Coloring the Landing Surface

In order to make the domino landing surface suitable for dropping the dominos on we first have to give it a material. Go to the material panel (F5), select a color, then use the "Dyn" button and enter 1.0 in the "Restitut" button. Then F4 to the logic panel and with the surface cube selected click on bounds so that "Box" is displayed.

Save the file.

Testing our Animation

You still should have a front view, if not select it. You should see the dominos on edge. Select the lowest domono, then Ctrl-Space -> "Rotate" -> ENTER or click on the hand with finger pointing up at the bottom of the 3D window and click on the doughnut button (second button to the right). This gives us some tools around the lowest cube that we can use to slighty angle the domino so the stack will fall. There should be a white circle enclosing the lower domino. Select the circle with the left mouse button and while holding the mouse button down slowly move around the circle. The lower domino should begin to rotate. Rotate it just a little (left mouse click to keep it there). Then press the 'p' key. The stack should wobble a bit and then fall on the table. The dominos should bounce enthusiatically. Press Escape to stop the game engine. Experiment with different angles on the lower tile until you like the action. If the dominos bounce around a little too much for your taste you can always lower the "Restitut" value on the Table.

When satisfied save the file.

Change the Domino Colors

It's time to give our dominos different colors. Up to now they are all colored with the same material. For each domino except the lower domino: select the domino, and go to the material panel. Under "Links and Pipeline" you should find under "Link To Object" something like "MA:Material.001" followed by a 4 and then an "X". We want to disconnect the material from this domino and create a new color. To to this click on the "X", then "Add New" and select a new color. Sometimes I have to jiggle one of the RGB color sliders to make the color change stick. Also be sure to click on "Dyn" and enter 0.7 in "Restitut". Do this for each of the 3 top dominos.

Save the file.

Bake the Animation Domino Motion

If your happy with the domino motion then on the top menu bar select "Game" -> "Record Game Physics To IPO". Now start the game engine (P) left it run until the dominos are still and stop the game engine (Escape). You should be able to replay the movement with Alt-A (Escape to stop). If so then save the file with a NEW NAME. This new file will contain our domino motions. We want to keep the old file (unbaked) with the objects and NO motion.