ChOp Output

The Channel Operator Output allows to output the value from the previous Channel Operators (ChOps) into the Golaem simulation.

 
A Channel Operator Output seen in the Channel Operator Editor (left) and in the Maya Node Editor (right)

Creation

Configuration

A Channel Operator Output defines the following specific attributes. For common attributes see Channel Operator Common Attributes.

Output Channel Attributes


 
Channel

Defines where the value from the previous Channel Operator will be injected in the Golaem simulation

Available values are:

  • Golaem Attribute: expects a float, int or vec3 value. It outputs the result in a Golaem Attribute. Attribute names postfixed with a 0 are reserved names. That means that the attribute initial state must be set, in addition to the attribute live value.
  • Per Particle Attribute: expects a float or vec3 value. It outputs the result in the Entity PP attribute (check the Entity Per Particle Attributes)
  • Set Bone or BlindData: expects a float or a float angle in degrees value. It outputs the results in an Entity Bone rotation or translation (check the Entity Bone or BlindData Attribute)
  • Entity Position: expects a vec3 value. It will set the entity position.
  • Desired Speed: expect a float (m/s) value. It will set the entity desired speed (desired speed is used by the Locomotion Behavior)
  • Desired Move Orientation: expects a float angle in degrees value. It sets the entity desired move orientation (desired move orientation is used by the Locomotion Behavior)
  • Desired Move Orientation Delta: expects a float angle in degrees value. It adds a delta to the current entity desired move orientation (desired move orientation is used by the Locomotion Behavior)
  • Desired Move Direction (3d): expects a vec3 value. It sets the entity desired move direction from a vector indicating a world direction
  • Body Orientation: expects a float angle in degrees value. It sets directly the entity orientation
  • Body Orientation Delta: expects a float angle in degrees value. It adds a delta to the current entity orientation
  • Body Direction (3d): expects a vec3 value. It sets the entity direction from a vector indicating a world direction
  • Position and Body Direction (3d): expects a vec3 value as first input and float values as second, third and fourth inputs. It sets the entity position and also orient it in 3d space according to the direction in which it moved. The way the direction is adapted is also influenced by three additional inputs in the ChOps Ouput node. The first input is the bank amount (defaults to 0.1), the second is the tendency to align up (defaults to 1), and the third is a smooth factor - it smoothes the body direction (defaults to 0). The first and second inputs are the same as those in the Advanced Attributes in the Flock behavior.
  • Reference Up Vector: expects a vec3 value. It sets the entity up vector.
  • Traffic Speed Factor: expects a float value. The traffic speed will be multiplied by this factor (note that the acceleration range defined in traffic behavior may cap the resulting speed to respect maximum acceleration/deceleration)
  • Traffic Switch Lane: expects an int value. If a negative value is sent, the car will try to switch toward the center of the road. A positive value requests a switch toward the exterior of the road.
  • No Channel: do not write the output value in any Channel. The output value can still be retrieved in an expression using the channel outputChannel.

Golaem Attribute

This part is only used when the Channel type is set to Golaem Attribute.

Golaem Attribute

Name of the Golaem Attribute where to write the value.
Click on the helper button to get the list of existing Golaem Attributes  in the scene.

Per Particle Attribute

This part is only used when the Channel type is set to Entity PP attribute.

PPAttribute Name

Name of the PP attribute where to write the value.
Click on the helper button to get the list of existing PP attributes in particles systems in the scene.

Bone or BlindData Attributes

This part is only used when the Channel type is Set Bone or BlindData.

Bone Attributes

Bone

Name of a bone, transformation (t for world translation, l for local translation, r for local rotation, R for world rotations and s for scale) and bone component (x, y, z or all of them) which will be edited. Click on the helper button to check which Bones are available for the loaded Character File. The bone components and the local bone axis coordinate are visible when opening the Character File in the Character Maker:

  • When using the translation  or rotation transformation, any bone of the Character can be edited
  • When using the scale transformation, only bones with no child bone can be edited

When editing rotation using operators += and -=, the result of the expression code is evaluated as degree angles. When using *= and /=, the result of the expression code is evaluated as a multiplier / divider of the current orientation.

Use the "Add New Bone Expression" button and the trash icon to add or remove expressions.
Operator

The available operators are: =, +=, -=, *=, /=

When editing rotation using operators += and -=, the result of the expression code is evaluated as degree angles. When using *= and /=, the result of the expression code is evaluated as a multiplier / divider of the current orientation.

Use the  icon to enable / disable an Expression without removing it from the behavior.

Blind Data Expression Attributes

Blind Data

Name of a Blind Data or a Blend Shape (i.e. or blindDataNode.blindDataAttribute blendShapeGroupName.blendShapeName) which value will be edited. Click on the helper button to check which Blind Data / Blend Shapes are available for the loaded Character File.

Use the "Add New Blend Shape Expression" button and the trash icon to add or remove expressions.
Operator

The available operators are: =, +=, -=, *=, /=

Use the  icon to enable / disable an Expression without removing it from the behavior.

Advanced Attributes

This part is only used when the Channel type is Set Bone or BlindData.

Evaluation Mode

Specifies if this Behavior should be evaluated before or after the Physics Behaviors (and Apex Behavior).