A Chase on the Road: Exploring Vehicle Behaviors – Week 8

Concept

This weeks sketch is a fun, interactive scene where a police car chases a robber car, and the user controls the robber car’s movement. While the user moves the robber car around the screen, the police car automatically chases it, creating an exciting dynamic. Ordinary cars also drive randomly across the road, adding to the lively atmosphere of the chase.

Code Highlight
One part of the code that I’m really proud of is the chase function in the Car class. This function helps the police car determine how to move toward the robber car:

chase(target) {
  let force = p5.Vector.sub(target, this.pos); // Calculate direction to the target
  force.setMag(this.maxSpeed); // Set the force's magnitude to max speed
  force.sub(this.vel); // Adjust force based on current velocity
  force.limit(this.maxForce); // Limit the force to max steering
  return force; // Return the calculated force
}

This function uses math to calculate the direction the police car should go to catch the robber car. It ensures that the police car moves smoothly and quickly toward its target, making the chase feel realistic.

Embedded Sketch

Reflection and Future Ideas
I really liked how this project turned out! The chase between the police car and the robber car feels dynamic and engaging. However, there is always room for improvement. In the future, I could add more complicated steering behaviors, like making the ordinary cars avoid the police car or work together. I could also include obstacles on the road or change the weather to make it more challenging.

Another idea is to add a score system based on how long the police car can chase the robber or how many collisions happen, adding some competition to the game. I’d love to make the visuals more interesting too, with animated cars and a detailed background.