CreateCustomPlayerController

[JulBaxter]

My program simulate a basic body with a ConstraintUpVector "walking" on a floor. When I replace the join by a CustomPlayerController the program crashes.

I use the lastest version of NewtonSDK (2.18) and I've based my work on NewtonTutorials.
I use Newton.dll and JointLibrary.dll

Execution stack:
NewtonUpdate(717) in newton.cpp
Newton::UpdatePhysics(98) in newtonclass.cpp
dgWorld::Update(694) in dgworld.cpp
dgWorldDynamicUpdate::UpdateDynamics(208) in dgworlddynamicupdate.cpp
dgSolverWorlkerThreads::ThreadExecute(328) in dgworlddynamicupdate.cpp
NewtonWorldConvexCast(1340) in newton.cpp
dgBroadPhaseCollision::ConvexCast(596) in dgbroadphasecollision.cpp

What kind of mistake I've done ?

[Julio Jerez]

I do not know what mistake you made, do you have a test?

[JulBaxter]

What do you mean by test ?

Here, you can see the creation code part:

Code: Select all

if( CharacterController->Transformation )
   {
      dFloat OffsetMatrix[16];
      NePhysicDevice::ConvertCgMatrixToNeMatrix( TMatrix44<>(), OffsetMatrix );

      SPtr<CgBoxMesh> Mesh = CONSTRUCT( BoxMesh );
      Mesh->Bake();
      NewtonCollision* Collision = NewtonCreateConvexHull( World, Mesh->VertexBuffer->VertexCount, (FLOAT*)Mesh->VertexBuffer->GetPositions().GetData(), 3*sizeof(FLOAT), 0.1f, 0, NULL );

      NewtonBody *Body = NewtonCreateBody( World, Collision );
      
      NewtonBodySetMaterialGroupID( Body, ControllerGroupID );
      NewtonBodySetUserData( Body, CharacterController );

      NewtonBodySetMatrix( Body, OffsetMatrix );

      FLOAT Mass = 3 * NewtonConvexCollisionCalculateVolume( Collision );

      FLOAT Inertia[3], Origin[3];
      NewtonConvexCollisionCalculateInertialMatrix( Collision, Inertia, Origin );   
      NewtonBodySetMassMatrix( Body, Mass, Mass * Inertia[0], Mass * Inertia[1], Mass * Inertia[2] );
      NewtonBodySetCentreOfMass( Body, Origin );

      NewtonBodySetForceAndTorqueCallback( Body, GlobalNePhysicDevice.ApplyForceAndTorqueCallback );
      NewtonBodySetTransformCallback( Body, GlobalNePhysicDevice.SetTransformCallback );

      NewtonBodySetAutoSleep( Body, 0 );

      NewtonUserJoint *UserJoint = CreateCustomPlayerController( OffsetMatrix, Body, 1.f, 1.f / 64.f );
      CustomSetUserData( UserJoint, CharacterController );
      CustomSetSubmitContraintCallback( UserJoint, GlobalNePhysicDevice.SubmitContraintCallback );

      ControllerMap.Add( NeControllerPair( CharacterController, Body ) );

      NewtonReleaseCollision( World, Collision );
   }


The body without CreateCustomPlayerController part works well.
The program crashes even if callbacks are empty

[Julio Jerez]

I cannot test that code fragment, there is stuff that will not compile.

Setting the player join is quiet ease, here is the base setup code take form the base 2.00 tutorual in the wiki. http://www.newtondynamics.com/downloads ... torials.ra

Code: Select all

   // Create a Body and attach a player controller joint
   {
      dFloat y0;
      Entity* player;
      NewtonBody* playerBody;
      NewtonCollision* shape;

      // find  the a floor to place the player
      y0 = FindFloor (world, 0.0f, 0.0f) + 1.0f;

      // load the player mesh
      player = sceneManager->CreateEntity();
      player->LoadMesh ("gymnast.dat");
      player->m_curPosition.m_y = y0;
      player->m_prevPosition = player->m_curPosition;

      // get the bounding Box of the player to get the collision shape dimensions
      dVector minBox;
      dVector maxBox;
      player->GetBBox (minBox, maxBox);

      // calculate player high and width
      dFloat padding = 1.0f / 64.0f;  // this si the default padding, for teh palye joint, we must subtract it from the shape
      dFloat playerHigh = (maxBox.m_y - minBox.m_y) - padding;
      dFloat playerRadius0 = (maxBox.m_z - minBox.m_z) * 0.5f;
      dFloat playerRadius1 = (maxBox.m_x - minBox.m_x) * 0.5f;
      dFloat playerRadius = (playerRadius0 > playerRadius1 ? playerRadius0 : playerRadius1) - padding;

