Trick Shot Line

TrickShotLine and TrickShotLine2D have the same funcitonlity just different simulation space: TrickShotLine renders a visual preview (using a LineRenderer) of the multi‐bounce trajectory computed by a sibling TrickShot component. It concatenates all sampled points from each BallisticPath in trickShot.prediction and feeds them to the LineRenderer. Designers can choose to run the prediction once at startup or continuously update it every frame.

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Requirements

• [RequireComponent(typeof(LineRenderer))]

• [RequireComponent(typeof(TrickShot))] Ensure this GameObject has both a LineRenderer (for drawing the path) and a TrickShot (for computing the trajectory).

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Public Fields

Run on Start

• public bool runOnStart (default: true)

  • If checked, trickShot.Predict() is called once in Start() (before the first frame).

  • Use this when you only need a static preview that doesn’t change after the scene begins.

Continuous Run

• public bool continuousRun (default: true)

  • If checked, trickShot.Predict() is called every LateUpdate(), and the line is updated each frame.

  • Use this for real‐time previews (e.g., aiming UI that follows the cursor or moving launcher).

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Typical Designer Workflow

1. Scene Setup

   • Create (or use) a launcher GameObject and attach:

     1. TrickShot (configured with speed, bounces, etc.)

     2. TrickShotLine

   • Add a LineRenderer component alongside. Configure its material and width so it’s clearly visible.

2. Inspector Configuration

   • runOnStart:

     • true → Preview is generated once when the scene starts. If your launcher and gravity are static at startup, leave this checked.

     • false → No prediction at start; you’ll call TrickShot.Predict() manually or let continuousRun handle it.

   • continuousRun:

     • true → The line updates every frame. Good for dynamic aiming or moving launchers.

     • false → The line only appears once (if runOnStart is true) or after you manually call TrickShot.Predict() in your script.

3. Runtime Behavior

   • If runOnStart = true && continuousRun = false:

     • At Start(), the trajectory is computed once, and the line is drawn. It remains static thereafter.

   • If continuousRun = true:

     • Each LateUpdate(), TrickShot.Predict() recomputes prediction (sampling new points based on current position, rotation, etc.).

     • UpdateLine() then refreshes the LineRenderer to reflect any changes (e.g., new aim direction).

4. Manual Triggering

   • If both fields are false, no prediction occurs automatically. To draw the line:

     csharpCopyEditvar ts = GetComponent<TrickShot>();
     ts.Predict();
     GetComponent<TrickShotLine>().UpdateLine(); // though UpdateLine() is private, you can toggle continuousRun or call Predict + wait one frame

   • The simplest approach is to set runOnStart = false, continuousRun = false, then call Predict() in your custom script and rely on LateUpdate() of TrickShotLine during the next frame to draw it.

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Designer Tips & Gotchas

• LineRenderer Setup

  • Ensure the LineRenderer’s “Use World Space” is checked. This script sets it automatically, but double‐check the material, color gradient, and width curve to suit your scene.

  • If the line appears too thin or invisible, increase the startWidth/endWidth and assign a bright or unlit material.

• Minimizing Garbage

  • UpdateLine() calls trajectory.ToArray() each frame, which allocates a new array. If you experience GC spikes, consider caching a larger buffer or switching to a pooled array approach. In most scenes, this is negligible.

• Matching Prediction to Projectile

  • Make sure your TrickShot parameters (speed, resolution, bounces, etc.) match your actual projectile’s behavior. The line will only be accurate if those values reflect the real‐time launch settings.

• Performance Considerations

  • High sampling resolutions (small resolution in TrickShot) and many bounces can produce thousands of points. If continuousRun = true, this can affect frame rate.

  • If you only need a static preview, set runOnStart = true and continuousRun = false to avoid recomputing unnecessarily.

• Empty or Null Paths

  • If trickShot.prediction contains no valid paths (e.g., Predict() was never called or the target is out of range), trajectory.Count will be zero and the line will not draw.

  • You can check in TrickShot or your own script whether prediction is empty before displaying UI elements.