OK, I need to tie multiple objects together with dynamic rope like connections, and if possible, emit particles along the this rope. For right now though, I'd be happy with just having the objects tied together with the rope. Thanks in advance!
I'll just tackle the joint part of this question for now:
I'd suggest looking at using Unity's built-in physics joints, and perhaps use a series of joints linked together to give a rope-like effect.
If your rope-like connection needs to be visible and to be able to coil and bend when not taught, you'll need to use a chain of many joints connected together. If however you only need the connection to be rope-like in terms of having a fixed maximum distance, a single configurable joint would be able to give you that behaviour.
If you are going to need to chain many joints together, the two most suitablewould probably be Fixed Joint (if you had, say, 10 or more of these connected together you would have something which approximated a rope, or at least a chain), or the Spring Joint if you wanted the connection to have some springyness like a bungee cord.
You may want to generate these joint links dynamically via scripting, as it can be a pain to set up this kind of connection by hand - particularly if your rope-like connection is made from many joints - in which case you will need to remember that you have to set the joint's .connectedBody property last of all (after you have set the other joint properties).
Hope this gets you started in the right direction!
I haven't tried it out but there is also a script for making a rope on the community wiki at:
http://www.unifycommunity.com/wiki/index.php?title=LineRenderer_Rope
If you use it and it works post the results back here.
--Goody!
I've been playing around withe the rope scripts on the unify wiki.
There is a second script based on the TubeRendere.js script, it may serve you better.
You can find both scripts here.
http://www.unifycommunity.com/wiki/index.php?title=3D_Physics_Based_Rope
Notice: You must have the TubeRendere.js script in your project - it's the second script on this page. The first script is the tuberope. Add it to the first object and give it a target object in the inspector and that should suffice. Works well.
I've just tried this out.
As is. (All I did was un-remark the control code in Update() and added a linerenderer to the first object).
And, well, it's doing something....
I've yet to play with all the settings...but at its original settings, it's acting wierd most of the time (lines moving all over the place)...at times it works pretty well producing some beautiful results.
I'll be sure to play around with it some more. (and will post results)
--edit Ok. I've played with it some more and this script is able to produce some neat results. I haven't changed any of the code itself only playing around with the parameters in the inspector. Let me know if you need help setting it up. It's actually quite surprising. I put it into a WIP scene of mine and it's actually brought up some interesting ideas.
Reverieinteractive.com/cgi/downloads.php
I have upgraded my rope scripts so anyone who has any need for ropes can download the script there!
Jake