Modeling Terrain with Cloth!

[Stroker]

I've been playing with this same idea to "skin" a bunch of primitives. You know, mold a body out of primitives, then "wrap" it with another mesh. Kind of like what ZBrush and Softy3D do.

Too bad I can't remember the settings, though.

Terrain, huh? Not a bad idea.
Got any more lateral uses for SimCloth?

[Dave Black]

Sort of like the old Metareyes, and other metaball modelers? Hmmmm...Interesting idea...rather scary... :D

I've gotta try Zbrush one of these days. I'm sort of just reveling in the glory of Max's new poly tools...Just like my little Nendo...all grown up..sniff..sniff..:D

Yeah, I'm starting to write some tutorials for everyone about some more obscure ideas for using our more common tools. In fact, I'm hoping to add this idea as one of them...Perhaps then show how to texture a terrain using this method...I see alot of people asking about that sort of thing...then again, maybe no one cares..eh...*shrug*.

Anyone else have something cool you can do with a cloth simulator(other than hair, grass, etc.)?

-3DZ

:D

[Dave Black]

Ok, fine, let's try this.

Not rocket science, but it's cool.

I call it "Destructive Modeling". :D

Want a ancient ruin? Build it up, and then blow it down with a dynamics engine. You get a very convincing look. Make stone walls, pelt them with canon balls...Add drag forces to topple things over.

It can take a bit longer, but hey, it looks cool...and, it's fun!

Works well for battlefields, and anywhere you have something pretty that you want to make ugly. :D

Take your models and cut them up, then allow the physics to do their worst.

Eh...perhaps over the top, but it's still a neat idea to add to the mental toolbox.

-3DZ

:D

[kotter]

how about making footprints in snow for example ??

do you think thats possible with cloth?

[Dave Black]

That could possible work...I think the tensions and ripples might be a problem, but perhaps with a very stiff material, it could work.

The almighty Matt Clark once used cloth to simulate rubbery skin being peeled off...

Yet another use.

-3DZ

:D

[Dave Black]

One more:

Flames.

Specifically campfire and candle flames.

Place a wind warp underneath the cloth with a quick undulation.

Make a cool shader, and run the sim.

Works like a charm. People have been using that trick in theater for a hundred years...well...minus the cool shader.

-3DZ

:D

[Stroker]

Good call with the fire in the theater!

That sparked a memory. I've seen cloth streamers in the theater used very effectively for bloody things. This guy took a swipe to the neck, and red streamers went flying. With the mood lighting, it was very cool to watch. Creepy, even.

How about SimCloth for a waterfall?

Along the lines of simulating water, you could do a river or something. Toss in some moving, non-renderable/invisible deflectors underneath, and have at it. Know what I mean? Again, another idea inspired by thinking about meta-balls.

Or maybe, with the proper transparency map, snow or rain? Maybe toss in some wind or something? Ya think? No idea how this will compare to a particle system processor/render time wise, though.

[Dave Black]

Blood. That is just too cool...I gotta try that...I mean...I really, MUST try that..MUAHAHAHA!!!

Good idea, dude.

I also like the water idea. I know there is only a slight difference between water dynamics(basic standing water) and cloth. I need to research this. The "Springs" method of calculation used by Simcloth(and most other cloth sims) seems to wrok very well for most tasks. Maya cloth uses another method(SimCloth 3 just implemented it...can't remember what it's called...bend forces, maybe).

And then, if we could just get ahold of Clothreyes again...Man, that sucker could actually tear the cloth...it was amazing...(sigh).

Now that I have MAX 5, I'm becoming sort of a reactor snob. I mean, it comes with Dynamics models for rope, cloth, rigid bodies, soft bodies, water...and it can do it in real time...

Anyway, that's a great idea, man. thanks.

Keep 'em coming if you happen to thik of something else.

-3DZ

:D

[Stroker]

I hate you, 3DZealot. I really do. I don't have the time to think about these kinds of things.

I came up with two more ideas, but they are kind of half-baked.

How about cool mist cascading out of the freezer? Sounds like a good idea, but I can't quite get the material. Maybe two different clothes falling at a slightly different rate. Hmm...

At the other end of the spectrum, how about heat wave distortion? Now, this one really got me thinking. Sure, no prob getting the mesh to move around, but how to make the material? I can't even come close to doing this in Max.

However, I do know how to animate a D-Map for use with PS's Displace filter for heat wave distortion. Hell, I can even manipulate the D-Map for use a Gaussian Blur mask. I just did some playing with this and I'm *very* pleased with the results. Unfortunately, I would have to composite it all by hand since I don't have fancy-smancy compositing software.

Speaking of a dancing mesh, I'm thinking Noise modifier and animating the Gizmo. Just make it really tall and move it along the Z-axis.

Didn't mean to wander too far off topic.

Dude, this is sucking up way too much of my brain cycles. Need sleep.

[Dave Black]

I hate you too Stroker. :D

The shader on the heat mirage would'nt be too hard. Just a fast raytrace material. Fractal Flow does it too. It's a commercial plugin though.

I'm still having issues with steam. I really wanted to have a character that was in a snowy climate blow steam when he breathed. Could'nt get the most realistic effect with particles. There's a swirling thing going there that's just too chaotic to do that way...Though I never thought to use cloth. Same problem with cigarette smoke.

Not really all that different from a piece of cloth, but worthy of note: Spiderwebs. Nets. That sort of thing. Works like a freak'n charm.

Hmmm...Now my brain is hurting. Thanks Stroker...I hate you...I really do.

-3DZ

:D

[CGTalk Moderation]

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.