iOS SpriteKit - Creating physics for a bobblehead? - ios

Question

I am trying to create a realistic bobblehead app, and want to use physics for the bobble animation. I have seen other apps out there that do it, and from what I gather I need to use SpriteKit.
I have created a SKScene and used a SKPhysicsJointPin to pin the head to the body, but it doesnt move around at all. Any ideas or suggestions?
UPDATED CODE (5/28):
Now using 2 spring joints on the head and it moves left to right, but not up and down. Also, tapping quickly causes the head to eventually go far enough right to "fall of" and out of view. Weird.
Have any ideas on what the proper setting would be to allow it to bobble up, down, left, and right whil staying remotely centered on it's starting position and staying within a specified region so it doesnt come off the body and look all funny?
BobbleheadView is a subclassed SKView
- (id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame
{
self = [super initWithFrame:frame];
if (self) {
// Initialization code
self.backgroundColor =[UIColor clearColor];
self.showsFPS = YES;
self.showsNodeCount = YES;
UITapGestureRecognizer *tap = [[UITapGestureRecognizer alloc]
initWithTarget:self
action:#selector(animateBobble)];
[self addGestureRecognizer:tap];
SKScene *bobbleheadScene = [SKScene sceneWithSize:self.bounds.size];
[self presentScene:bobbleheadScene];
// 1. Body
self.body = [SKSpriteNode spriteNodeWithImageNamed:#"Bobble-Body"];
self.body.position = CGPointMake(self.frame.size.width/2, self.body.frame.size.height/2);
self.body.physicsBody = [SKPhysicsBody bodyWithEdgeLoopFromRect:self.frame];
[bobbleheadScene addChild:self.body];
// 2. Head
self.head = [SKSpriteNode spriteNodeWithImageNamed:#"Bobble-Head"];
self.head.position = CGPointMake(self.center.x, self.body.frame.size.height);
//self.head.physicsBody.affectedByGravity = YES;
// self.head.physicsBody.dynamic = NO;
//This bobbles head great, but head falls off body and out of view
self.head.physicsBody = [SKPhysicsBody bodyWithRectangleOfSize:self.head.size center:self.head.position];
//End
//self.head.physicsBody = [SKPhysicsBody bodyWithEdgeLoopFromRect:self.head.frame];
//self.head.physicsBody = [SKPhysicsBody bodyWithCircleOfRadius:self.head.size.height/2];
[bobbleheadScene addChild:self.head];
// 3. Ceiling
self.ceiling = [SKSpriteNode spriteNodeWithColor:[UIColor whiteColor] size:CGSizeMake(32, 32)];
self.ceiling.position = CGPointMake(self.frame.origin.x+self.frame.size.width/2, self.frame.size.height);
self.ceiling.physicsBody = [SKPhysicsBody bodyWithEdgeLoopFromRect:self.frame];
[bobbleheadScene addChild:self.ceiling];
//Spring Joint for Ceiling to Head
SKPhysicsJointSpring *spring1 = [SKPhysicsJointSpring jointWithBodyA:self.ceiling.physicsBody bodyB:self.head.physicsBody anchorA:self.ceiling.position anchorB:CGPointMake(self.head.frame.origin.x+self.head.frame.size.width/2, 0)];
spring1.frequency = 20.0; //gives the spring some elasticity.
spring1.damping = 5.0; //Will remove damping to create the 'pendulum'
[bobbleheadScene.physicsWorld addJoint:spring1];
//Spring Joint for Head to Body
SKPhysicsJointSpring *spring = [SKPhysicsJointSpring jointWithBodyA:self.body.physicsBody bodyB:self.head.physicsBody anchorA:CGPointMake(self.body.position.x+self.body.size.width/2, self.body.position.y) anchorB:CGPointMake(self.head.position.x+self.head.size.width/2, self.body.position.y-self.body.size.height/2)];
spring.frequency = 10.0; //gives the spring some elasticity.
spring.damping = 1.0;
[bobbleheadScene.physicsWorld addJoint:spring];
}
return self;
}
-(void)animateBobble{
NSLog(#"Did Tap Bobblehead!");
[self.head.physicsBody applyImpulse:CGVectorMake(100, -200)];
//[self.body.physicsBody applyImpulse:CGVectorMake(20, 10)];
}

Answer 1

The only way you'll get this to work is to make a "sled".
So: make an app where, on screen there are (say) six sliders.
TBC I mean, when the app is actually running, you'll see six sliders.
TBC, this is only a sled, it's only for you as a developer, it's not for the consumer app.
(I believe the term "sled" comes from the automotive industry; when they make the first version of a chassis/engine to test it out.)
Make it so that some sliders control spring power/damp (or whatever factors you have available in cocos) and that other sliders nudge the position of the connections/spring lengths.
it's the only way to get a result! Be sure to show the values on screen, or at least print them out on the console as they change.
This is the everyday thing in game development. Typically the sled is more work than the actual consumer scene or feature. You won't be able to achieve it without a "sled". I hope it helps!