CMPS 161 Winter 2011

Rocketeer - A Jetpack Flying Simulator

Kyle Huey - kahuey@ucsc.edu

"If God REALLY wanted Man to fly, then there is only one way He would want us to do it - screaming through the skies on an unholy chariot of fire."

The Goals

There were two sets of features for the project. These are the ones that were integral to it and will be implemented first.

• Fully controlled flight! And by "fully", I mean you'll have a chance to not crash in humiliating fashion!
• Realistic flight/gravity physics - because there are many forces trying to keep you up and down.
• Fire and smoke particle systems

This second set consists of nice "extra" features that ultimately were not added on.

• Computer aided landing. Lower your speed close enough to the ground and the computer will help you set down on your own two feet.
• Squishy pilot! Hit the ground too hard and he'll spend a second or two looking more like a pancake than a pilot!
• An animated pilot! Watch him jut his arm out like Superman as you gain speed and flail helplessly when you cut the thrust!
• Wind, because Mother Nature doesn't let anyone fly for free! Watch your smoke drift and your jetpack fight against the breeze!
• Customizable jetpack exhaust! Because who would be caught dead with regular orange fire? Certainly not me!

The Results

As of right now, very little of the simulation works. Flight is enables and works rather well, but the particles systems are not functioning for unknown reasons and no other features have been implemented.

Here is a video of the program in action.

The Future

I plan on working on this for a long time to come - it has the potential to be an impressive toy, if nothing else. After finishing the features listed in the "Goals" section, I want to:

• Improve the accuracy of the physics
• Use a random seed to generate interesting terrain
• Eventually make a game out of it

The Material

Sourcecode

Readme

The Help

Associated projects and tutorials I consulted.

Flight physics:

Vector-based Flight Engine for Game Maker

Free Flight and Collision Calculations

XNA C# Flight Simulator Tutorial

Physics for Game Programmers Google Book

Fire and smoke particle systems:

Smoke, Fountain, and Fire Simulation from CMPS161 2008

Fountain Simulation from CMPS161 2009

NeHe Productions Tutorial on Particle Systems

Particle systems effected by gravity:

Rain/Hail/Snow Simulation from CMPS161 2009

Object deformation:

Animation of Flexible Object from CMPS161 2009

I hereby certify that everything on, and including, this page is of my own creation, unless otherwise noted located in my "The Material" section or noted with a citation.