[ODE] Tank Tracks

[John D. Gwinner]

Thank you ...

> From: Adam Rotaru [mailto:adam_rotaru@yahoo.com] 

> As I understand here, the constraint is that the
> tracks 
> should stay in a vertical plane relative to the body.

Correct.  However, of course it has to move 'around' like a band.

> You could use a horizontal slider joint and a vertical
> slider
> joint to mimic this: the track part can move freely in
> x and z
> (forward, up) but not in y (sideways).  Essentially
> this would be
> a planar constraint.

Ah, I get it, so the slider joints would be in addition to the hinge
joint between each link.  Good idea.

I will have close to 1400 such joints (five treads per group, four
groups).  This is an 'Ogre' (http://www.sjgames.com/ogre .. Also think
of Keith Laumer's Bolo series.  80 road wheels, 4 sprockets and 4 idler/
tension wheels.

Do you think I'll have a problem with the fact the joints will be
circular (i.e. the last will attach to the first).

I'll give it a shot this weekend and see how it goes.

               == John ==