How to make a dolphin model swim like a dolphin?

Started by
11 comments, last by Candy 21 years, 3 months ago
Hello everyone, I am now making a dolphin swim in the 3D world by OpenGL, I am now able to transform the model to any position in the world. However, the dolphin doesn''t look like swimming across the sea, it just like sliding in the sea. Therefore, how can I make the model swims in the "wave" form? If you can, please teach me with some examples or tutorials. Thanks you very much.
Advertisement
You might want to look into tutorials on skeletal animation (just do a google search for skeletal animation, you''ll find lots).
www.FlegDev.tkJust code it!
i think he means the model won''t flow through the environment like it should. I would do some research on Bezier curves. I myself know very little about them.
"God''s in his Heaven. All''s right with the World"
Thanks static_matt13 & flegmato.

My expected output is similar to the dolphin example in directX SDK. In that example, the dolphin is swimming in a "wave" form which looks like a real dolphin.

However in my project, my dolphin just swim(translate) from one position to another position in a straight way just like a car...
DirectX uses vertex shaders to accomplish the dolphin effect. In OpenGL, you can use vertex programs for the same thing.

Don''t listen to me. I''ve had too much coffee.
Thanks Sneftel, would u mind to give me more references or tutorials on it. Really thx~
The dolphin would need to have skeletal animation sequence and you would need to play it in you code. I don thtink he is talking about moving the dolphin in a wave, he wants it to move the dolphin in a line (or whatever) and as it moves, the body will form to make it seem like it is flapping its fins.

Be more specific next time to get better answers.

IT Administrator / Software Engineere
http://drdsoftware.cjb.net
Dustin DavisOwner / CEOProgrammers Unlimitedwww.Programmers-Unlimited.com
Not too familiar with OpenGL vertex stuff, so you''ll have to find tutorials for yourself... but the OpenGL website would probably be a good place to start (it''s an extension).

Don''t listen to me. I''ve had too much coffee.
You''re probably best off learning the techniques behind skeletal animation in software (eg do it on the cpu using matrix math) and then learn the hardware way afterwards. Otherwise you may get too bogged down in extension hell to learn anything. If you are only using one model it will make no performance difference anyway.

There''s a good turorial on skeletal animation on Brett Porter''s site. It follows on from his milkshape model loading tutorial on nehe.gamedev.net.

Dan
[size="1"]
Thanks all of you~

Is it possible to let the model to swim in a simple sine-wave? For example,

y = sin(x)*someScaleFactor

x, y is the position of the model.


This topic is closed to new replies.

Advertisement