K-Actors so should be moveable.
Any ideas? I'm pretty stuck with this!

Cheers
Matt

[Mat-art]

Help Needed!

Ok, so I've had a minor breakthrough in the attachment of objects and collision. I'm able to attach elements to the correct socket and it show up in game with this code but the collision doesn't work!
There's another video showing what's happening at
http://matts-gameworks.tumblr.com/ called “Working but not quite!”
The first part shows the following code and it's got some weird behaviour, like floating up in the air.

class Monster extends UDKPawn
        placeable; 
var name Left_Hand, Right_Hand, Left_Foot, Right_Foot, Head; // Socket names

var StaticMeshComponent Sphere;	// Mesh to use as collision component
var StaticMeshComponent Sphere1; // Mesh to use as collision component

simulated function PostBeginPlay()
{
        super.PostBeginPlay();
	Sphere1 = new class'StaticMeshComponent';
            Sphere1.SetStaticMesh(StaticMesh'Monster_Mash.Sphere');
            Mesh.AttachComponentToSocket(Sphere1, 'Right_Hand');
            CollisionComponent = Sphere1;
            AttachComponent(Sphere1);
            Sphere1.SetBlockRigidBody( true);
            Sphere1.SetTraceBlocking( true, true );
}

defaultproperties
{
        Begin Object Class=SkeletalMeshComponent Name=GA_SkeletalMesh
        SkeletalMesh=SkeletalMesh'Monster_Mash.fish_man'
        AnimTreeTemplate=AnimTree'Monster_Mash.Fish_Man_Tree'
        PhysicsAsset=PhysicsAsset'Monster_Mash.fish_man_Physics'
        AnimSets(1)=AnimSet'Monster_Mash.Fish_man_anims'
        Scale=1.75
        BlockNonZeroExtent=true
        BlockZeroExtent=true
        BlockActors=true
        CollideActors=true
        End Object
        Mesh=GA_SkeletalMesh
        Components.Add(GA_SkeletalMesh)
	
	bCollideActors=True
        bBlockActors=True
        bCollideWorld=true
}

However in the second part of the video I've removed all the stuff from the PostBeginPlay function and added this to the default properties

class Monster extends UDKPawn
        placeable; 
var name Left_Hand, Right_Hand, Left_Foot, Right_Foot, Head; // Socket names

var StaticMeshComponent Sphere1; // Mesh to use as collision component


Begin Object Class=StaticMeshComponent Name=Sphere1
        StaticMesh=StaticMesh'Monster_Mash.Sphere'
      End Object
        Components.Add(Sphere1)
	bCollideActors=True
        bBlockActors=True
        bCollideWorld=true

An enlarged sphere appears as it does in the socket manager before I set its scale and connection.

It is doing what I want of knocking stuff over but the sphere is massive and in the wrong place!

I've tried in vain to attach to the socket in the default properties and also trying to get the physics working in the PostBeginPlay function.
I really need help! I'm so close to rage quitting on this project! What am I doing wrong? How come I can't set the collision? Is there a way to assign sockets in the default properties?
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Cheers
Matt

[Chosker]

components added with AttachComponent/AttachComponentToSocket will lose their collision, period. that's because it only ever attaches the mesh component.
then by doing CollisionComponent = Sphere1; I believe you're telling your Pawn that its Collision Component will be the new Sphere but it loses the old collision component, so it will not work for adding multiple spheres

an alternative would be to create your spheres by using Spawn() and then use SetBase() instead

[Mat-art]

Thanks Chosker,
I'd have ripped my hair out trying to get the other method to work. You've given me a new direction to try!
Cheers
Matt

[Chosker]

no problem. good luck!

one thing to notice: using SetBase will make the attached actor lag 1 frame regarding the other actor. depending on the speed of your game it might or might not be noticeable, but in my experience anything that lags 1 frame will be visible if you move somewhat fast (ie. run) and run the game at less than 30 fps.
I know your collision shapes will be invisible but the gameplay depends on them, and 'important to gameplay' and 'framerate dependant' make up a pretty bad combination.
I'm not sure but changing the TickGroup might solve it

[Spoof]

I'm not sure but changing the TickGroup might solve it

This. It shouldn't lag if tickgroups are correct.

[UnrealEverything]

components added with AttachComponent will lose their collision, period.

I'm pretty sure the PrimitiveComponents I've added with AttachComponent collided properly. 'AlwaysCheckCollision' is set to true for them though.

[Neongho]

If attachComponent is used , the owner of the collision component , it's set to the actor that has been attacched to ...

Example

you attachcomponent to a pawn , now if you hit that component collision , the owner will be pawn , even if the collision component was of the actor sword ...

How to get to not have this issue setBase , problem in multiplayer does not work """ correct me if im wrong """ !

