Reach Elite Forces MRAP Cougar 4x4 WIP

[publicfunction 10]

Hey all,

I am creating the MRAP Cougar 4x4 for ARMA 3 for our community (Reach Elite Forces (REF) http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?159014-Reach-Elite-Forces) .

It is 100% in alpha and theres still some way to go before I am prepared to release a Beta to our own community never mind the ARMA3 Community.

This is the latest test of the MRAP from the You Tubes:

The big issues I am having at the moment is the wheel animations, once thats is place I can move onto more model details and then Reach will get this bad boy textured.

Comments are welcome, but keep them civil ;)

[Ckrauslo 12]

Nice very nice

[x hunter33 10]

Looks promising, keep it up!

[alexboy 11]

What specifically about the wheel are you having issues with ?

[publicfunction 10]

It wont animate. No rotation in X or Y for motion or steering.

[alexboy 11]

possibly post your model.cfg code here to see if I or anyone else could take a look to help out

[publicfunction 10]

Will do. The thing is theres no real good tutorial I can find to allow this to setup or even reference. The model.cfg file is as follows:

class Rotation
{
type = "rotation";
memory = 1;
minValue = 0;
maxValue = 1;
angle0 = 0;
angle1 = 1;
};

class CfgSkeletons
{
class Default
{
	isDiscrete = 1;
	skeletonInherit = "";
	skeletonBones[] = {};
};
class Vehicle : Default {};
class Car : Vehicle {};
class MRAPCougar4Skel : Car {
	skeletonBones[]=
	{
		"drivewheel", "drivewheel",
		"wheel_1_1" , "wheel_1_1",
		"wheel_2_1" , "wheel_2_1",
		"wheel_1_2" , "wheel_1_2",
		"wheel_2_2" , "wheel_2_2",
	};
};
};

class CfgModels
{
class Vehicle;
class Car: Vehicle
{
	sectionsInherit="Vehicle";
	sections[]=
	{

	};
	skeletonName="MRAPCougar4Skel";
	class Animations
	{
		class DrivingWheel
		{
			type="rotation";
			source="drivingWheel";
			selection="drivewheel";
			axis="drivewheel_axis";
			memory=1;
			animPeriod=0;
			minValue=-1;
			maxValue=1;
			angle0=-8;
			angle1=8;
		};
		class TurnFrontWheelR
		{
			type="rotationY";
			source="drivingWheel";
			selection="wheel_2_1";
			axis="wheel_2_1_steering_axis";
			memory=1;
			animPeriod=0;
			sourceAddress="loop";
			minValue="rad -180";
			maxValue="rad +180";
			angle0="rad +90";
			angle1="rad -90";
		};
		class TurnFrontWheelL: TurnFrontWheelR
		{
			selection="wheel_1_1";
			axis="wheel_1_1_steering_axis";
		};
		class FrontWheelR
		{
			type="rotationX";
			source="wheel";
			selection="wheel_2_1";
			axis="wheel_2_1_axis";
			memory=1;
			animPeriod=0;
			sourceAddress="loop";
			minValue=0;
			maxValue=1;
			angle0=0;
			angle1="rad -360";
		};
		class FrontWheelL : FrontWheelR
		{
			selection="wheel_1_1";
			axis="wheel_1_1_axis";
		};
		class BackWheelL: FrontWheelR
		{
			selection="wheel_1_2";
			axis="wheel_1_2_axis";
		};
		class BackWheelR: FrontWheelR
		{
			selection="wheel_2_2";
			axis="wheel_2_2_axis";
		};
	};
};
};

I have each wheel selection setup as per above and I have the required points in the memory LOD setup.

[surpher 1]

The thing is theres no real good tutorial I can find to allow this to setup or even reference.

Use the sample car in Arma 3 Tools for reference.

[publicfunction 10]

I did still no good. Im getting really frustrated with the docs and there so little information about how the memory LOD and the selections link to the cpp ad cfg files.

[alduric 10]

u dont need any docs, its simple with samples rly

[publicfunction 10]

u dont need any docs, its simple with samples rly

Sorry buddy, I have to disagree. Being a modeller ONLY I have no clue what all the references for the bones for animation relate to on the model in any of the LODs or points in the memory lod. All I am looking for is how these link together and I can go from there. Just a simple example of what wheel_1_1 in the 1.000 LOD relates to the Memoery LOD and how all that relates to the model.cfg and the config.app.

[surpher 1]

Looks like you may be missing a class for your model.

Inside the CfgModels class, after the Car class is closed add:

class name_of_your_p3d: Car
{
   sectionsInherit="Car";
};

class Rotation
{
type = "rotation";
memory = 1;
minValue = 0;
maxValue = 1;
angle0 = 0;
angle1 = 1;
};

class CfgSkeletons
{
class Default
{
	isDiscrete = 1;
	skeletonInherit = "";
	skeletonBones[] = {};
};
class Vehicle : Default {};
class Car : Vehicle {};
class MRAPCougar4Skel : Car {
	skeletonBones[]=
	{
		"drivewheel", "drivewheel",
		"wheel_1_1" , "wheel_1_1",
		"wheel_2_1" , "wheel_2_1",
		"wheel_1_2" , "wheel_1_2",
		"wheel_2_2" , "wheel_2_2",
	};
};
};

class CfgModels
{
class Vehicle;
class Car: Vehicle
{
	sectionsInherit="Vehicle";
	sections[]=
	{

