Adobe Director Basics

ADOBE DIRECTOR BASICS
3D: Controlling action
200
0 0 0
0.23439370698124551 0 2.8052391247018487
0.79709400427770416 0 5.5735889387208921
1.4100892089568533 0 8.3189680738959133
2.2041555452853721 0 11.022120463300187
3.13483108877689 0 13.679583825865805
4.2009292738630357 0 16.286207871349418
5.38…
In other words, the file starts with the number of points, then a series of lines that begin with two TAB characters, then
the x component, the y component (always 0), and the z component of a vector position in world space.
Tip: In this movie, the camera is attached as a child to the Train model, and the train model follows the track. This helps
you to visualize the spline in 3D space, and the movement of a node through space.
If you are creating a pre-defined fly-through, you do not need to show either a visible track or a visible parent for the
camera. You can simply move the camera between the points of an invisible spline.
The distances between adjacent points on the spline are not always equal, but the train needs to travel at a constant
speed. The Train behavior uses the data from the text file to create four separate lists:
property plPoints -- list of points on track
property plVectors -- list of vectors that join the dots in
-- plPoints
property plLengths -- list of the lengths of the plVectors
property plTotals -- sorted list of cumulated lengths in
-- plLengths
On each enterFrame, the behavior determines how many milliseconds have elapsed since the train started, and
calculates how far the train will have travelled in that time, as vDistance. The behavior then uses
plTotals.findPosNear(vDistance) to determine which segment of the spline the train is currently on. It works out
how far along that segment the train is, and what direction it is currently traveling in. This gives the current position
and rotation for the Train model. Because it is a child of the Train model, the worldPosition and rotation of the
camera is updated automatically to keep it in the same position relative to the train.
You can use the Train behavior as the starting point for your own fly-through projects.
You can find a demonstration of a similar technique at “Following a path” on page 267.
Steering with the mouse
There are several ways to control the camera with the mouse. This article explains a system based on the mouse
position over the sprite. You can find a different solution at “Moving to a given location” on page 225.
Three in one
The Steer Camera With Mouse script deals with three different features of a walkthrough camera:
Forward and backward movement, and steering.
Looking around from a stationary position. For more information, see “Looking around” on page 222.
Collision detection. For more details, see “Not walking through objects” on page 222.
Last updated 8/26/2011
221