I've been using Bullet softbody physics to add some dynamics to hair and figures. Unfortunately, Poser hasn't always saved the weight maps and settings for simulations back to the library. The simulation is there in full, if you save a scene as PZ3, and at least some simulation data will be saved to the library with figures and props. A workaround for any Bullet library-save woes is to create an injection pose, which can be used to add the same simulation to new scenes later on. That's what I'm going to show here.

If the attachment works, here we see the Zoe character I never get around to posting, with and without Bullet physics on her hair. This is the simulation I'll be using as an example.

Okay, so... little bit of trouble, there, with the placement of the image and the text. Umm. No problem, moving on the the next bit.

Here, we see the weight map and the Bullet Physics floaty-tab window-boxy dingus. Note the names of the simulation and the hair object affected by the simulation. We're going to save this scene as a PZ3, then open that up and track down those listings, using these names.

I've opened the saved PZ3 in Poser File Editor, by Dimension3D (available in Rosity marketplace). We're going to trim this down and save it as a pose file (PZ2 or P2Z).

We need to isolate two sections of the PZ3, the hair prop actor and the physics listing. The hair prop will have two listings in the file, one for geometry and one for channels and parameters. We want the latter section, so all the geometries listings can be deleted straightaway. The physics listings can always be found at the bottom of the PZ3, listed by the names shown in the Bullet pallet of the GUI (as above).

This just shows the appropriate bits of the PZ3 in PFE... assuming Rosity will let me load this image.

Here, I've trimmed away all of the stuff we don't need for an injection pose. I've kept the entire physics listing, but for the hair prop almost everything has been deleted. For the bullet actor, we really just need the weight map listing. I've also kept the softDynamicsParm dial for the simulation, in Channels, but now that I think about it, we probably don't need that. Keeping it in at least has caused me no problems.

The weight map is listed right above the Channels block. If you dig through the physics listing, you'll find the weight map number/name/identifier listed as the constraint for the actor affected by the simulation.

The process is pretty much the same for a figure as for a prop. When saving a Bullet injection pose for a figure, the weight map will be listed in the BODY actor for that figure.

Note that every Poser library file needs to open with a version listing. As shown in the image, I've kept that when I trimmed out everything else.

Once the PZ3 is trimmed down, it can be saved to the Pose library as a PZ2 or P2Z file. You can create a thumbnail for the pose by saving a temporary pose to the library from within Poser, then stealing its thumbnail for the injection pose. Everyone knows how to deal with thumbnails, I assume.

The saved injection pose can be applied to the same actor you used to create it. Vertex count and order are important with weight maps, as with morphs, so if you apply the injection pose to a different actor, the best you'll get is a messy map that's all over the place.

To apply the pose, select the prop (or, in the case of a Bullet-ized figure, the... you know, the figure), then activate the pose you saved, using the library. The weight maps will be injected and the Bullet simulation will be set up for you. Open up the Bullet Physics pallet, and you'll find the listing in place, almost completely ready to use.

This process requires two more steps, once the simulation is injected. First, the process will have created a second simulation, with an incorrect name and no objects associated with it. Delete that junk simulation listing. With the good listing, you'll then need to go in and select the choreographed objects which will collide with your softbody.

The process is pretty straightforward. If I've explained it inadequately, please ask questions and I'll be happy to try to clarify.

Showing the junk simulation listing.

Selecting the collision actors, to finish setting up the simulation.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the bullet physics engine, so this looks really promising. Thanks for posting it!

Hmmm.....I tried this on a V4, but it doesn't seem to work. It crashes the app when I try. They really need to make this something you can save.

Nephanor posted at 11:12AM Mon, 29 May 2017 - #4306196

Hmmm.....I tried this on a V4, but it doesn't seem to work. It crashes the app when I try. They really need to make this something you can save.

Yes, absolutely. This sort of functionality should be built into the program.

I use injection poses a lot in Poser, so I'm always interested in what works and what doesn't. We've been able to inject weight maps since they were introduced. Nerd's distribution of V4-WM uses weight injection, IIRC. If that capability has been broken in one of the P11 updates, it should be reported. I would be interested in knowing more about your test of the process, too. I may not have explained the process very well, here. Is there any chance I could see the pose file you used?

CartoonKid posted at 2:08AM Sat, 15 May 2021 - #4419204

Sorry for disturbing, maybe I'm late, but unfortunately the link to download - Cage has freebies not available. Please, anybody have a Cage has freebies?

His freebies were last hosted by English Bob's site Morphography. That site is also no longer active. You can however find the original downloads page on the Web Archive... Cage's stuff is near the bottom of the page.

https://web.archive.org/web/20190916235624/http://www.morphography.uk.vu/downloads.html