Hello there @NWA!
Welcome to UE! Checking through the community for similar setups, let’s see if we can answer your inquires:
- Has anyone encountered this issue with ChaosVehiclePlugin? Is there a proper way to simulate real clutch or torque converter behavior?
Indeed, the plugin is unable to simulate clutch, the current clutch system is simple and behaves more like a basic torque limiter or just a delay. It could be possible to fake a clutch slip by modifying the resistance in your custom “UChaosWheeledVehicleSimulation” subclass.
- Is Chaos Modular Vehicle a better fit for this type of simulation (e.g., tracked vehicles, differential steering, complex axle configs)?
From my experience, CMV is better fit for what you are aiming to build. The module supports a lot of customization for your vehicles’ components and behaviour (clutches, torque, axle, engine, gearbox, wheels, etc).
- Would it make more sense to move directly to the Modular setup and invest time there instead of hacking around ChaosVehicle?
Considering that you are ok with working on C++, it would definitly be a good approach to move directly into CMV. It’s a more difficult setup, but the time invested should be worth it.
- Any recommendations on how to best implement realistic drivetrain physics in UE5.6?
Of course, checking with my peers, you can try the folowing approach:
- Re-rig your vehicle (here’s a good example)
- Use “UChaosModularVehicleComponent” to assemble modules:
- “UEngineModule” with torque curve
- “UGearboxModule” with gear ratios
- “UClutchModule” or “UTorqueConverterModule” for engagement
- “UAxleModule” and “UWheelModule” for suspension and tire physics
- Customize and fine tune everything by subclassing the modules in C++
Also, please remember to check the UE documentation related to CMV: