Editing Vehicle Configurations [Blockers]

[INFIDEL]

So I'm still getting a hang of the basics, what I can't seem to understand is if there is a need to define Blockers when adding parts to vehicles (by parts I mean prexisting models attached to the vehicle like crates etc).

Blockers seem to make sense for a vehicle's moving parts... wheels, suspension, ramps, etc. If I understand it correctly, the blocker defines what part has primacy when there is an impending collision between two or more parts. In other words, a wheel traveling up and down on it's suspension will be "blocked" by the frame of the vehicle if that impending collision occurs.

I have not spotted blockers for "Fixed" Items in the vanila vehicles; but i have spotted "Fixed" items in the code of Addon vehicles with Blockers.

Any further information or corrections to my assumptions on Blockers would be helpful. Thanks

[dariusz1983]

Alright! Thanks to Dram I now know what those magic blockers are. A blocker blocks collisions. You can have two objects in the game and set up a blocker so that those two don't collide with each other (they may collide with everything else, just not each other). When a joint is set up you have to set up a blocker. The joint itself holds them together, but the blocker makes sure there is no weird stuff happening. Once the joint gets removed (to much stress etc.) so does the blocker and those parts can collide with each other.

So if you want two parts to ignore each other (in terms of physics) you want a blocker.

[INFIDEL]

Thanks for the explanation. "When a joint is set up you have to set up a blocker." this definitely sounds logical when the joint has a motion... but it seems unnecessary for a fixed joint.

Perhaps it is necessary... I did test this without blockers but noticed no diffference.

This brings up one other point. Why even use fixed joints rather than static connections. I see one draw back that there are values that you can assign directly into the config for when a joint will "break" and what effects will be displayed.

Are items defined statically "unbreakable"? If all the non-moving parts of a vehicle were built with static connections and we dropped the vehicle from an altitude of 1000 meters would the vehicle stay intact (except for the jointed parts)? Or do they also have stress limits defined elsewhere perhaps in controller scripts?

Anyway... this is just "wondering" rather than needing an answer due to being stuck on something.

Thanks for the reply

[dariusz1983]

Well. Try it out. Change the joints of tha cargo truck to static and make it land towards the cursor 😀. Joints can also be movable...like pistons, hinges etc.

[INFIDEL]

Ok, I get why blockers can be used with fixed joints.

Why I wasn't seeing blocker effects; when I was defining offsets and angles I had blockers off, got the object where I wanted, and then realized I hadn't set blockers and set them up.

When they were turned on, the parent and child objects weren't occupying the same space... so the blocker didn't "kick" the item off the parent.

Working on a different object and having blockers defined, when I tried an offset and angle the object went flying off due to it being a bit inside of the parents collision zone. So I guess it's helpful if you are trying to connect via fixed joint and don't want the object "intruding" into another part of the vehicle.

[dariusz1983]

That's exactly what they are for. Well done man.