Rotation object using Y or Z has the same visual result

Questions & Answers
1

Hi all,

I’m fairly new to using Unity, but have been in game development for some time now, mostly on the creative side.

Anyhow, I’m fiddling around trying to make a 3d object move and tilt rotate, like a spaceship would in a shoot em up game.

I’ve got the movement with inertia and tilt forward fine (using x euler axis), however if I try to tilt sideways, it doesn’t seem to work. Using either Y or Z euler axis will yield the same result and it will just rotate it to the left or right, instead of tilt left or right.

Thanks in advance for your help - Unity is pretty boss so far! :smiley:

Code (to note, I’ve tried both .z and .y and they show different values in the debugger, just visually it appears the same):

	if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.D)) // Moving Right
	{
		gameObject.rigidbody.AddForce(Vector3.right * 50, ForceMode.Acceleration);				
		curAngles.z += rotationSpeed * Time.deltaTime;			
	}
	
	if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.A)) // Moving Left
	{			
		gameObject.rigidbody.AddForce(Vector3.left * 50, ForceMode.Acceleration);			
		curAngles.z -= rotationSpeed * Time.deltaTime;			
	}
	
	if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.W)) // Moving Forward
	{
		gameObject.rigidbody.AddForce(Vector3.forward * 50, ForceMode.Acceleration);
		curAngles.x -= rotationSpeed * Time.deltaTime;			
	}
	
	if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.S)) // Moving Back
	{
		gameObject.rigidbody.AddForce(Vector3.back * 50, ForceMode.Acceleration);
		curAngles.x += rotationSpeed * Time.deltaTime;			
	}
	
			
	// Ship Tilt Rotation
	curAngles.x = Mathf.Clamp(curAngles.x, -5, 5);
	curAngles.z = Mathf.Clamp(curAngles.z, -95, 95);
	Debug.Log(curAngles);
	transform.eulerAngles = initialAngles + curAngles;
2

Rotations in the context of 3D programming are one of the more difficult concepts to grasp fully, especially dealing with quaternions directly.

I’m guessing you’re running across gimbal lock, since for the most part you’re utilizing Euler angles.

The answer would be to utilize Quaternion conversions and manipulating your model that way, that of which is a much more complicated answer.