Original Post
Please excuse my terrible stickman art [smile] My custom physics engine is not advanced enough to handle something like this, with the table flopping over, so I want to completely animate it, generically, for all flippable objects. My game engine is already capable of linking static props to character animations to animate their transforms. So actually getting that to work will be easy. I also know exactly how the character interaction side of things will function. The player will press against the prop and press the maneuver command (used to crouch and wall-hug). So that's not a problem either. My problem is implementing the details about knowing when, where, and how this action should be possible. For example, in the image, the 'square table' could be flipped from all four sides. But some objects (such as a long table) will only be flippable from one or two sides. And some other objects may not be flippable at all. The first thing that comes to me is a handle object. I could define boxes in my modeling program and situate them on the top corners of sides that can be flipped. Then I can read those boxes in as invisible handle-state objects. So when the character presses against this object, the handle can be scanned, the handle orientation can be read, and the character will know if it can be flipped from that situation and angle, or not. I was also considering using these handles on ledges. The ledge-type handles would show a ledge that can be hung from or climbed on. So if I do go with the handle design, it means I get the programming aspect for free, because I can use the handles elsewhere. I'm trying to come up with alternative ideas before I start working on it. Are these handles really necessary? Would there be a simple way to do this? If ideas are really a dime a dozen, I have three dollars, so let the flow begin. Thanks for any insights [smile]
