Extending Vehicle Physics Pro #

VPP can be extended in several ways without modifying the source code.

Add-on components #

You can write Unity components deriving from VehicleBehaviour instead of MonoBehaviour. The life cycle in these components (initialization, release, update) is bound to the vehicle they belong to. Also, you can place them anywhere in the hierarchy of the vehicle and enable/disable them anytime. Most of VPP components are already implemented this way.

• Writing add-on components
• VehicleBehaviour reference

Add-ons use the protected property vehicle to reference the VehicleBase vehicle they belong to. Then they may use the API exposed by VehicleBase and/or the vehicle's Data Bus.

• VehicleBase API
• Data Bus reference

Custom vehicles #

The standard vehicle controller (VPVehicleController) implements the most common vehicle types. However, you can write a custom vehicle controller by writing a class that inherits from VehicleBase. This way you car implement non-standard or unconventional vehicles not supported by the standard vehicle controller component, such as electric or hybrid multi-motor cars.

Put it simple, VehicleBase implements the chassis and the wheels of the vehicle. You can then add functional components or Blocks arranged in any number and combination, then connect their outputs to the wheels. Engine, gearbox, differential, clutch, steering, etc are all Blocks you may use (or not) in your custom vehicle. VPVehicleController is already a VehicleBase-derived class with the typical components arranged in standard vehicle layouts.

• Writing custom vehicles
• VehicleBase reference and API

Custom blocks #

If you need to simulate functional parts not included in VPP then you may implement your own custom parts or Blocks and use them in your custom vehicle controller.

For example, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) may be easily implemented as custom block.

• Writing custom blocks
• Block reference

Advanced events #

VehicleBase exposes some advanced event handlers launched at specific stages of the simulation cycle. These are intended for implementing very specific advanced functionalities within custom add-on components. They shouldn't be needed in most cases.

For example, the VPReplay component makes use of these events for recording the vehicle state and tweak the simulation during the replay.

• VehicleBase Events

Custom Ground Materials #

By inheriting from GroundMaterialManagerBase you could write your own Ground Material Manager component that provides VPP vehicles with the ground properties based on your own criteria.

GroundMaterialManagerBase.GetGroundMaterial receives the information on the contact in GroundMaterialHit, including contacted collider, physics material and contact point. The method then returns a GroundMaterial instance with the ground properties (grip, drag, effects...).

• Ground Materials reference and API