OBJECT ANGULAR VELOCITY WHILST ROTATING TO FOLLOW PLAYER AS WELL

Hi

Struggled with the title as you may have noticed. Not all that catchy.

Chucking this one out there a bit. I've got top down game with a player and a missile. Simply I want the missile to follow the player which I have achieved already. However, for effect I would like to spin (rotate if you like) towards the player as well.

Problem is, the missile is having to rotate on the Y axis to follow the player, but at the same time I would like to rotate it constantly on the Z axis regardless of what the Y axis is.

I made this piece of code (in Start) to spin it on its Z axis which works:

Code (CSharp):

1. rigidbody.angularVelocity = -transform.forward * 2;
2.  

Using this section of code to follow the player which works:

Code (CSharp):

1. void Update()
2.     {
3.         Vector3 lookDir = target.position - myTransform.position; lookDir.y = 0;
4.         myTransform.rotation = Quaternion.Slerp(myTransform.rotation, Quaternion.LookRotation(lookDir), rotationSpeed * Time.deltaTime);
5.  
6.  
7.         myTransform.position += myTransform.forward * 1 * Time.deltaTime;
8.  
9.     }

Of course they don't work together which is expected. I've tried different methods for both and can't find two pieces that work together. I'm sure it can be done because anything is possible but I am struggling to find two methods that don't conflict with each other.

Does anyone have an idea?


Cheers people

 

The simple way is to make your missle a child of an empty gameObject. Have the gameObject execute your missle follow command and have your missle rotate on any axis you want without messing up your follow path.

 

That would work but both scripts are trying to rotate the object.

It works for a start, the missile spins in a cork screw effect but once I move to the left or right, the missiles path alters by rotating on the Y axis and then it just tumbles. Which makes sense so that means poor scripting? Its like I want to modify the Y and Z values independently of each other if that makes sense.

 

I read this post a while back
http://answers.unity3d.com/questions/375589/how-to-rotate-two-axes-independently-simultaneousl.html

There the solution to his problem are these two lines. I tried something like this but couldn't figure out how to implement my follow player code using this method.

Code (CSharp):

1. // Rotate around Y axis
2. transform.RotateAround(transform.up,Time.deltaTime * YForce);
3.  
4. // Rotate around Z axis
5. transform.RotateAround(Vector3.forward, Time.deltaTime * ZForce);

EDIT:

This is what I came up with an this didn't work either.

Code (CSharp):

1. void Update()
2.     {
3.         Vector3 lookDir = target.position - myTransform.position; lookDir.y = 0; // zero the height difference
4.         //myTransform.rotation = Quaternion.Slerp(myTransform.rotation, Quaternion.LookRotation(lookDir), rotationSpeed * Time.deltaTime);
5.  
6.         myTransform.position += myTransform.forward * moveSpeed * Time.deltaTime; //moves enemy towards player
7.  
8.  
9.         // Look at player
10.         transform.RotateAround(lookDir,Time.deltaTime * rotationSpeed);
11.      
12.         // Spin effect
13.         transform.RotateAround(Vector3.back, Time.deltaTime * 2);
14.  
15.         //rigidbody.angularVelocity = -transform.up * 2;
16.  
17.     }
18.  

 

Unfortunately when using any type of LookAt methods it becomes very difficult to have any external control over an objects eulerangles your self. This is where helper objects come into play. You allow the helper object to be controlled by your LookAt method while your missile is free to do as you wish.

I made a simple demo. The missile will follow / attack a target and rotate around its local z axis.

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. //Apply this script to your MissileHelper Object
3.  
4. using UnityEngine;
5. using System.Collections;
6.  
7. public class missle : MonoBehaviour {
8.     private Transform MissileHelper; //Parent
9.     public Transform Missile; //Child
10.     public Transform _Target;
11.     public float MissileSpeed = 3;
12.     public float MissileRotSpeed = 100;
13.  
14.     void Start () {
15.         MissileHelper = this.transform;
16.     }
17.  
18.  
19.     void Update () {
20.         //Look at the target
21.         MissileHelper.LookAt(_Target.position);
22.  
23.         //Move to the target
24.         MissileHelper.Translate(Vector3.forward * MissileSpeed * Time.deltaTime);
25.  
26.         //Rotate the missile around the z axis
27.         Missile.localEulerAngles += new Vector3(0,0,MissileRotSpeed * Time.deltaTime);
28.     }
29. }

 

Wicked! That works really well! Thank you for the help @ForceX

 

Your welcome