SKPhysics: Made a rope, why does it break?

Question

I've been experimenting with sprite kit a little bit, building a prototype for an idea I have. I've been connecting a string of physics bodies together using an SKPhysicsJointPin, to make a rope (actually more like a bike chain, but it's good enough). Also in the scene are a number of balls, and I can drop them when I tap them. This leads to the following:

However, when I drop more balls, the chain seems to be unable to handle it, and 'breaks':

Here is a movie showing the phenomenon

What's happening? The documentation never suggests SKPhysicsJointPin has a limited maximum strength or elasticity or similar. Is this a 'bug' in sprite kit, or am I using the wrong approach?

Nursemaid

Have you tried decreasing the density of the balls? I was able to add 25+ balls without the "rope" breaking. – Outofdoor

Yes, decreasing density of balls or increasing density of the chain works but that has of course other effects on the simulation (even on the way the chain sags when holding a ball) – Nursemaid

I've implemented similar code, and the rope never quite behaves the way I think it should. It just doesn't interact with other objects in a way a rope should. – Outofdoor

For the moment, I haven't had a lot of time to continue on this and move it from prototype into something real. Thanks for the suggestions anyway :) – Nursemaid

I'm having the same issue with the joints stretching or breaking. I've been searching through everything here on stackoverflow and still haven't found any solutions. It seems that SKPhysicsJointPins have some inherent elasticity that is not accessible to developers. – Fulltime

Answer 1

I faced a similar elasticity bug with a rope simulation and could finally come up with a workaround.

Here's my rope interface:

#import <SpriteKit/SpriteKit.h>

@interface ALRope : NSObject

@property(nonatomic, readonly) NSArray *ropeRings;

@property(nonatomic) int ringCount;

@property(nonatomic) CGFloat ringScale;

@property(nonatomic) CGFloat ringsDistance;

@property(nonatomic) CGFloat jointsFrictionTorque;

@property(nonatomic) CGFloat ringsZPosition;

@property(nonatomic) CGPoint startRingPosition;

@property(nonatomic) CGFloat ringFriction;

@property(nonatomic) CGFloat ringRestitution;

@property(nonatomic) CGFloat ringMass;


@property(nonatomic) BOOL shouldEnableJointsAngleLimits;

@property(nonatomic) CGFloat jointsLowerAngleLimit;

@property(nonatomic) CGFloat jointsUpperAngleLimit;



-(instancetype)initWithRingTexture:(SKTexture *)ringTexture;


-(void)buildRopeWithScene:(SKScene *)scene;

-(void)adjustRingPositions;

-(SKSpriteNode *)startRing;

-(SKSpriteNode *)lastRing;

@end

Rope Implementation:

#import "ALRope.h"

@implementation ALRope

{
    SKTexture *_ringTexture;

    NSMutableArray *_ropeRings;
}

static CGFloat const RINGS_DISTANCE_DEFAULT = 0;

static CGFloat const JOINTS_FRICTION_TORQUE_DEFAULT = 0;

static CGFloat const RING_SCALE_DEFAULT = 1;

static int const RING_COUNT_DEFAULT = 30;

static CGFloat const RINGS_Z_POSITION_DEFAULT = 1;

static BOOL const SHOULD_ENABLE_JOINTS_ANGLE_LIMITS_DEFAULT = NO;

static CGFloat const JOINT_LOWER_ANGLE_LIMIT_DEFAULT = -M_PI / 3;

static CGFloat const JOINT_UPPER_ANGLE_LIMIT_DEFAULT = M_PI / 3;

static CGFloat const RING_FRICTION_DEFAULT = 0;

static CGFloat const RING_RESTITUTION_DEFAULT = 0;

static CGFloat const RING_MASS_DEFAULT = -1;


-(instancetype)initWithRingTexture:(SKTexture *)ringTexture
{
    if(self = [super init]) {
        _ringTexture = ringTexture;

