Surface Arrive Behavior

The Surface Arrive behavior is similar to the Seek behavior in that it lets you specify an object or objects as a stationary or moving target for delegates. The principal difference is that Surface Arrive can cause delegates to stop when they reach the target. You can also specify, to some degree, where the delegate will stop on the object, and how it will approach the target before stopping.

An example of a use for this behavior would be birds flying over a row of telephone poles, then each one landing on top of a different pole.

Interface

[target button]
Specifies a single target. Click this button, and then click the target object in the viewport. The target name then appears on the button. Before you select a target, the label reads "None."

If you've selected multiple targets using Multiple Selection (see next item), the label "Multiple" appears on the button. To see which objects are designated as targets, click the Multiple Selection button.

Multiple Selection
Opens the Select dialog to let you designate multiple targets.

When you have more than one target, you can set delegates to move toward the closest target in the group, or to a computed average of the target positions.

Arrival group

Specifies three aspects of the Surface Arrive behavior: Rate, Speed, and Distance.

Disable After Arriving
When on, turns off the Surface Arrive behavior after the delegate arrives at the surface. Default=on.
Rate
A multiple of the delegate's Max Accel setting that specifies the acceleration with which it will try to arrive. A value of 1.0 means to use the full acceleration of the delegate. Default=0.5.
Deviation
Adds random variation to the to the Rate setting.

The actual deviation is calculated by multiplying the Deviation setting by a random number between -1 and 1, and then multiplying the result by the Rate setting. Default=0.0.

Speed
The speed at which to arrive, relative to the speed of the target. Default=0.0.
Deviation
Adds random variation to the Speed setting. Default=0.0.

The actual deviation is calculated by multiplying the Deviation setting by a random number between -1 and 1, and then multiplying the result by the Speed setting.

Distance
The maximum radial distance from the target within which the behavior will be active. Default=9999999.0.

Until the delegate is within this radius, the behavior has no influence.

Deviation
Adds random variation to the to the Distance setting.

The actual deviation is calculated by multiplying the Deviation setting by a random number between -1 and 1, and then multiplying the result by the Distance setting. Default=0.0.

Location group

Offset
Specifies a consistent distance from the calculated arrival point, based on the surface normal, for the delegate to use. Default=0.0.
Facing
When on, the delegate will try to arrive only at points on triangles on the surface that are facing it. Default=off.
  • Random (The default.) character studio chooses a random point on the target surface as the arrival point.

    When using the Random option, character studio chooses arrival points for delegates once, at the beginning of the simulation.

  • Closest character studio chooses the closest point on the target surface as the arrival point.

    If Closest is chosen, but Every Frame is off, character studio chooses arrival points for delegates once, at the beginning of the simulation.

    Every Frame When on, character studio chooses arrival points for delegates at every frame. Available only when Closest is chosen. Default=off.

    Every Frame is useful when the target object is rotating during the animation, but requires more time for calculation.

Display Offset
When on, shows the Offset distance as lines emanating from each vertex in the surface object, perpendicular to the surface.

Approach group

The Height and Descent settings together specify the path the delegate will take for its arrival. They allow for a wide range of behavior, from soft, gradual landings to direct helicopter-type descents.

In both cases, the actual deviation is calculated by multiplying the Deviation setting by a random number between -1 and 1, and multiplying the result by the relevant value.

Height
Specifies a distance from the arrival point along its face normal.

This is the point that the delegate will go to first before descending to the arrival point.

Deviation
Adds random variation to the to the Height setting.

The actual deviation is calculated by multiplying the Deviation setting by a random number between -1 and 1, and then multiplying the result by the Height setting.

Descent Start
Specifies the distance between the delegate and the arrival point at which the descent should start.
Note: Be careful that Descent Start is set high enough that the delegate won't overshoot when descending because its speed is too high and deceleration too low, compared to when it should start descending.
Deviation
Adds random variation to the to the Descent Start setting.

The actual deviation is calculated by multiplying the Deviation setting by a random number between -1 and 1, and then multiplying the result by the Descent Start setting.

Off This Normal
When on, lets you set an approach vector to specify the angle at which the final approach occurs. Default=off.

X/Y/Z Use these spinners to specify the final approach vector in World coordinates. For example, the vector specified by the default settings of X=0, Y=0, Z=1 means that the delegates will approach the target along the vertical world axis.

Seed

Affects the random numbers used to calculate the Deviation settings.

For similar randomization among different Surface Arrive behaviors, use the same Seed value.

[target icon color swatch]

Shows the color used to draw the target icon. Default=dark blue.

Display Target Enables display of the target icon, which appears during the solution when a new interim goal is calculated for the delegate. Interim goals are created when using the Approach group settings. Default=on.

Target Scale
Specifies the overall size of the target icon. Default=5.0.
Parent topic: Behavior Rollouts