How can I make all the points along a path equidistant from one another? Can it be done after the path has been built?

I want my characters to travel along a long curvy path an stay in order. Right now some try to overtake the others on the path. I use the same procedure for each: 1. Apply character to path. 2. Take the project to the last frame. 3. Have the character follow the path to the end. 4. Go back to the beginning and watch it work.

I was successful in one short video with a shorter path, with 4 characters. With my latest one with a path that is much much longer, I've only put two characters in the project so far, and one character repeatedly tries to pass the one in front of him. I have adjusted the "faster" character's place on the path over 20 times along the path, and now it is a mess, and he wants to go backwards on the path for a while before going forward again. yuk.

I am thinking that if the points on the path are equidistant from one another, it may help.

Accepting all advice! Thank you!

Remove all the keyframes for the "faster" character and then have him reach the end of the path (100%) at a higher frame number than the "slower" character (or have the "slower" character reach 100% sooner if you need to end by a certain frame).

Reallusion Certified Director / Reallusion Best Visual Award / Reallusion Certified Content Developer
See all the G-Tools Plug-Ins available for iClone here: G-Tools Plug-Ins

Thanks for that gordryd! I will try it today. I am concerned, though, because the "passing" character that was going too fast in the first half ended up going too slow in the second half of the path. This is what caused me to consider the spacing of the path's points.

I must admit I was fiddling a little with the timeline of the lead character as well as the many edits on the "passing" one that shouldn't pass, and that adds confusion to the problem/solution. I had a vague idea of trying something like what you said, but it was fuzzy. You clarified that nicely, and thanks again. I will redo both characters.

Actually, now that I think about it a little more, if you had 4 characters 'spaced out' at the beginning of the path, but all reaching the end at the same time (frame), the characters 'behind' would have to travel faster to catch up.  So maybe the trick is to stagger the start/end frames of each character, but keep the duration along the path (# frames) the same for all.  Like this:
              Start Frame     End Frame
Char 1:       1                 1000
Char 2:      61                1061
Char 3:    121                1121
Char 4:    181                1181

Make sure all characters are at 0% for start frame and 100% for end frame and all start/end on the same points, or stagger end points with same offsets as start points (if you need to see them separated at start and end of path)

Reallusion Certified Director / Reallusion Best Visual Award / Reallusion Certified Content Developer
See all the G-Tools Plug-Ins available for iClone here: G-Tools Plug-Ins

Thanks again gordryd! Wow, I really appreciate your help in spelling this out. In thinking about the first short successful project, I did indeed space them out along the timeline, but only in the beginning. I will try this for my long version. Thanks again!

I ended up fixing the problem by deleting my characters, starting from scratch, setting them up in a row in the beginning of the path. Then, going to the end of the path, adjusting their path positions accordingly. That did the trick.