Wheels/axles wobble and "shake", extremely annoying

[idiotekque]

I'm relatively new to the game, and almost no matter what I make, I run into this issue where the bot just... doesn't sit right on its wheels.

I've made sure that everything is on the same level, I've made sure that the chassis isn't scraping against the ground, but regardless of what I do, it's like the wheels and the ground don't want to sit against each other. I go up against the AI and they seem to have no problems. They have speed, traction, control, etc. Yet unless I make the make the most basic of chassis shapes, this happens every time.

I know it's kind of a vague explanation, but honestly, I don't know how else to explain it, and if this is just how the game is, I'm probably just going to give up. I can throw the beefiest motors on and the bot still just doesn't drive right, has very little traction, and just constantly shakes like it's on marbles all the time. It's unbelievably frustrating when every design does this.

For example, here's the latest bot I made. It's a mess, but I was just playing around with an idea. Honestly it DOES work, but... again, it just "shakes" in place, has no traction and can be pushed by any other bot with ease, etc. I don't get it, because as you can see in the second pic, it has good tires, good motors (the rear one is the full power steering unit), etc, and it has ample clearance from the ground. Granted it's real heavy, so I would expect it to be slow, but that should NOT remove traction and make it jitter around like it's not quite on the ground. It's so confusing.





I'm playing DSL with the component limits/weight mod as well, but that's it. Is there a way to fix this strange shaky wheel problem? Or is that just... kinda how the game is?


EDIT: To be more clear, here's a video of the issue.

https://mega.nz/#!A8F10SYC!xoV6KAmMb_PpIieLbdBr-WIQbx-yBrU2HaOuXmT6cPo

I would imagine that the motors/wheels can't hold the weight? That doesn't really explain why they would wobble and shake like the physics are broken, but I don't know. This is happening on lightweight bots too, without just a wide set wheel base.

Honestly it is a stupid design to have the wheels so wide (since it's such a wide bot), but I can't seem to figure out how to inset the wheels so that they are coming out of the bottom and don't need to be protruding on the side. I'm sure there's a way, but it just hasn't been working for me, and I have no idea how to use that smart zone pieces that seem to allow you to cheat a bit with the placement of things.

[Badger]

Looks like you're using weapon motors for drive, which is a bad start. Can we see the insides? You might not have enough batteries as well.


and we can't see that video.

[Thrackerzod]

Could you upload the bot file to the bot exchange so we can check it out?

[idiotekque]

Looks like you're using weapon motors for drive, which is a bad start. Can we see the insides? You might not have enough batteries as well.


and we can't see that video.
(Image removed from quote.)

Whoops, just fixed the video link.

And yeah, I feel like I've played with just about every motor there is with little difference... Even the power steering unit's wheels shake, and I KNOW that's for wheels.

My first bot, as simple as it was (on Vanilla, not DSL) used the ZTek motors I think they're called and it didn't wobble like this at all. I use the ZTek motors now and the shaking wobble problem seems to happen every time, not to mention I've tried the "axle" version as well with no luck.

Could you upload the bot file to the bot exchange so we can check it out?

I'l tweak it again so I'm sure it's not using weapon motors and throw more batteries in it and then figure out how to upload it once I've done that. It's worth one more tweaking session to see if I just keep doing something stupid.

EDIT: Here's the bot: https://gametechmods.com/Robot_Exchange/UHW/idiotekque_Thresher%20Maw.bot

I tried yet another motor, and attached it to the guard rails, which seems utterly stupid, but despite the shaking weirdness still going on, the bot has a lot more traction and speed now for some reason. It still shakes like a leaf on the wheels but eh. Better than before.

[R01]

Was going to suggest to upload it but Thrackerzod already ninja'd me to it.

It does look like it's driving fine and that's just the usual RA2 wobbling, except a bit stronger. Maybe getting the chassis a bit closer to the ground/lower ground clearance would fix this, but it's just a visual effect, bot seems to drive and push just fine?

[Badger]

How heavy is the bot? You might have better luck using smaller wheels which make the bot closer to the ground. All bots bobble like that a little bit but most of the time it's not noticeable.

[idiotekque]

Was going to suggest to upload it but Thrackerzod already ninja'd me to it.

It does look like it's driving fine and that's just the usual RA2 wobbling, except a bit stronger. Maybe getting the chassis a bit closer to the ground/lower ground clearance would fix this, but it's just a visual effect, bot seems to drive and push just fine?

How heavy is the bot? You might have better luck using smaller wheels which make the bot closer to the ground. All bots bobble like that a little bit but most of the time it's not noticeable.

Yikes... So that's just how it it always is? That sucks. Like I said, I'm new to the game, so I wasn't sure if it was normal or not, and it didn't seem normal. And it doesn't seem like the AI tends to have this problem, but I don't know.

Ironically it seemed to drive better, wobble less, and have better traction once I RAISED the clearance... but yeah, I don't know. It's a VERY heavy bot (1700kg or so), but I assumed weight would keep it more grounded and not all bouncy like that. Guess it makes the problem even worse. Low wheels didn't work at all with this design.

I just have to get used to the quirks of the game I suppose. Sort of like how every once in awhile when two bots get squished against each other, they'll just go flying (sometimes off the map) for no good reason.

[R01]

Was going to suggest to upload it but Thrackerzod already ninja'd me to it.

It does look like it's driving fine and that's just the usual RA2 wobbling, except a bit stronger. Maybe getting the chassis a bit closer to the ground/lower ground clearance would fix this, but it's just a visual effect, bot seems to drive and push just fine?

How heavy is the bot? You might have better luck using smaller wheels which make the bot closer to the ground. All bots bobble like that a little bit but most of the time it's not noticeable.

