VirtualWorldDynamics posted at 12:32PM Mon, 03 July 2017 - #4309038

I just added a new function using the same interface as the Scale feature. This function uses a percentage value, an horizontal and/or a vertical direction, to modify the softness of the springs. This allows to change the behaviour of a cloth vertically or horizontally. Very useful in some cases.

Thank you very much for that new feature Gérald, but could you please explain what you mean by 'vertically or horizontally'?

Are those orientations in relation to the World axes (parallel or perpendicular to the floor plane), or locally for the selected object?

The reason I ask this is that parts of a garment, like the sleeves of a shirt, are not always either horizontal or vertical, even in the starting pose.

Instead of a T-pose, the arms of a figure could also be bent downwards at a 45 degree angle, so strictly vertical or horizontal settings would warp those sleeves in an unwanted way.

For this reason I would like to ask you if it would be possible to alternatively use the U- and/or V-directions of the selected object for these properties.

This way the orientation of the unfolded piece of 'fabric' on the UV-map would guide the direction in which the piece is flexible or rigid, just like it would be with real clothes.

Perhaps a simplified picture explains it better:

Thank you in advance for considering this method.

Cheers!

Erik

Hello Erik,

I understand your wish and I agree with you concerning the UV directions.

But it is important to remember these informations are available at the creation of the object. In your example, the bended cylinder has a bended U direction because the U direction has been defined at the creation of the cylinder and because this object has been bended using a deformer.

In VWD, I only receive an OBJ file and I have no information on how has been created the object on which I currently work. To be able to retrieve these informations, it would be necessary to keep, during the transfer, all the informations concerning the creation of each object. Really, I don't know how to do that.

I can try to generate a gizmo which could be rotated and which would define the horizontal (X and Y) and the vertical (Z) directions. This gizmo could be oriented to the Z direction. All the computations would be made using it.

Currently, the computations are made using the Z direction in the world space.

Tell me if you think to a method to retrieve the UV directions.

I understand this solution don't resolve your problem.

Sorry for that.

 Gérald

Hi Gérald, thank you for responding to my question.

Even if true U-V-W orientation would theoretically be ideal, a VWD gizmo to locally guide the direction of parameters would be very welcome, not only for the split flexibility/rigidity settings of a selection of vertices, but also for the controlled expansion/contraction of such a selection.

It would be absolutely wonderful if you could (and would) design and program such a control widget for VWD!

Cheers!

Erik

Hi Erik,

I just began to think to implement a gizmo for the scale and softness oriented functions.

I don't want to increase the size of the "Forces and Springs" tab. This tab is already very large.

Do you think it would be possible to use the "Wind" gizmo to define a specific orientation for these two functions or this could be a risk of error?

Have a great day.

  Gérald

Hmmm, I think a universal, or multifunctional, gizmo would work, but only if it gives clear visual feedback about what it is controlling at any time you see it.

So if it changed its colour for each particular task or purpose, or if it would give a textual indication of the parameter it is going to influence, why not?

The main interface is quite crowded and difficult to navigate as it is already, so you're absolutely right in avoiding to add even more elements to it.

Cheers!

Erik