Animation Linked Paths

Animation Linked Paths allow users to utilize the smooth driving animations of paths with a Vehicle Animation. Using an Animation Linked Path to create an animation of a vehicle entering and leaving the construction site is much quicker than manually creating a Keyframe Animation.

Animation Linked Paths are created using the Paths App. To create an Animation Linked Path it is important the user understands operations associated with creating Paths.

Unlike some paths, Animation Linked Paths do not have forks. This ensures that the vehicle is always taking the intended route through the construction site.

Below is an example of a concrete mixer entering the site, navigating to the concrete pump and then leaving the construction site.

Egress routes are being used to show the different movements.

• Red shows the path the mixer would likely take entering the site.

• Teal shows the path the mixer would take backing up to the pump.

• Green path shows the route the mixer would take leaving the site.

The vehicle may exit or enter the path at any node along the path. Each of these movements can be combined into the same Animation Linked Path:

Additionally, other vehicles in the file could use the same Animation Linked Path, if making similar movements.

In the above example the Red and Teal Sections would be used to create an animation of the Concete pump driving in and backing up, and the Green Section would be used to create the animation of the concrete pump leaving the site.

Objects cannot be placed directly onto Animation Linked Paths. They are added to paths using the associated button in the Vehicle Animation Editor. The Vehicle Animation Editor is located in the element properties when a appropriate equipment is selected. For more information see Vehicle Animations.

Use the Join Path button to Join a Vehicle Animation to the Path. When prompted the user should select a destination node.

The start point of the animation is always the closest point on the path.

In the example to the left the start node is shown with a green circle. The end of the animation is shown with a red circle. Other nodes on the Animation Linked Path nodes are used to calculate how the vehicle navigates between the start and end nodes.

After the node is selected keyframes are added to the Vehicle Animation Editor that describe the animation along the path.

Denotes when a vehicle is joining and leaving the path.

Additional nodes can be added before, after or even in between the paths nodes. The user may want to add more nodes in between path nodes to accomplish the following:

• Move parts of the vehicle during the driving animation.

• Change the time dialation on different parts of the path in order to coordinate mulitple vehicles.

A vehicle may exit and rejoin the same, or a different path in the same animation:

• Driving along a path foward, then continuing on to the next portion of the path driving backwards.

• Transitioning between two main routes for navigating around the site.

When adding the path it is important to note the direction of the path. A vehicle cannot travel in the opposite direction of the path. This ensures that even when a path may overlapp the same route the vehicle takes the path that is navigating in the right direction.

If the vehicle is driving backwards down the path the path direction must match.

For most functions, Animation Linked Paths work similarly to other traffic paths. The main difference is that an Animation Linked Path does not have forks. the options to create forks in a path will be greyed out in the path settings when appropriate.

In some situations the user may want to reverse the path. This option is only avaialble if the path is not associated with any animations. The path will need to be removed from animations in order to be reversed.

The Reverse Path button changes the direction of all segments on the path.

The Assignments / Objects tab allows the user to manage all animations and vehicles associated with the Animation Linked Path.

The Clear all button clears all animations joined to the Animation Linked Path.

The Select all button selects all of the vehicles that have animations associated with the path.

The Add to Task button add any vehicle bound to the path to a selected task.

Use Terrian Physics toggles whether the terrain is used to calculate physics for the path. Both vehicle physics in the animation and terrain physics in the path settings need to be turned off for a vehicle to stop driving on the terrain during a Linked Animation Path animation.