Tank tracks with constraints (Updates aswell)

[Awedsval (Avora)]

I kinda need some help with my tank, just in the moving part.
I’ve done physical / constraint tracks before, and well it butchers a lot the performance Frames, CPU wise, so I’m trying to make another kind of system that doesn’t do all of that.

This is one of my test models, the M4A2 (76)W Sherman, 'm gonna try and make this thing move if its the last thing I do in my *dev career or something.

(one of my tests) Checking out tracks and movement by beams or lightbeams.

Here is another but instead of constraint links, I used light beams, they worked but they didn’t had collisions so the climbing, off-roading capabilities of it are really low.

And then we have constraint tracks, (Chassis of a Panzer 4, I had to remove to turret so it doesn’t glitch out that much), this cannot go faster or else the tracks will merge with the sprocket, stopping it.

I’ve also attempted at mesh deformation, but it didn’t work, BUT, I might go back on it because I think I didn’t apply the things I had to do.

Any help, or feedback will be appreciated so I can improve, or use another kind of track belt system to make these things move.

[Awedsval (Avora)]

Found a way to do it, it doesnt work that well when theres players inside, but im gonna stick with it for now.

[Awedsval (Avora)]

Update: it works.

[Awedsval (Avora)]

Stepping it up with half tracks!, the only thing needed is the steering, it starts hopping around trying to move.

[Awedsval (Avora)]

The turret works now.
That means that i need to find a way for this thing to fire! Right now, its based on a remote-event to value system, which isn’t working, ill find a way to fix it tho.
Hopefully

[Futuristic_Paladin (Paladin)]

Just wanted to say I like what you’re doing here and I’m quite interested! It’s really good, especially for you to use cool engine features like mesh deformation. Keep it up! Can we also like to see videos of this?

Oh, also how did you get thickness with those LightBeams? Furthermore, do the meshes travel along the wheels and how?

[Awedsval (Avora)]

Alright!

Here’s the one I’m working one, the Panther basically, in this stand point I think its the one that it mostly done.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I need to work on the audio mostly, I’m using some free sounds on the toolbox and a really basic script on it, so I have to re-touch it, aswell as some track sounds for it.
Theres also other seats that are meant to be used for other players.
(Outside)

(Commanders POV)

that is somewhat depicted in one of my games i made in an alt.

It cannot fire yet, and the prism I have attached to the barrel makes it go up ones it moves

Now, the thing with mesh deformation I don’t know how to use it that well, but maybe I should go back on it and probably use it in other projects.

It works with attachments mostly, First we have the main track, which is a bunch of parts welded to a mesh, and then they’re linked with a hinge constraint, without any limits not type.

There’s an special wheel (the second one) which is able to hold the track in place with one part.

Like this.

Heres an image of the tracks, and a video which shows how it mostly works.
robloxapp-20220405-2036185.wmv (4.7 MB)

Light beams, its one of the recent ones I’ve done, and the one prior to the panther test.

I putted them on some folders because it looked a bit messy.

Sprocket Top, or the one that goes around the Sprocket, is around track thick, or in this case, 1.4.

[Awedsval (Avora)]

Update
T-60 but its on fire, effects testing.

[Awedsval (Avora)]

So just to recap
This was some weird kind of way to make new tracks instead of the old system i was using (which was hoping that the tracks wont come off and unions have proper collisions).

The chassis is done, and now its time for another challenge, scripting turrets for it. Ill start with a multiple turreted vehicle, like the Mark IV.
Image

I’m gonna close this *thread because help is no longer needed for a chassis.

Time for some turrets!

[Awedsval (Avora)]

Alrighty, it has been a while (2 years holy)

In the last year or so Iven learning how to do stuff outside of studio, and now i feel confident that I’ve found a way to make tracks without the help of the Roblox physics system.
Yes it does use it a bit, but it mostly comes around scripting.
Sadly i do not know how to do that clearly, but i know the principles of my system, or how i think it should work?

I will use this as an example.

First off, since Iven getting into rigging the last couple of months, and observed how it works in Roblox, I’ve got an idea in how it may be able to work.

Since Roblox has an 15k Tris limit upload, the track has to be split between 4 “sets” (The track is 60k Tris).

Now my idea is to find a way to make a path along the running gear, and make it so the “track links” (in this case they should be separate bones?)

For me that’s the hard part since i have next to none coding experience, BUT i may be able to make it work? I’m not sure, i will see but that’s the first thing, and then comes a bunch of problems.

Such as:
1. what about when the roadwheels go down?
2. how about the track tensioning?
3. how about the tracks properly going around the sprocket? instead of clipping with the sprocket?

If you were to ask me that now, i wouldn’t know what to tell you, for me it’ll be a matter of time until ill be able to make it work? I’m not sure tho…
Regardless I’m considering making a new post but instead of using the constraint system, it uses raycast and deformable meshes.
I will try to keep this up.

[gianfragolo]

Good luck with your project! I am trying to create something similiar for a resource i am working on, i tried using meshes too but it didnt turn out really good, i am probably gonna simply use roblox physics.

[Awedsval (Avora)]

There is a way to do things like that with bones, but i don’t really have the experience to make that?
Atleast i can provide with models for testing I’m guessing lol

[gianfragolo]

Oh ok… In my case i ended up just using beams with a pretty lightweight script i made.