Car Physics

This repository contains a Unity-based car simulation system, including a car controller and state management for both player and bot driving modes. The system is designed with modularity and flexibility, so it can be expanded based on any car project requirements.

---

Features

1. Car States

• INIT: Initialization state for setup.
• PLAYER_DRIVING: State where the player controls the car using input axes.
• BOT_DRIVING: AI-controlled state where the car follows a predefined spline.
• COUNT: Represents the total number of states.

2. Drive Types

• FORWARD_WHEEL_DRIVE: Power is applied to the front wheels.
• BACK_WHEEL_DRIVE: Power is applied to the back wheels.

3. Car Controller

The main CarController class is responsible for:

• Switching car states.
• Applying physics for movement, acceleration, and braking.
• Interacting with the car's Tyre components for realistic suspension and steering.
• Supporting both player and bot driving modes.
• Allows switching car data at runtime, enabling different car behaviors as per requirements.

4. Car Data

The CarData class holds the configuration for different car behaviors, allowing for easy switching of car characteristics at runtime. You can define the car's type, suspension, engine performance, and other parameters to customize how the car behaves in the simulation. This feature allows dynamic adjustments of car behavior based on project needs, such as switching between different types of vehicles or modifying a car's characteristics during gameplay.

• Car Type: Defines the type of the car (e.g., SPORTS_CAR, SUV, TRUCK).
• Drive Configuration: Defines whether the car uses front or rear-wheel drive.
• Suspension Settings: Configures suspension force, damping, and rest length.
• Engine Performance: Sets maximum torque, speed, and acceleration rate.
• Braking: Defines braking force for deceleration.
• Steering: Specifies steering angle and speed.
• Weight and Physics: Configures mass and center of mass.

---

Classes Overview

CarController

Manages car physics, states, and behaviors. Key components:

• Fields:
  • m_frontTyres, m_backTyres: Arrays holding tyre components for front and rear wheels.
  • m_carDatas: List of car configurations (CarData).
  • m_splineComputer: Spline for bot navigation.
• Methods:
  • InitCarStates(): Initializes and registers car states in the state machine.
  • SwitchCarData(): Switches car configuration at runtime based on CarDataType, allowing dynamic behavior changes.
  • AccelerateCar(): Applies torque to wheels.
  • ApplyBrakes(): Applies braking forces to wheels.

---

Tyre

Handles individual tyre physics, including suspension, braking, and torque application.

• Key Features:
  • Suspension force calculation.
  • Steering and torque application.
  • Rotation simulation for visual realism.

---

CarState (Abstract Class)

Defines the base structure for all car states. Implements the IState interface.

PlayerDrivingCarState

Manages the player-controlled car behavior using Unity's input system.
Key Features:

• Reads input axes (Horizontal and Vertical).
• Controls acceleration, braking, and tyre rotation.

BotDrivingCarState

Manages bot-controlled car behavior using a spline path.
Key Features:

• Follows a predefined SplineComputer.
• Adjusts tyre rotation and movement direction based on spline targets.

---

StateMachine

A flexible state machine implementation for managing car states.
Key Features:

• Supports transitions between states.
• Executes OnEnter, OnUpdate, OnFixedUpdate, and OnExit for each state.

---

How It Works

1. Initialization:

   • The CarController initializes with a specific state (PLAYER_DRIVING or BOT_DRIVING).
   • Configurations are loaded from CarData.

2. Player Driving:

   • Input controls (WASD or arrow keys) manage car movement.
   • Tyres rotate and apply torque based on input.

3. Bot Driving:

   • The bot car follows a spline path.
   • The bot adjusts steering and acceleration to reach target points on the spline.

4. Suspension and Braking:

   • Physics-based suspension adjusts tyre positions and applies forces dynamically.
   • Braking applies deceleration forces proportional to configured brake factors.

---

Usage

1. Add the CarController script to your car GameObject.
2. Assign required components:
   • Tyres for front and rear wheels.
   • Rigidbody for physics.
   • SplineComputer for bot driving.
3. Configure CarData for different car behaviors.
4. Adjust inspector values like Center of Mass Offset, Brake Factors, and Wheel Rotation Speed.

---

Debugging & Visualization

• Gizmos: Draw suspension forces, spline targets, and tyre velocities in the editor.
• Unity Editor Handles: Display directional forces for tyres in real-time.

---

Future Improvements

• Add more car states (e.g., drifting, stunts).
• Implement dynamic weather effects.
• Integrate multiplayer driving.
• Extend CarData for more car types and advanced tuning options.

---

Requirements

• Dreamteck Splines package for spline handling.

---

Gameplay

Player Driving

---

Contributing

This tool represents my individual development efforts but thrives on community engagement. Feedback, suggestions, and collaborative contributions are highly encouraged. If you're passionate about mesh deformation techniques, Unity development workflows, or procedural generation, I’d love to connect!

---

Contact

You can connect with me on LinkedIn: Bhawesh Agarwal. Feel free to reach out if you're interested in discussing the game's mechanics, and development process, or if you simply want to talk about game design and development.