        //apply defaults
        _startRingPosition = CGPointMake(0, 0);
        _ringsDistance = RINGS_DISTANCE_DEFAULT;
        _jointsFrictionTorque = JOINTS_FRICTION_TORQUE_DEFAULT;
        _ringScale = RING_SCALE_DEFAULT;
        _ringCount = RING_COUNT_DEFAULT;
        _ringsZPosition = RINGS_Z_POSITION_DEFAULT;
        _shouldEnableJointsAngleLimits = SHOULD_ENABLE_JOINTS_ANGLE_LIMITS_DEFAULT;
        _jointsLowerAngleLimit = JOINT_LOWER_ANGLE_LIMIT_DEFAULT;
        _jointsUpperAngleLimit = JOINT_UPPER_ANGLE_LIMIT_DEFAULT;
        _ringFriction = RING_FRICTION_DEFAULT;
        _ringRestitution = RING_RESTITUTION_DEFAULT;
        _ringMass = RING_MASS_DEFAULT;
    }
    return self;
}


-(void)buildRopeWithScene:(SKScene *)scene
{
    _ropeRings = [NSMutableArray new];
    SKSpriteNode *firstRing = [self addRopeRingWithPosition:_startRingPosition underScene:scene];

    SKSpriteNode *lastRing = firstRing;
    CGPoint position;
    for (int i = 1; i < _ringCount; i++) {
        position = CGPointMake(lastRing.position.x, lastRing.position.y - lastRing.size.height - _ringsDistance);
        lastRing = [self addRopeRingWithPosition:position underScene:scene];
    }

    [self addJointsWithScene:scene];
}

-(SKSpriteNode *)addRopeRingWithPosition:(CGPoint)position underScene:(SKScene *)scene
{
    SKSpriteNode *ring = [SKSpriteNode spriteNodeWithTexture:_ringTexture];
    ring.xScale = ring.yScale = _ringScale;
    ring.position = position;
    ring.physicsBody = [SKPhysicsBody bodyWithCircleOfRadius:ring.size.height / 2];
    ring.physicsBody.allowsRotation = YES;
    ring.physicsBody.friction = _ringFriction;
    ring.physicsBody.restitution = _ringRestitution;
    if(_ringMass > 0) {
        ring.physicsBody.mass = _ringMass;
    }

    [scene addChild:ring];
    [_ropeRings addObject:ring];
    return ring;
}

-(void)addJointsWithScene:(SKScene *)scene
{
    for (int i = 1; i < _ropeRings.count; i++) {
        SKSpriteNode *nodeA = [_ropeRings objectAtIndex:i-1];
        SKSpriteNode *nodeB = [_ropeRings objectAtIndex:i];
        SKPhysicsJointPin *joint = [SKPhysicsJointPin jointWithBodyA:nodeA.physicsBody
                                                               bodyB:nodeB.physicsBody
                                                              anchor:CGPointMake(nodeA.position.x,
                                                                                 nodeA.position.y - (nodeA.size.height + _ringsDistance) / 2)];
        joint.frictionTorque = _jointsFrictionTorque;
        joint.shouldEnableLimits = _shouldEnableJointsAngleLimits;
        if(_shouldEnableJointsAngleLimits) {
            joint.lowerAngleLimit = _jointsLowerAngleLimit;
            joint.upperAngleLimit = _jointsUpperAngleLimit;
        }
        [scene.physicsWorld addJoint:joint];
    }
}

//workaround for elastic effect should be called from didSimulatePhysics
-(void)adjustRingPositions
{
    //based on zRotations of all rings and the position of start ring adjust the rest of the rings positions starting from top to bottom
    for (int i = 1; i < _ropeRings.count; i++) {
        SKSpriteNode *nodeA = [_ropeRings objectAtIndex:i-1];
        SKSpriteNode *nodeB = [_ropeRings objectAtIndex:i];
        CGFloat thetaA = nodeA.zRotation - M_PI / 2,
        thetaB = nodeB.zRotation + M_PI / 2,
        jointRadius = (_ringsDistance + nodeA.size.height) / 2,
        xJoint = jointRadius * cosf(thetaA) + nodeA.position.x,
        yJoint = jointRadius * sinf(thetaA) + nodeA.position.y,
        theta = thetaB - M_PI,
        xB = jointRadius * cosf(theta) + xJoint,
        yB = jointRadius * sinf(theta) + yJoint;
        nodeB.position = CGPointMake(xB, yB);
    }
}

-(SKSpriteNode *)startRing
{
    return _ropeRings[0];
}

-(SKSpriteNode *)lastRing
{
    return [_ropeRings lastObject];
}

@end

Scene code to showcase how to use the Rope:

#import "ALRopeDemoScene.h"
#import "ALRope.h"

@implementation ALRopeDemoScene
{
    __weak SKSpriteNode *_branch;

    CGPoint _touchLastPosition;

    BOOL _branchIsMoving;

    ALRope *_rope;
}

-(id)initWithSize:(CGSize)size {
    if (self = [super initWithSize:size]) {
        /* Setup your scene here */

        self.backgroundColor = [SKColor colorWithRed:0.2 green:0.5 blue:0.6 alpha:1.0];

        [self buildScene];
    }
    return self;
}

-(void) buildScene {
    SKSpriteNode *branch = [SKSpriteNode spriteNodeWithImageNamed:@"Branch"];
    _branch = branch;
    branch.position = CGPointMake(CGRectGetMaxX(self.frame) - branch.size.width / 2,
                                  CGRectGetMidY(self.frame) + 200);
    branch.physicsBody = [SKPhysicsBody bodyWithRectangleOfSize:CGSizeMake(2, 10)];
    branch.physicsBody.dynamic = NO;
    [self addChild:branch];
    _rope = [[ALRope alloc] initWithRingTexture:[SKTexture textureWithImageNamed:@"rope_ring"]];

    //configure rope params if needed
    //    _rope.ringCount = ...;//default is 30
    //    _rope.ringScale = ...;//default is 1
    //    _rope.ringsDistance = ...;//default is 0
    //    _rope.jointsFrictionTorque = ...;//default is 0
    //    _rope.ringsZPosition = ...;//default is 1
    //    _rope.ringFriction = ...;//default is 0
    //    _rope.ringRestitution = ...;//default is 0
    //    _rope.ringMass = ...;//ignored unless mass > 0; default -1
    //    _rope.shouldEnableJointsAngleLimits = ...;//default is NO
    //    _rope.jointsLowerAngleLimit = ...;//default is -M_PI/3
    //    _rope.jointsUpperAngleLimit = ...;//default is M_PI/3

    _rope.startRingPosition = CGPointMake(branch.position.x - 100, branch.position.y);//default is (0, 0)

    [_rope buildRopeWithScene:self];

    //attach rope to branch
    SKSpriteNode *startRing = [_rope startRing];
    CGPoint jointAnchor = CGPointMake(startRing.position.x, startRing.position.y + startRing.size.height / 2);
    SKPhysicsJointPin *joint = [SKPhysicsJointPin jointWithBodyA:branch.physicsBody bodyB:startRing.physicsBody anchor:jointAnchor];
    [self.physicsWorld addJoint:joint];
}

-(void)touchesBegan:(NSSet *)touches withEvent:(UIEvent *)event
{
    UITouch *touch = [touches anyObject];
    CGPoint location = [touch locationInNode:self];
    if(CGRectContainsPoint(_branch.frame, location)) {
        _branchIsMoving = YES;
        _touchLastPosition = location;
    }
}

-(void) touchesEnded:(NSSet *)touches withEvent:(UIEvent *)event
{
    _branchIsMoving = NO;

}

-(void) touchesMoved:(NSSet *)touches withEvent:(UIEvent *)event{

    if(_branchIsMoving) {
        UITouch *touch = [touches anyObject];
        CGPoint location = [touch locationInNode:self],
        branchCurrentPosition = _branch.position;
        CGFloat dx = location.x - _touchLastPosition.x,
        dy = location.y - _touchLastPosition.y;
        _branch.position = CGPointMake(branchCurrentPosition.x + dx, branchCurrentPosition.y + dy);
        _touchLastPosition = location;
    }
}

-(void)didSimulatePhysics
{
    //workaround for elastic effect
    [_rope adjustRingPositions];
}


@end

Notice the [rope adjustRingPositions] call from [scene didSimulatePhysics]. That was the actual workaround for the elastic bug.

Complete demo code is here. I hope this helps!

Halfway

You probably got down voted for the original (link-only) answer. – Dorman

I've taken your idea with some adjustments, and wrote the algorithm in Swift. It definitely solved the issue for me, so thank you @Halfway – Webfooted

this works except when you attach a ball at the end of rope. all things break. – Oxen

Apply code under adjustRingsPositions to ball, hint: last ring of the rope would be nodeA, the ball would be nodeB. You'll also need to tweak xB and yB, replace jointRadius there by nodeB.size.height / 2, nodeB is the ball node. – Halfway