How to set specific angle between 2 game objects in unity

Question

SCENARIO

I am creating an app where I have to show chemical bonding between atoms(which are game objects). I am using Leap motion hands for spawning and making atoms collide to form molecules. Now the bond between atoms are made using cylinder game objects. Also when bond(cylinder) is spawned correctly it is joined to atoms' game objects using fixed joints. All these things are working correctly and as intended.

PROBLEM:

As one atom can form bond with multiple atoms so I want to maintain a certain angle between each bonded atoms.(for eg. in chemistry CH4 molecule's atoms are separated by around 105 degrees). So I want to achieve the same effect in my app too by separating each atom in molecule by certain angle. What I currently have only create molecule properly but doesn't have anything to separate according to angle.

This is what I am doing currently.

private IEnumerator SetAtomPosition(Transform atomOne, Transform atomTwo, Transform cylinder)
{
    cylinder.gameObject.GetComponent<Rigidbody>().isKinematic = true;
    while (Vector3.Distance(atomOne.position, atomTwo.position) > atomDistance)
    {
        atomTwo.position = Vector3.MoveTowards(atomTwo.position, atomOne.position, Time.deltaTime * 0.1f);
        yield return 0;
    }

    while (Vector3.Distance(atomOne.position, atomTwo.position) < atomDistance)
    {
        atomTwo.position = Vector3.MoveTowards(atomTwo.position, -atomTwo.forward * 1000f, Time.deltaTime * 0.1f);
        yield return 0;
    }

    cylinder.transform.position = (atomTwo.position - atomOne.position) / 2.0f + atomOne.position;
    cylinder.transform.rotation = Quaternion.FromToRotation(Vector3.up, atomTwo.position - atomOne.position);


    #region JoinAtoms

    cylinder.gameObject.AddComponent<FixedJoint>();
    cylinder.gameObject.AddComponent<FixedJoint>();

    var cylinderJoints = cylinder.GetComponents<FixedJoint>();

    cylinderJoints[0].connectedBody = atomOne.GetComponent<Rigidbody>();
    atomOne.GetComponent<Atom>().joint = cylinderJoints[0];

    //cylinderJoints[0].breakForce = breakForce;

    cylinderJoints[1].connectedBody = atomTwo.GetComponent<Rigidbody>();
    atomTwo.GetComponent<Atom>().joint = cylinderJoints[1];
    KinematicToggle(cylinder.gameObject);


    cylinder.GetComponent<Rigidbody>().mass = 10f;

    #endregion

    yield return null;
}

And this is what it looks like currently

I want those 4 white spheres to be aligned around black sphere(Carbon atom).

What I want is something similar to this image.

When you say aligned around black sphere, you mean evenly distributed in terms of angle? Do you mind providing an example Output? — user1767754, Jul 13 '17 at 10:09
[This](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9600801/evenly-distributing-n-points-on-a-sphere) might point you in the right direction. — Draco18s no longer trusts SE, Jul 13 '17 at 15:19
@Draco18s according to that link what I think is that I have to pre define Co-ordinates where atoms can form bond with other atoms and when they do I have to connect them using that points ? — Vivek Mishra, Jul 13 '17 at 16:36
No, you use the algorithm there to figure out where on a sphere n points distribute to (where n is the current number of bonds) and use the resulting point list to calculate rotations. — Draco18s no longer trusts SE, Jul 13 '17 at 16:41
@Draco18s I am able to spawn random points on the sphere for connecting bonds, thanks for that link. But is there any way to set a particular angle between them too as currently it is kind of random points. — Vivek Mishra, Jul 17 '17 at 13:23
[Transform#LookAt()](https://docs.unity3d.com/ScriptReference/Transform.LookAt.html) will probably be the easiest method. — Draco18s no longer trusts SE, Jul 17 '17 at 13:40

How to set specific angle between 2 game objects in unity

0 Answers0