character_controller_setup

There are two ways to use the character-controller with bevy_rapier: using the KinematicCharacterController component or using the RapierContext::move_shape method. The component approach is more convenient, but the move_shape approach can be slightly more flexible in terms of filtering.

note

Refer to the API documentation of RapierContext::move_shape for details on how to use it.

The KinematicCharacterController component must be added to the same entity as a TransformBundle bundle. If the field KinematicCharacterController::custom_shape isn’t set, then the entity it is attached to must also contain a Collider component. That collider can optionally be attached to a rigid-body. At each frame, the KinematicCharacterController::translation field can be set to the desired translation for that character.

During the next physics update step, that translation will be resolved against obstacles, and the resulting movement will be automatically applied to the entity’s transform, or the transform of the entity containing the rigid-body the collider to move is attached to.

The applied character motion, and the information of whether the character is touching the ground at its final position, can be read with the KinematicCharacterControllerOutput component (inserted automatically to the same entity as the KinematicCharacterController component).

Example 2D

fn setup_physics(mut commands: Commands) {
    commands
        .spawn(RigidBody::KinematicPositionBased)
        .insert(Collider::ball(0.5))
        .insert(KinematicCharacterController::default());
}

fn update_system(mut controllers: Query<&mut KinematicCharacterController>) {
    for mut controller in controllers.iter_mut() {
        controller.translation = Some(Vec2::new(1.0, -0.5));
    }
}

fn read_result_system(controllers: Query<(Entity, &KinematicCharacterControllerOutput)>) {
    for (entity, output) in controllers.iter() {
        println!(
            "Entity {:?} moved by {:?} and touches the ground: {:?}",
            entity, output.effective_translation, output.grounded
        );
    }
}

Example 3D

fn setup_physics(mut commands: Commands) {
    commands
        .spawn(RigidBody::KinematicPositionBased)
        .insert(Collider::ball(0.5))
        .insert(SpatialBundle::default())
        .insert(KinematicCharacterController {
            ..KinematicCharacterController::default()
        });
}

fn update_system(time: Res<Time>, mut controllers: Query<&mut KinematicCharacterController>) {
    for mut controller in controllers.iter_mut() {
        controller.translation = Some(Vec3::new(1.0, -5.0, -1.0) * time.delta_seconds());
    }
}

fn read_result_system(controllers: Query<(Entity, &KinematicCharacterControllerOutput)>) {
    for (entity, output) in controllers.iter() {
        println!(
            "Entity {:?} moved by {:?} and touches the ground: {:?}",
            entity, output.effective_translation, output.grounded
        );
    }
}

info

The character’s shape may be any shape supported by Rapier. However, it is recommended to either use a cuboid, a ball, or a capsule since they involve less computations and less numerical approximations.

warning

The built-in character controller does not support rotational movement. It only supports translations.