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The Vehicle’s road tool builds upon the intuitive framework established by Anima's existing Path tools, such as Crowd Paths and 4D Paths. This seamless integration ensures that users familiar with Anima's environment can effortlessly transition to designing intricate road networks for their 3D scenes.​


Roads

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Accessing the Vehicle’s road tool is straightforward, simply click on the following icon from the toolbar:

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Once activated, you can begin laying out your road network by clicking directly within the viewport to set path points. The tool connects these points, automatically generating smooth road segments that align with your design vision.

The draw process can be stopped by clicking the Right Mouse Button or pressing the ESC key. This process mirrors the functionality of other path tools in Anima, ensuring a consistent and user-friendly experience.

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The flexibility of the tool allows for dynamic refinement of your road designs. Roads can be extended by selecting the end path points and then using the same Vehicle tool:

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Also, it allows adding new path points to introduce complexity, remove existing ones to simplify routes, or adjust point positions to fine-tune the curvature and flow of the roads.

This level of control empowers you to craft road networks that are both realistic and tailored to the specific needs of your scene.

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The Loop mode parameter opens or closes the roads by connecting their starting and ending path points. It will be discussed in detail in the Loops section below.

The Direction mode defines the direction of the traffic flow and is represented by an arrow in the road. It can also be set using the contextual menu (RMB):

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The road width can be easily adjusted by dragging the border of the path or directly adjusting the value of the parameter.

It's important to note a key distinction between vehicle and people paths: roads maintain a uniform width throughout their length. Unlike the people path tools, which allow for varying widths across different segments, Vroom road's require width (and lane) consistency from start to finish. This is a limitation in the current simulation engine, and it is planned to be improved in the future.

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Lanes

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Each road can consist of one or multiple lanes, facilitating the creation of diverse traffic scenarios.

The width of each lane is determined by the Lane width parameter found in the Road Properties section. This setting allows for precise control over lane dimensions, ensuring they meet the specific requirements of your scene. Based on the defined lane width, the Vehicle tool calculates the total number of lanes that can fit within the road's width and draws them automatically, optimizing space utilization.​

It's important to note that the minimum width of a road is directly linked to the lane width parameter. For instance, if the lane width is set to 3 meters, the road's minimum width must also be at least 3 meters to accommodate a single lane. This relationship ensures that road dimensions are consistent with the specified lane configurations.​

By understanding and adjusting these parameters, you can design road networks that accurately reflect your project's needs, enhancing the authenticity of your 3D scenes.


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Currently, all lanes on a given road are configured to flow in the same direction; future updates aim to introduce bidirectional lane capabilities to enhance realism and optimize design.​


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Creating Closed Loops

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There are 2 alternative ways of creating loops:

  • A - Creating a new road point over the first point
  • B - Using the Context Menu

To transform an open road segment into a closed loop while defining road points (case A), follow these steps:​

  1. Add points to a road: Either starting a new road or extending one already created
  2. Hover Over the Starting Point: Move your cursor to the initial point of the road segment. As you hover, a clip icon will appear, indicating the option to close the loop.​
  3. Click to Close the Loop: Once the clip icon is visible, click on the starting point. Vroom will automatically connect the endpoint back to the starting point, forming a continuous loop.​

Alternatively, Vroom offers a context menu for loop management (case B):​

  • Right-Click on the Road: Position your cursor over the desired road segment and right-click to access the context menu.​
  • Select Loop Option: In the menu, choose "Open loop" or "Close loop," depending on the current configuration of the road. This method provides a straightforward way to modify the loop status without directly interacting with the path points.​

When a road is successfully closed into a loop, Vroom displays a latch icon on the first (and now also the last) path point. This visual marker serves as a clear indication of the loop's closure and plays an important role when configuring intersections.

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Simulation Implications of Using Loop

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In Vroom, the configuration of roads as open or closed loops significantly influences vehicle generation and traffic flow within your simulation.​

Open roads are designed with distinct starting and ending points. In these configurations, Vroom continuously introduces new vehicles at the starting point to maintain traffic density. As vehicles exit at the endpoint, replacements enter, ensuring a consistent flow and allowing for the simulation of ongoing traffic scenarios.​

Conversely, closed road loops form continuous circuits without defined entry or exit points. In such setups, Vroom does not automatically generate new vehicles once the loop is established. Consequently, the number of vehicles on a closed loop remains constant unless the loop intersects with other roads. At these intersections, vehicles may choose to exit the loop, gradually reducing the number of vehicles on the loop over time.

When designing simulations with closed loops, it's essential to consider the potential decrease in vehicle density due to vehicles exiting at intersections.

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To maintain desired traffic levels, you may need to implement mechanisms for reintroducing vehicles onto the loop by modifying the road design, or adjusting the simulation parameters accordingly.​

Understanding these dynamics is crucial for accurately modeling traffic behaviors and ensuring that your simulations reflect realistic scenarios.

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