We've got our props in place so let's set up the physics and run the sim.
1. Click on the Physics Settings button in the top toolbar or use Shift + F9.
2. Select the ball prop. Check the Active Physics checkbox and set the state to Dynamic (for interaction).
3. Select the cylinder prop. Check the Active Physics checkbox and set the state to Kinematic (for collision).
4. Select both the arch props. Check the Active Physics checkbox and set the state to Static.
5. Set the Bounding Settings in the Bound Type section to Self Mesh in the drop-down menu.
6. Turn on the Rigid Body Simulation button on the top toolbar.
Note
We are now ready to run the physics simulation. You can save a copy to reload if you have trouble but you can always remove the animation from each object with the right-click menu. Just don't remove the animation from the cylinder as it is our collision object and that would remove the swing we built in.
7. Press the Play button to run the simulation. The ball may or may not make it through one of the arches.
8. Save your project once you have the simulation you like, such as getting the ball through the arch on the right.
9. Select the cylinder, right-click on it and choose timeline to open up the cylinder timeline.
10. Click on the Transform button of the timeline to see the keyframes.
11. The last keyframe is on frame 35. Move that to frame 15 to shorten the distance between frames which will speed up the swing.
12. Play the simulation and replay until you see the possible variations of the setup. Usually a pattern will develop not so much in a particular order but in the type of reaction the simulation produces. You will start to recognize similar results.
We used the built-in physics to simulate hitting a ball into, near, or through another target. By changing parameters, we can see how the force is multiplied when we shorten the swing time on the timeline.
The shorter distance between the key frame that starts the swing and the key frame that ends the swing will determine the speed and the force of the impact.
The further apart the key frames are, the slower the swing, and the impact will be less or none at all if the ball doesn't reach the target area.
Take the time to experiment with the various settings without moving any props until you get an idea of what is possible within that setup.
After testing the existing setup move the props around to see the reaction. Move the bat forward or back on the ball prop. Change the ball prop to Kinetic or other states and view the results.