Actors

The Actor class is for animated models. Note that we use loadModel() for static models and Actor only when they are animated. The two constructor arguments for the Actor class are the name of the file containing the model and a Python dictionary containing the names of the files containing the animations.

The Program

Update the Code

Now that the scenery is in place, we will load an Actor. Update your code to look like this:

#include "pandaFramework.h"
#include "pandaSystem.h"
 
#include "genericAsyncTask.h"
#include "asyncTaskManager.h"
 
// Global stuff
PandaFramework framework;
PT(AsyncTaskManager) taskMgr = AsyncTaskManager::get_global_ptr(); 
PT(ClockObject) globalClock = ClockObject::get_global_clock();
NodePath camera;
 
// Task to move the camera
AsyncTask::DoneStatus SpinCameraTask(GenericAsyncTask* task, void* data) {
    double time = globalClock->get_real_time();
    double angledegrees = time * 6.0;
    double angleradians = angledegrees * (3.14 / 180.0);
    camera.set_pos(20*sin(angleradians),-20.0*cos(angleradians),3);
    camera.set_hpr(angledegrees, 0, 0);
 
    return AsyncTask::DS_cont;
}
 
int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
    // Open a new window framework and set the title
    framework.open_framework(argc, argv);
    framework.set_window_title("My Panda3D Window");
 
    // Open the window
    WindowFramework *window = framework.open_window();
    camera = window->get_camera_group(); // Get the camera and store it
 
    // Load the environment model
    NodePath environ = window->load_model(framework.get_models(), "models/environment");
    environ.reparent_to(window->get_render());
    environ.set_scale(0.25 , 0.25, 0.25);
    environ.set_pos(-8, 42, 0);
 
    // Load our panda
    NodePath pandaActor = window->load_model(framework.get_models(), "panda-model");
    pandaActor.set_scale(0.005);
    pandaActor.reparent_to(window->get_render());
 
    // Load the walk animation
    window->load_model(pandaActor, "panda-walk4");
    window->loop_animations(0);
 
    // Add our task do the main loop, then rest in peace.
    taskMgr->add(new GenericAsyncTask("Spins the camera", &SpinCameraTask, (void*) NULL));
    framework.main_loop();
    framework.close_framework();
    return (0);
}

We are first loading the model file and the animation file like ordinary models. Then, we are simply calling loop_animations(0) to loop all animations.

Run the Program

The result is a panda walking in place as if on a treadmill: