Creating vehicles #

1- Prepare the environment

• Open an Unity 3D project with Vehicle Physics Pro
• Load the scene Playground 1k - Sandbox (Sample Assets > Scenes).

This scene contains everything you need: test scenario, camera, light, ground materials.

2- Create the vehicle GameObject and add the basic components

• Create an empty GameObject in the scene, name it L200.

• Add these components from the Component menu or Add Component button:

  • Component > Physics > Rigidbody.
    Mass = 1200, Angular Drag = 0, Interpolation = Interpolate
  • Component > Vehicle Physics > Vehicle Controller
  • Component > Vehicle Physics > Input > Standard Input

3- Create the GameObjects for the wheels

• Create a child GameObject in L200. Name it WheelColliders.
• Add four children GameObjects to it. Name them WheelFL, WheelFR, WheelRL, WheelRR.

4- Add the wheel components

Select the four Wheel GameObjects, then add a VPWheelCollider component to them:

• Component > Vehicle Physics > Wheel Collider

5- Add the visual mesh

• Locate the L200-Pickup mesh (Sample Assets > Art > Models > L200 Pickup Truck > Meshes).
• Drag it to the L200 GameObject in the Hierarchy so it becomes a child of L200.

  Check out 3D models and environments for more information and requirements of the 3D models.

6- Assign the visual wheels to their physic counterparts

Configure the property Visual objects > Wheel in each VPWheelCollider component under WheelColliders. Drag the corresponding visual wheel from the L200-Pickup mesh to the Wheel property in the component.

7- Adjust the physic wheels to match the visual wheels

• Select the four VPWheelCollider components under WheelColliders.
• Click the context menu for the VPWheelCollider component and choose Adjust position and radius to the Wheel mesh.
• Repeat with Configure spring and dampers to the vehicle's mass (not in the picture).

The VPWheelCollider components adjust their positions and radii to the visual wheels. See "Configuring the VPWheelColliders manually" below if you need to do it manually.

8- Configure the vehicle Axles

• Select the L200 GameObject.
• Locate the VPVehicleController component and expand the Axles section.
• Drag each wheel under WheelColliders to their corresponding slot as front/rear, left/right wheel.

9- Add the vehicle collision mesh

The collision mesh is a simplified version of the vehicle mesh.

• Locate the L200-Collider mesh (Sample Assets > Art > Models > L200 Pickup Truck > Meshes).
• Drag it to the L200 GameObject in the Hierarchy so it becomes a child of L200.

  A collider is mandatory in the vehicle. Check out 3D models and environments for important information and requirements on the collision mesh for your vehicles.

10- Configure the collision mesh as Collider

• Select all the meshes that compose the collision mesh (Base and Top in this case).
• Add a MeshCollider component and enable the Convex flag.
• Configure the physic Material as Vehicle Body.
• Remove the MeshRenderer and MeshFilter components.

The vehicle is now ready for the first test drive.

11- Configure the camera to follow the car

• Select the Camera Controller GameObject.
• Drag the L200 GameObject from the Hierarchy to the Target property in the camera controller.

12- First test drive: Click Play in the editor!

• Throttle, brake, steering: arrow keys or WSAD
• Handbrake: space
• Clutch: ctrl (i.e. for hot starts)
• Switch camera: C, F1-F4
• Reset car: Enter (i.e. after rolling over)
• Slow time mode: T