Making it easier to "hit" interactive objects - using Shapecast instead of Raycast?

[Phazorknight]

Hey everyone,

So I've noticed that it can be really difficult to aim at smaller interactive objects when using the gamepad.
This is due to the RayCast really only picking up any interactive objects that get hit by the single ray.

I am considering using ShapeCast instead, but in my first experiments, I've found its behavior a bit unpredictable (maybe it's not doing what I think it's doing?)

I've created a PR if anyone wants to take a look and is able to help: #277

[OvercastInteractive]

I've got a decent implementation of this working:

Flashback.-.Sep.19.2024.-.Cogito_Spherecast_Interaction_01.mp4

However when changing scenes from the Lobby to the Laboratory my reference to the SphereCast3D node goes missing (even though it seems to still be there and continues to work...)

[Phazorknight]

Oh, would you mind adding this to my PR (or committing your own) ? Would love to see how it's setup.

In terms of the reference getting lost: hard to say without taking a look, but could be a player scene override.
I assume the reason it still works is because the raycast/shapecast to InteractionComponent connection now signal based and for the most part needs no reference to it.

[OvercastInteractive]

I'm using #277 now, but perhaps I'll just commit my own as I'm currently only using the existing InteractionRayCast.gd, not the InteractionShapeCast.gd so it would undo a bit of your code. Also, I only turned off the visibility of the InteractionShapeCast node in the cogito_player scene, which I hope doesn't conflict with detection.

[OvercastInteractive]

Ok I just committed back to the phazor_wip branch. There are highlighters intended purely for debugging which can be removed at any time.

[Phazorknight]

Are you sure it got pushed properly? I don't see any new commits on the PR or the phazor_wip branch.

[OvercastInteractive]

Hopefully it shows up now!

[Phazorknight]

Closing this as this is now implemented.
Big thanks to @OvercastInteractive !