      // No we make and make a upright capsule for the collision mesh
      dMatrix orientation;
      orientation.m_front = dVector (0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f);         // this is the player up direction
      orientation.m_up    = dVector (1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f);         // this is the player front direction
      orientation.m_right = orientation.m_front * orientation.m_up;   // this is the player sideway direction
      orientation.m_posit = dVector (0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f);

      // add a body with a box shape
      //shape = CreateNewtonCapsule (world, player, playerHigh, playerRadius, m_wood, orientation);
      shape = CreateNewtonCylinder (world, player, playerHigh, playerRadius, m_wood, orientation);
      playerBody = CreateRigidBody (world, player, shape, 10.0f);
      NewtonReleaseCollision (world, shape);

      // make sure the player does not go to sleep
      NewtonBodySetAutoSleep (playerBody, 0);

      // now we will attach a player controller to the body
      NewtonUserJoint* playerController;
      // the player can take step up to 0.7 units;
      dFloat maxStairStepFactor = 0.7f / playerHigh;
      playerController = CreateCustomPlayerController (&orientation[0][0], playerBody, maxStairStepFactor, padding);

      // set the Max Slope the player can climb to PLAYER_MAX_SLOPE degree
      CustomPlayerControllerSetMaxSlope (playerController, PLAYER_MAX_SLOPE * 3.1416f / 180.0f);


      // now we will append some application data for the application to control the player
      PlayerController* userControl = (PlayerController*) malloc (sizeof (PlayerController));
      userControl->m_isThirdView = 1;
      userControl->m_point = dVector (0.0f, playerHigh, 0.0f,0.0f);

      // set the user data for the application to control the player
      CustomSetUserData (playerController, userControl);

      // set the destruction call back so that the application can destroy local used data
      CustomSetDestructorCallback (playerController, PlayerController::Destroy);

      // set a call back to control the player
      CustomSetSubmitContraintCallback (playerController, PlayerController::ApplyPlayerInput);

      // we also need to set override the transform call back so the we can set the Camera
      userControl->m_setTransformOriginal = NewtonBodyGetTransformCallback(playerBody);
      NewtonBodySetTransformCallback (playerBody, PlayerController::SetTransform);

      // we will need some ID to fin this joint in the transform Callback
      CustomSetJointID (playerController, PLAYER_JOINT_ID);
   }

You can take the code fragment, past in you code and make it work with your system of data structures.
Also you can download the tutorial and see how it works, in each toturial relevant code is in file
TutorialCode.cpp

[JulBaxter]

I think I've found the "mistake". Application crash when CreateCustomPlayerController is called with 1.f for maxStairStepFactor parameter.

[Julio Jerez]

that sound right maxStairStepFactor is a factor of the player height, making it 1.0 means 100% witch has not meaning.
I also suggest you check the axis.

check the demo to to see the debug display that shows how the auxialiry shapes used for collsion are used.
do you have it working?

[JulBaxter]

Okay, thank you for your reply. Yes it's working now.

[JulBaxter]

The CharacterController have a nice behavior on plane surface or against vertical wall. But when the environment become more chaotic ( slope, crater, hole, etc ), it begin jittering. Worse, when it is in a cave, it can be teleport outside.

I know perfection doesn't exist with character controller, but is there something i can do to imrove this( settings, parameter, etc... ) without attemp to do my own controller ?

It is a known behavior which is planned to improve during this next month ?

Your answer would help me to make choices and plans for my game developpement.

[Julio Jerez]

It should be smooth as silk, zero jitter in all terrains.

I have not test it in many terrain, just the geometries in the SDK (a small level and a simple Hightdfield Terrain).
Do you have a test sampel I can try it and see what it is?

[JernejL]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU0V36bU3b4

Jittering is faster without Fraps.
Crater is made of several static bodies.

[Julio Jerez]

My guess is the you have something wrong on teh set up because teh player should be totally smooth on ramps.

I would like to take a look at it and fix it if I can but it is very difficult to debug at video.
can you send me a test demo tha I can try?

[Julio Jerez]

if you are still intertested. id you get read teh last post.
I'd like to see what it is that make the player jiter like that, but without a test it is very hard.
when I set it up I kknow how to do it and I do not get those errors, so for me to check this I need a test.

[JulBaxter]

Thank you for your assistance but now i work on MaterialContact and I have no more charactercontroller test.