Yikes... So that's just how it it always is? That sucks. Like I said, I'm new to the game, so I wasn't sure if it was normal or not, and it didn't seem normal. And it doesn't seem like the AI tends to have this problem, but I don't know.

Ironically it seemed to drive better, wobble less, and have better traction once I RAISED the clearance... but yeah, I don't know. It's a VERY heavy bot (1700kg or so), but I assumed weight would keep it more grounded and not all bouncy like that. Guess it makes the problem even worse. Low wheels didn't work at all with this design.

I just have to get used to the quirks of the game I suppose. Sort of like how every once in awhile when two bots get squished against each other, they'll just go flying (sometimes off the map) for no good reason.

As far as I know it isn't noticeable when moving around/only really visible in the botlab, so don't worry too much about it. Then again I've never messed around with bots that are more than 800 kg. Guess you also know that you're playing the DSL mod and not the normal stock game?

As for bots flying around, that's the havok glitch, which happens mostly when components get ripped off.

[idiotekque]

As far as I know it isn't noticeable when moving around/only really visible in the botlab, so don't worry too much about it. Then again I've never messed around with bots that are more than 800 kg. Guess you also know that you're playing the DSL mod and not the normal stock game?

As for bots flying around, that's the havok glitch, which happens mostly when components get ripped off.

It's relatively noticeable all the time for me, and like I said in the OP, it does seem to affect traction and whatnot. I'll go up against very basic bots that are far lighter and using less heavy duty motors and whatnot, and they'll push this bot around with relative ease despite it having a hefty weight, power, and motor strength advantage. I mean sure, the game isn't super realistic, but at the same time it's confusing why that happens, and it seems to be the lack of traction from the odd shaking. Maybe not, I don't know.

And yes, the OP says I'm using DSL with the mod that removes weight limitations.

[cephalopod]

More weight on fewer motors will displace the axles from the motors. Add more motors or reduce the weight (1200kg is a good target if you want to go heavier than 800kg as that's the official GTM SHW limit)

[090901]

The axle flex is due to fact motors in RA2 are made of 2 different meshes or whatever the hell you want to call them, and most the motors and sh** in DSL was made over 10 years ago and nobody was really thinking about axle flex at the time, plus it doesn't help that you have 1400+ kg on a slimbody which really shouldn't be used on something more than a MW. Easiest way to fix the problem is either A) Reduce Weight B) Reduce the ground clearance so the axles can't flex as much C) Use more motors as Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaig said.

Your traction problem is pretty much due to the fact the bot literally has no drive power. Like I said before, slimbodies are a weak motor that shouldn't be use on anything heavier than a MW (and that's only for bots that depend on their weapon more than drive, like VS or HS) and Power steering units are pretty poop.

[R01]

The axle flex is due to fact motors in RA2 are made of 2 different meshes or whatever the hell you want to call them, and most the motors and sh** in DSL was made over 10 years ago and nobody was really thinking about axle flex at the time, plus it doesn't help that you have 1400+ kg on a slimbody which really shouldn't be used on something more than a MW. Easiest way to fix the problem is either A) Reduce Weight B) Reduce the ground clearance so the axles can't flex as much C) Use more motors as Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaig said.

Your traction problem is pretty much due to the fact the bot literally has no drive power. Like I said before, slimbodies are a weak motor that shouldn't be use on anything heavier than a MW (and that's only for bots that depend on their weapon more than drive, like VS or HS) and Power steering units are pretty poop.

So there is a way to fix the motors that wasn't taken into account back when DSL was built?

[Reier]

Don't the beefier axles in ironforge fix this to a degree?

[idiotekque]

More weight on fewer motors will displace the axles from the motors. Add more motors or reduce the weight (1200kg is a good target if you want to go heavier than 800kg as that's the official GTM SHW limit)

Yeah, this was what I was thinking... I've run into the same issue on pretty lightweight bots, but I suppose it probably wasn't this bad.

The axle flex is due to fact motors in RA2 are made of 2 different meshes or whatever the hell you want to call them, and most the motors and sh** in DSL was made over 10 years ago and nobody was really thinking about axle flex at the time, plus it doesn't help that you have 1400+ kg on a slimbody which really shouldn't be used on something more than a MW. Easiest way to fix the problem is either A) Reduce Weight B) Reduce the ground clearance so the axles can't flex as much C) Use more motors as Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaig said.

Your traction problem is pretty much due to the fact the bot literally has no drive power. Like I said before, slimbodies are a weak motor that shouldn't be use on anything heavier than a MW (and that's only for bots that depend on their weapon more than drive, like VS or HS) and Power steering units are pretty poop.

I have tried reducing the weight, because I'm using the heaviest armor, all steel parts, etc, and I know I don't need to (this bot literally CANNOT be destroyed via damage, I've never even seen it go under 75% armor), but whenever I try to change armor type, I get the "your bot is too heavy" popup despite having the no weight limit mod installed, and the armor doesn't change (even to something lighter). I would have to strip it down to the chassis... which isn't something I really want to do, but yeah.

And yeah, honestly I have tried most of the motors and seen almost no difference. The slimbodies worked best for some unknown reason, though the wobbles are still there obviously. It's depressing that the PSU is so awful. Honestly it shakes almost as much as the slimbodies. What motors would you suggest for heavy bots?

Don't the beefier axles in ironforge fix this to a degree?

What's ironforge? And yeah, I did see beefier axles, so maybe I should try those.

[09090901]

The bot needs to weight under 800kgs for you to change the armor.

[Badger]

Don't the beefier axles in ironforge fix this to a degree?

What's ironforge? And yeah, I did see beefier axles, so maybe I should try those.

A mod like DSL