Tie physics solved finally (and muscles addressed)

[Numsgil]

After lots and lots of work I've solved the tie physics.  That means drag on ties.  Swimming bots should soon be possible!

The next step is muscles that allow bots to change the angle of joints.  These aren't too difficult, but there is a slight issue:

If the joints are parallel (that is, 0 -- 0 -- 0) then the bots won't be able to change the angle.  Leverage would be 0.

So should I:

1.  Allow bots to specify the maximum angle a joint is allowed to bend in.
2.  Specify and hardcode maximum angle joints can bend.
3.  Allow joints to become parallel, and see if bots can find other ways to get out of this lock (say, by the middle bot moving forward and the two end bots moving backward).

Another side note:  I've researched rigid body physics, so when ties "harden", they can really harden.  Should be lotsa fun.  If I let bots play with the angles of joints, and create a gradient between super rigid and completely soft, we can get some realistically stiff alga, for instance.

[Endy]

Hooray, I'm back on land :D I always feel like I've been gone forever but in truth its only been a few weeks.

Ideas about ties and leverage are pretty cool. I started thinking about some advanced uses for them today, when I was watching our Tugboat turn itself with ropes alone. Should be cool to see where it goes.

I was also planning on trying to figure out how the bots have been "flying" using ties; it kind of annoys me that the bots have outsmarted us. B)

Gotta get coding again. Feels good to stretch the brain with DB's super algebraic equations. :)

[Numsgil]

The most basic test bot would be some sort of jet propulsion bot like I tried to make months ago that moves by a butterfly kick.  I think that's what would be cool looking.

[Endy]

Yep. :D

Evolution in DB seems to be able to get alot of use out of these as they are now. If we can get the physics working correctly and make them easier to use it should be even better. B)