Paths
A path is a curve you draw from points. It does two quite different jobs, and it is worth knowing both:
- A shape — sweep a profile along the curve and you get a pipe, a rope, a road, a railing, a ribbon, a neon tube.
- A route — send an object along it with the follow-path step: a train, a camera move, a patrolling guard.
The points are stored relative to the object, so moving, rotating or scaling the object carries the whole path with it.
Shaping the curve
| Setting | Does |
|---|---|
points | the points the curve runs through |
curve | smooth rounds through them, linear joins them with straight segments |
tension | how tightly a smooth curve hugs its points |
closed | join the end back to the start — a loop |
Turning it into a shape
By default a path is invisible — just a route. It becomes geometry in one of two ways.
As a tube: give it a radius above zero and you get a round tube along the curve.
radialSegments controls how round it looks, tubularSegments how smooth it is along its
length.
As a swept profile: pick a profile (circle, rectangle or star) and that outline is
carried along the curve.
| Setting | Does |
|---|---|
profileSize | how big the outline is |
sides | corners on a circle or points on a star |
ring | hollows the profile out — 0 solid, approaching 1 a thin shell |
arc | below 360° the outline opens into a slice |
rotation · twist | the profile's angle at the start, and how much it turns by the end |
startScale · endScale | taper from one end to the other |
depth · offset | which share of the path is covered, and where it begins |
caps | flat or rounded ends |
A hollow rectangle profile with a twist gives you a spiral duct. A star with a ring makes a
cable channel. A circle tapering to nothing produces a horn or a tentacle. depth below 1 lets
you animate a shape drawing itself along its own path.
Using it as a route
A path belongs to its own object. To send something along it, put a Fly along path step
on the thing that should travel, and point its path field at the object carrying the curve.
| Setting | Does |
|---|---|
path | the object holding the curve |
duration | how long one pass takes, in seconds |
loop | once, a number of times, or forever |
orient | turn to face along the curve as it goes |
reverse | travel the other way |
Stop path flight stops it again.
Make an empty object, draw the path on it, then give your guard a Fly along path step
pointing at it with loop: forever and orient on. Several guards can share one path — start
them apart by giving each a different duration, or by delaying their start.
Because the curve belongs to its object, moving that object moves the whole route. A patrol path parented to a moving platform keeps working when the platform moves.
Next: Your first script — if you want more control.