jrgauthier
March 4, 2008 21:55:40
Hi there!
I just did a basic setup to model a Tank tread…
I was actually wondering what would be the best way to animate it, make it roll? Anybody can help me?
Here's what I have done yet…
stu
March 4, 2008 22:48:34
Personally, I'd animate a Creep SOP.
jrgauthier
March 5, 2008 07:57:35
Sounds interesting Stu,
however if I add a creep Sop right now, I have no clue how to make it work, can you give me more details please?
stu
March 5, 2008 08:12:51
Download the file that I attached to my last post.
jrgauthier
March 5, 2008 09:48:12
Thanks man, I didn't see the attached file because I wasn't logged in when I read your post.

ops:
I can't believe how this kind of stuff is simple to do in Houdini! (Once you know how…

It's clear now..I guess!
Thanks again!
jrgauthier
March 5, 2008 10:03:03
Here's another quick question,
would you know what would be the best way now to make those tread go forward relatively to the tread speed?
probbins
March 5, 2008 10:03:37
Here's another way that allows the bottom of the track rail to conform to the terrain.
Now someone else can sort out how to have the whole assembly follow the terrain.
jrgauthier
March 5, 2008 10:25:14
probbins:
Wow that's really nice man! Thanks
I noticed there are some treads tiles jiggling lightly when they are on contact with the ground, how could we avoid that?
probbins
March 5, 2008 11:54:39
hmmm, I haven't noticed that but it's probably due to the way the tread polygon is aligned to the rail.
It's aligned at one end and so the tread maybe flopping at the other end, since the pivot is at the rail.
To fix that would require a bit of trickery on the tread.
You'd convert the tread poly to a nurbs surface, so you can align it in both u and v, then convert it back to polygons after the align and before the extrude.
That way you can align the center of the tread to the rail.
jrgauthier
March 5, 2008 16:18:54
Here's another quick question,
would you know what would be the best way now to make those tread go forward relatively to the tread speed?
simonl
April 12, 2008 12:12:39
Hi
I really liked your short film. Was it all the animation done in Houdini?
Regards
Simon