Original Description:
This movie loads a modified version of the daintywalker.xml file from the website sodaplay.com. Users on sodaplay use Ed Burton's Java based physics engine to create and share their models. I have admired this website for the past few years, but always wished there was some source code available that demonstrated how to duplicate the effect. The movies in this chapter are intended to serve that purpose.
I've copied the daintywalker.xml from the sodaplay website. This flash script loads that XML file and uses it to build a spring-physics model using my SpringSim.as class. In this version I've added support for the sine-wave controlled muscles that sodaplay uses. In addition, by clicking the 'next model' button, you may view a few other models I've created using this format.
I've also added a few new elements to the XML file to enable me to draw the critter using curved-edge polygons, instead of straight lines and dots. Eventually I intend to extend my springbuilder program to enable polygonal characters to be built with muscles, and various kinds of joints, this will greatly simplify the armature needed for making puppets.
You can modify the included XML files, to create your own animated critters.
UPDATE: The source code below now contains an Actionscript 3 version, in addition to the original Flash MX code.