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Hello, I am moving an object in a random 360 degrees direction but sometimes the speed of the object is slowing when the randomed direction is too low. Here's my code.

private const float SPEED = 200f;
private Vector3 direction;
void Start()
{
     direction = new Vector3(Random.Range(-1.0f, 1.0f), 0.0f, Random.Range(-1.0f, 1.0f));
}

void Update()
{
     transform.position += direction * SPEED * Time.deltaTime;
}

Now, whenever the direction returns a low randomized vector3, the movement of the object will be too slow. Any ideas to make the movement at a constant speed?

Thanks in advanced! Patrick

Answer 1

0

Use Random.onUnitSphere or .normalize the direction you are creating at the moment.

answered Aug 02 '12 at 09:32 AM

whydoidoit
33.1k ● 12 ● 23 ● 101

Hi Mike,

Thanks for answering. The direction is normalized and the object is moving in a 360deg motion. My only problem is solving it's speed issue. When let's say the randomed direction is new Vector3(.1,0.1) that will return a slow movement even if it's multiplied by a const float speed. :/

Aug 02 '12 at 10:01 AM trickpirata

If you normalize the direction (with .normalized) then it will always be a length of 1 - I don't see a .normalized in your code. Random.onUnitSphere produces a normalized direction automatically - but you don't want y movement so you are better off with a .normalized.

Aug 02 '12 at 10:03 AM whydoidoit

Hello Mike,

My random.range is from -1.0 to 1.0 same as some other normalized values. But anyway I've changed my script to this Vector3 randomDir = Random.onUnitSphere; randomDir.y = 0.0f; direction = randomDir; but still, it will return a slow movement when the randomed number is low ie: (-1.0, 0.0, 0.1)

I guess I need to user rigidbodies for this?

Aug 02 '12 at 10:15 AM trickpirata

:) You are dancing around the solution!

Random.range like you have it will make it inside a unit sphere but .normalize will put it on the sphere. If you do it like you are with y = 0 then it will be on the unit circle (always length 1).

  direction = (new Vector3(Random.Range(-1.0f, 1.0f), 0.0f, Random.Range(-1.0f, 1.0f))).normalized;

Aug 02 '12 at 10:19 AM whydoidoit

That should do it. LOOOOL! Thanks. I thought Random.Range(-1.0f, 1.0f) is equal as the values in .normalized.

Thanks Mike!

Aug 02 '12 at 10:30 AM trickpirata

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