How to create a chain(like on a ball and chain)

[sacslacker]

Not sure what you mean that you can't use collisions to make a chain but the process is fairly simple depending on what you want to do.

For example, create a few torus objects and position them like chain links. Make sure there is no interpenetratioin. Select all of the chain links and create and active rigid body. The thing the chains are attached to should be made as a passive rigid. You should position one of the links inside a loop or hook type on the passive rigid body so they will hang. Finally, select the chain and add gravity and you should be set.

[Oddgit]

the active/passive chains arent that stable, they tend to go nuts after a few frames of collisions. I was thinking that i would have to use some sort of IKrig or some other thing. I dont mind setting up an ik rig but dont really know how to make them dangle and move around.

[sacslacker]

I've had good luck with the rigids but you can certainly use an IK rig. If you have Unlimited you can use the Hair system as well.

[LuckyBug]

One thing that comes to my mind is to create chain as you like,than create joints located on the point of rotation of each pair of links.
Than you create splineIK,and that curve you convert to Soft Body and add some fields like Gravity ...
You can put Goal Weight=0 on each of links except first one or two wich will have Goal Weight=1.

[rxgeez]

One option would be to use rigid bodies but instead of relying on collisions between each link, you could create a constraint (hinge constraint for example) between each link instead. This should make it a bit more stable.

Another option could be to create a set of joints at each link interection. Then create a curve that runs down the row of joints. Under the hair pulldown you could make the selected curve dynamic. You can then use the dynamic curve as the splineIK curve.

I think the rigid body option would give better results but the splineIk option could work as well.

[DrYo]

If you go the rigid body route, you can play with the solver settings and that might prevent the simulation from exploding.

A soft body curve driving splineIK joints is probably a more efficient method. You also get the ability to set limits on the joint rotations; this could help prevent intersecting geometry.

[yenvalmar]

hair is way better than softbody for this purpose in every way imaginable- speed, quality of results, ease of setup, ease of tuning/editing results are all far better. am i forgetting any criteria? its better in those too.

setting up a dynamic hair curve as an IK chain is always a challenge for noobs but still far easier than tuning hard or softbody simulation for this purpose.

intersecting geometry isnt really going to be an issue here given what he is doing. at least not in the way you mean. what will be an issue is collisions between the chains and the rest of the rig which is probably yet another place hair is the easiest/fastest way..

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