[Mat-art]

Hi guys, thanks for the input
Well I've been trying to set up the Spawn and SetBase features, I'm getting nowhere with it! I've spent the last 2 days trying to get it to work and I am totally flummoxed and demoralised by the process. I've got to admit there are parts of unrealscript I can understand but I'm loosing the will to live with this now. Guess this is what happens when an artist tries to learn programming!

I've tried to SetBase to be my skeletal mesh but it comes up with

Error, Bad or missing expression in Call to 'SetBase' , Parameter 1

My code is this

var SkeletalMeshSocket Left_Hand, Right_Hand, Left_Foot, Right_Foot, Head;
var SkeletalMeshComponent Monster_SkeletalMesh;

   simulated function PostBeginPlay()
{
      //local Pawn M; 
       super.PostBeginPlay();

        //M = Monster_SkeletalMesh(Instigator);
        //Sphere1 = StaticMeshComponent;

        if (Monster_SkeletalMesh != None)
        {
            Monster_SkeletalMesh = Mesh; // Monster skeletal mesh
            Spawn(Class'Monster_Sphere', Self, , , ); // class/ owner/ Tag/ Location/ Rotation
            SetBase(MonsterPawn,,M.Mesh,Right_Hand);
            //Sphere1.SetCollision(true, true);  // doesn't like the '.' after sphere
            //Sphere1.SetHardAttach(true);
           //archetypeReference=StaticMeshActor'Monster_Mash.Sphere1A'
        }
}

code for the spawnable sphere

Class Monster_Sphere Extends Actor
        Placeable;

defaultproperties
{
     Begin Object Class=StaticMeshComponent Name=Monster_Sphere
        StaticMesh=StaticMesh'Monster_Mash.Sphere'
        Scale=0.2
        BlockNonZeroExtent=true
        BlockZeroExtent=true
        BlockActors=true
        CollideActors=true
     End Object
        Components.Add(Monster_Sphere)
        bCollideActors=True
        bBlockActors=True
        bCollideWorld=true
}

Please help!!! I don't want a step by step solution but I do need pointers on what is wrong as I am stuck and have no idea how to fix it! Any help would be massively appreciated!
Cheers
Matt

[Mat-art]

One step closer! I think :S

Ok, so I though I'd have another go at getting this sphere to connect to the mesh using Spawn and Set base.
After finding this thread I've substituted my own bits in to the setup.
http://forums.epicgames.com/threads/...a-Socket/page3

To make an archetype I followed this tutorial,
http://romerounrealscript.blogspot.c...ealscript.html
Though I found I couldn't get it to acknowledge it in the code so I made a new script called Monster_Sphere and used that instead

Class Monster_Sphere Extends Actor
        Placeable;

defaultproperties
{
     Begin Object Class=StaticMeshComponent Name=Monster_Sphere
        StaticMesh=StaticMesh'Monster_Mash.Sphere'
        Scale=0.2
        BlockNonZeroExtent=true
        BlockZeroExtent=true
        BlockActors=true
        CollideActors=true
     End Object
        Components.Add(Monster_Sphere)
        bCollideActors=True
        bBlockActors=True
        bCollideWorld=true
}

I've altered my code in the Pawn class for my monster and that all compiles and there are no errors

class Monster extends UDKPawn
        placeable;

var name Right_Hand;

simulated function PostBeginPlay()
{
local Vector SocketLocation;
local Rotator SocketRotation;
local Actor Sphere1;

        if (mesh != None)
        {
                if (/*SphereArchetype != None &&*/ mesh.GetSocketByName(Right_Hand) != None)
                {
                mesh.GetSocketWorldLocationAndRotation(Right_Hand, SocketLocation, SocketRotation);

                Sphere1 = Spawn(Class'Monster_Sphere' ,,, SocketLocation, SocketRotation);
                `log("------------------------------------the Sphere has spawned");

                        if (Sphere1 != None)
                        {
                        Sphere1.SetBase(self,, mesh, Right_Hand);

                        }
                }
        }
}

So I feel like I am making some progress but the problem I've got now is that even though it compiles without any errors, the sphere is not showing up.
Any ideas/ suggestions??
Cheers
Matt

[Mat-art]

Solved!
I needed to put ' ' around the socket I wanted things to spawn from!

[slowJusko]

I originally used SetBase for the loadout system in Ground Branch. Not wanting to rely on this for in-game loadouts (updated X actors is more expensive then X components), I investigated AttachComponent more. I found that to be able to trace the items:

• Attached items must have an owner.
• bCollideActors must be TRUE for the base actor.
• CollideActors must be TRUE for the mesh.
• BlockZeroExtent must be TRUE for the mesh.

[screenshot]http://www.groundbranch.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/dev_ingame_20130331a.jpg[/screenshot]

In this case, the owner is set to the base actor on spawn and the collision component is set after attachment to the socket.

As far as I am aware, collision calls would work too, provided the right settings are used. As such, I was going to investigate this further to see if I could use it as an alternate method for detecting weapon collision.

Perhaps it is something you could look in to?