How can I change the rotatearound radius in real time when the game is running?

Question

using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using UnityEngine;

public class TargetBehaviour : MonoBehaviour
{
    // Add this script to Cube(2)
    [Header("Add your turret")]
    public GameObject Turret;//to get the position in worldspace to which this gameObject will rotate around.

    [Header("The axis by which it will rotate around")]
    public Vector3 axis;//by which axis it will rotate. x,y or z.

    [Header("Angle covered per update")]
    public float angle; //or the speed of rotation.

    public float upperLimit, lowerLimit, delay;// upperLimit & lowerLimit: heighest & lowest height; 
    private float height, prevHeight, time;//height:height it is trying to reach(randomly generated); prevHeight:stores last value of height;delay in radomness; 

    [Range(0, 50)]
    public float xradius = 5;
    [Range(0, 50)]
    public float yradius = 5;

    private void Start()
    {

    }

    // Update is called once per frame
    void Update()
    {
        //Gets the position of your 'Turret' and rotates this gameObject around it by the 'axis' provided at speed 'angle' in degrees per update 
        transform.RotateAround(Turret.transform.position, axis.normalized, angle);
        time += Time.deltaTime;
        //Sets value of 'height' randomly within 'upperLimit' & 'lowerLimit' after delay 
        if (time > delay)
        {
            prevHeight = height;
            height = Random.Range(lowerLimit, upperLimit);
            time = 0;
        }
        //Mathf.Lerp changes height from 'prevHeight' to 'height' gradually (smooth transition)  
        transform.position = new Vector3(transform.position.x, Mathf.Lerp(prevHeight, height, time), transform.position.z);
    }
}

Using the xradius and yradius sliders I want to change the transform.RotateAround radius in real time.

UPDATE:

I added this to the Update:

if (radius > 0)
        {
            var newPos = (transform.position - Turret.transform.position).normalized * radius;
            newPos += Turret.transform.position;
            transform.position = newPos;
        }

The problem is now that some times when the radius the distance from the Turret is small for example 20 or less some times the transform is getting right above the turret not sure why. I want it to rotate around the turret at the fixed set distance(radius) but not to be above the turret. Can't figure out why sometimes it's moving right above the turret then after some time it's getting back to the set distance.

Answer 1

You could have an UpdateRotation() function where you take the vector between the center object and the orbiting object, normalize it, and then find the proper location for the orbiting object by applying the changeable distance that you want on the fly. The problem is, the orbiting gameobject will just kind of snap between locations. If that's what you want, roll with that. Alternatively, you could have a coroutine run to gradually change the distance variable over time to give the game a bit of flow. A third option is implementing the Mathf.Lerp() function somehow, but off the top of my head I can't articulate how you would do that similarly to what I've already described. However, its likely going to be the cleanest option.

I'd look into vectors, normalization and distance formulas to get a solid grasp of how to handle this.