	};
	skeletonName="MRAPCougar4Skel";
	class Animations
	{
		class DrivingWheel
		{
			type="rotation";
			source="drivingWheel";
			selection="drivewheel";
			axis="drivewheel_axis";
			memory=1;
			animPeriod=0;
			minValue=-1;
			maxValue=1;
			angle0=-8;
			angle1=8;
		};
		class TurnFrontWheelR
		{
			type="rotationY";
			source="drivingWheel";
			selection="wheel_2_1";
			axis="wheel_2_1_steering_axis";
			memory=1;
			animPeriod=0;
			sourceAddress="loop";
			minValue="rad -180";
			maxValue="rad +180";
			angle0="rad +90";
			angle1="rad -90";
		};
		class TurnFrontWheelL: TurnFrontWheelR
		{
			selection="wheel_1_1";
			axis="wheel_1_1_steering_axis";
		};
		class FrontWheelR
		{
			type="rotationX";
			source="wheel";
			selection="wheel_2_1";
			axis="wheel_2_1_axis";
			memory=1;
			animPeriod=0;
			sourceAddress="loop";
			minValue=0;
			maxValue=1;
			angle0=0;
			angle1="rad -360";
		};
		class FrontWheelL : FrontWheelR
		{
			selection="wheel_1_1";
			axis="wheel_1_1_axis";
		};
		class BackWheelL: FrontWheelR
		{
			selection="wheel_1_2";
			axis="wheel_1_2_axis";
		};
		class BackWheelR: FrontWheelR
		{
			selection="wheel_2_2";
			axis="wheel_2_2_axis";
		};
	};
};
class name_of_your_p3d: Car
{
	sectionsInherit="Car";
};
};

[captainclaw 10]

sorry for the late reply surpher public and myself were taking a small night off... will let you know how your changes go once we get it all packed up.

And thanks for the help :D

Once again you come to the rescue of our community

Edited April 14, 2014 by captainclaw

[BadHabitz 235]

I had the same problem with a vehicle I'm working on, and then I used the model.cfg from the sample in the BI Tools. My wheels and steering is animating now, but my current issue is that the car wants to bounce a lot. It's fine when the mission starts, but once you start driving, or if you shoot the vehicle, it wants to bounce perpetually.

So I feel your pain. Give the example in the BI Tools another shot.

[publicfunction 10]

Hey All,

Thanks for the feedback and advice. I have managed to soldier through and get the animations working and got the suspension almost where I want it. Feedback within the REF community has been great and it seems to drive like something weighing just over 17 tons. The only thing I have left to do to get it where I really want it, is to tweak the wheel bounds to stop the grinding animations on the floor.

Only thing I am confused about now is that the drivers hands do to touch the steering wheel. The docs state to use:

driverRightHandAnimName = "drivewheel";
driverLeftHandAnimName = "drivewheel";

This doesnt appear to do anything and the hands are stuck in their default positions. Any advice as to where im going wrong would be good... I post a wee video of the drive in a few minutes...

---------- Post added at 13:49 ---------- Previous post was at 13:26 ----------

OK here is the video as promised...

As you will see I am still having collision issues with things... And I like to drive off of things... Its what I do...

[cleggy 297]

Nice handling - it really does feel 'weighty'!

You seem to have got to grips with the 'FizzX' stuff at least (pun intended)

One observation I would make is that your model seems to be 'handed' - that is mirrored

The exhaust should be on the right and the steering wheel on the left

Was that intentional?

[publicfunction 10]

No mate. I exported the model from Maya 2013, which was the right way round and then in Oxygen/Object builder it decided to fip it around... So I have just left it as it is.

[BlackViperGaming 3]

Quick question, in the end is it going to be left hand drive, or only right hand drive versions?

[publicfunction 10]

As I am not moddelling it in Oxygen/Object Builder, as is a very poor system to do it in. It will stay as it is, meaning it will be RHD. Really in a war zone does it really mattter what side the steering wheel is on? As long as it fill its pupose I say.

[handicap 19]

As someone who spent a great deal of time behind the wheel of one of these, as well as it's larger 6 wheeled brother, I've gotta say that your acceleration and handling is a bit too crisp for a vehicle as large and heavy as these are.

I would imagine somewhere in between the way the Hunter and HEMMT handle is better suited for a vehicle of this size and weight. These truly were unwieldy and cumbersome monsters in country. Not our favorite thing to drive 'round in.

[captainclaw 10]

Hey guys, sorry for not posting anything for a while, we've had some solid work on other projects at Reach to deal with.... however I do have a sneaky screen grab from public to show you

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3812831/ref/MRAP%20Cougar%204x4/skin_test1.jpg (419 kB)

Just a little teaser while we have our texture guy fine tune everything

[disco.modder 116]

finally, Arma's been lacking a Cougar for a long long time. Looking forward to the release!

Will you also be doing a Cougar HE 6x6 variant by any chance?

[captainclaw 10]

Will you also be doing a Cougar HE 6x6 variant by any chance?

it is definitely something we could look into. Once we get the base model for this variant done with, other models probably will come. At the moment we just need to get Pubs (Main developer and modeler) Autumn (Graphics) and myself (Coder) into a session to fine tune the driving and textures, we'll add an armed version.

If all goes to plan we will launch the alpha version to our community mid September (1st year birthday of the community) and let them play around with it for a bit, then we'll publicly release here shortly after that.