AS 2 kinematic tentacles

[Moltimert]

At the moment I'm practicing ActionScript by writing simple AI
and currently I'm working on a jellyfish

The ai is pretty simple to write but I'd like the jellyfish to have some longer tentacles that would float below the jelly and react to the jelly's movements a bit.
kinda like in this video
Drawing the tentacles would obviously be a bad idea since the jelly's movements are more or less random.
So is there a way to make tentacles in AS2?

[Deathcon7]

http://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/3536 01

If you're going to have the tentacles react to the jellyfish's motion, you could just use kinematics. However, if you're going to have the tentacles create the motion, the best solution would be to simply animate it. Animate the jellyfish contracting and releasing. This will allow you to create a better product, quicker, and easier. Plus, if you use kinematics for the tentacles I don't think it'll look as life like give that Jellyfish's tentacles don't just hang around, they actually help propel it.

[Moltimert]

At 1/18/09 08:56 AM, Deathcon7 wrote: http://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/3536 01

If you're going to have the tentacles react to the jellyfish's motion, you could just use kinematics. However, if you're going to have the tentacles create the motion, the best solution would be to simply animate it. Animate the jellyfish contracting and releasing. This will allow you to create a better product, quicker, and easier. Plus, if you use kinematics for the tentacles I don't think it'll look as life like give that Jellyfish's tentacles don't just hang around, they actually help propel it.

Actually the motion is created by the mushroom like head part of the jellyfish. The long tentacles that I'm talking about simply hang around and 'zap' enemies when touched.

But thanks, I'll try to use kinematics

[Deathcon7]

Sorry, I was trying to picture in my head. The tentacles do move in a certain way that reflects the motion of it's body. It's like when b-boys do a wave with their arms but it's doing it with it's whole body. Also, by any chance is this AI supposed to duplicate the AI Jellyfish someone or the other made? I remember seeing something about it on Digg or something like that. Can't really remember. Anyway, yah... the tentacles don't just hang around, they do reflect the body motion of the jelly fish so it'd prob be easier to just animate it instead of trying to program it. The best things in flash are smoke and mirror. You can make a very organic product with minimal code if you work it right.