Picking the spawn direction using Physics:SetVel

[Sohjiro]

so I'm currently using this code to spawn a prefab which I got from the pigking code

        local prefab = SpawnPrefab(prefabname)
        prefab.Transform:SetPosition(inst.Transform:GetWorldPosition())
        local down = TheCamera:GetDownVec()
        local angle = math.atan2(down.z, down.x) / DEGREES
        local speed = math.random() * 4 + 2
        angle = (angle + math.random() * 60 - 30) * DEGREES
        prefab.Physics:SetVel(speed * math.cos(angle), math.random() * 2 + 8, speed * math.sin(angle))

what I want to be able to do is give the user of my mod the ability to pick the direction via 45 degree angles that the item spawns at but after playing with it for quite a while I can't seem to figure out how to make it work

I don't understand what the Physics:SetVel(x,y,z) needs to pick its direction

[Serpens]

can you describe more what the result should look like?
You say someone should be able to choose a direction, but how?! with a popup box asking you where to spawn it? With an action the character did in a specific direction? Or what?
And how do you want the item to be "spawned" , simply appears eg. left to the player. Or do you want to "fling" it, like when you get gold from the pigking?
 

Edited September 21, 2019 by Serpens

[Sohjiro]

like I want to include in the mod settings a degree option so they can pick the angle ie (0, 45, 90, 135, 180, 225, 270, 315) that the item spawns at and I want it to fling kinda like the pig king with a little bit a variance.

Edited September 21, 2019 by Sohjiro

[Serpens]

ok, I already used the same code in my questapimod, looks like this:

local function launchitem(item, angle)
    local speed = math.random() * 4 + 2
    angle = (angle + math.random() * 60 - 30) * DEGREES
    item.Physics:SetVel(speed * math.cos(angle), math.random() * 2 + 8, speed * math.sin(angle))
end

local function SpawnDrop(inst, lootprefab, player)
    local x, y, z = inst.Transform:GetWorldPosition()
    y = 4.5
    local angle
    if player ~= nil and type(player)=="table" and player:IsValid() then
        angle = 180 - player:GetAngleToPoint(x, 0, z)
    else
        local down = TheCamera:GetDownVec()
        angle = math.atan2(down.z, down.x) / DEGREES
    end
    local item = SpawnPrefab(lootprefab)
    if item ~= nil then
        item.Transform:SetPosition(x, y, z)
        launchitem(item, angle)
    end
end

but I never needed a specific angle, so I also have to guess...
Did you already try to replace the very first angle variable with your custom angle, or the second?
If you want a specific angle, you should remove the "math.random" from the angle formula, since it adds randomness.

Edited September 21, 2019 by Serpens