I purchased the DAZ Studio plugin and downloaded the VWD Demo, and I'm trying to follow the manuals "Simulation of a single dress" on PDF page 33. I'm using V3 and the morphing fantasy dress. When I click the "start static simulation" button (p. 35), it erases the dress from the scene viewer and processor usage goes to about 30 percent, and that's it. pressing the "stop static simulation" button sets processor usage to zero, but still no indication of anything happening. I tried a few times, and also let it run for at least 20 minutes in case it just took a while to start. Based on another tutorial I found, I'm under the impression that it should be actually draping the dress at this point visually in the Scene viewer, and that I would in theory press "stop static simulation" whenever I visually saw it get to the point where I was happy. What am I doing wrong, or am I not waiting long enough for it to start?

Hello

I would say that static simu is not the best scenario for your pose (too many interpenetrations: clothe with V3, clothe with ground). Maybe that's why VWD doesn't answer. With dynamic simulation you must think as in real life.

Do a dynamic simu with

• frame 0: T pose,
• frame 20: your pose.

The draping will be better as the clothe will follow the movement.

Hello sriesch, The method described by Stef is better because the initial pose generates a lot of interpenetrations. You will not be able to do this simulation with a static simulation. You say VWD don't do anything when you press the static button. Normally, the simulation should start very quickly, the dress should fall on the ground keeping the collision with the character. Could you confirm the clothe don't move at all. I will try to do a test with this dress.

In that test, the clothing disappeared instantly. I've since tried a few other tests, and in one of them I saw the dress fly up out of the picture, so I wonder if possibly in the first test it did move, but instantly and entirely out of the viewport? I also tried a test very close to the T pose, and the dress stayed on and it worked (but of course there was nothing significant to drape it on in the T pose.)

I will have to experiment more with the animation dynamic test suggested above. I'm unclear exactly what I'm doing though. Note that I don't actually use animation at all, I just render still images. I'm assuming you wanted me to create 18 additional poses between the T pose and the final pose as if I had done animation, but I'm not sure why, since frame 20 would be the only one I would want to use and would stop the simulation on, can you explain?

Several additional questions surfaced during these tests.
One, I noticed that when I tried a T pose scene with no frames, upong pressing the Collision button the second time VWD started displaying an animated V3 in the Scene viewer from an earlier test (there is no animation in my current scene) and does not have my current figure's pose, Do I need to somehow clear VWD temporary files from somewhere between each use? Exiting and restarting the plugin, or DS, doesn't seem to clear it.

Another question, possibly related to the above question: I tried rotating my figure about 45 degrees forward (with attached clothing) to see if I could get more pronounced draping during one test while still keeping the T pose. I noticed that in the VWD scene viewer, the clothing had rotated, but the figure hadn't. Do I need to somehow fasten the clothing to the figure within VWD (in addition to the clothing being fit to the figure in DAZ Studio)?

sriesch posted at 4:05PM Tue, 23 January 2018 - #4322789

In that test, the clothing disappeared instantly. I've since tried a few other tests, and in one of them I saw the dress fly up out of the picture, so I wonder if possibly in the first test it did move, but instantly and entirely out of the viewport? I also tried a test very close to the T pose, and the dress stayed on and it worked (but of course there was nothing significant to drape it on in the T pose.)

I will have to experiment more with the animation dynamic test suggested above. I'm unclear exactly what I'm doing though. Note that I don't actually use animation at all, I just render still images. I'm assuming you wanted me to create 18 additional poses between the T pose and the final pose as if I had done animation, but I'm not sure why, since frame 20 would be the only one I would want to use and would stop the simulation on, can you explain?

Several additional questions surfaced during these tests.
One, I noticed that when I tried a T pose scene with no frames, upong pressing the Collision button the second time VWD started displaying an animated V3 in the Scene viewer from an earlier test (there is no animation in my current scene) and does not have my current figure's pose, Do I need to somehow clear VWD temporary files from somewhere between each use? Exiting and restarting the plugin, or DS, doesn't seem to clear it.

Another question, possibly related to the above question: I tried rotating my figure about 45 degrees forward (with attached clothing) to see if I could get more pronounced draping during one test while still keeping the T pose. I noticed that in the VWD scene viewer, the clothing had rotated, but the figure hadn't. Do I need to somehow fasten the clothing to the figure within VWD (in addition to the clothing being fit to the figure in DAZ Studio)?

I only do still render also. Animation is for the dynamic simulation to work correctly. You can also use some frames after the 20th to let the clothe fit correctly or make a second static simu to make some local adjustment . I choose static or dynamic simu depending on the clothe, the character, the pose, ....

If I remember well MFD is not simpliest clothe to start because of two layers of polygons but I may be wrong. I can make a test later

At what frame did you made your rotation?

I was wrong about the 2 layers of polygons for MFD. I made a quick dynamic simu without any problems (default parameters I think). Not your pose but a kneeling one to get the idea. V4 MFD on a morphed Genesis3. Some pokethrough could be adjusted

@sriesch: you can create the animation by using the T pose in frame 0 and the final pose at frame 30 for instance, that's all. Poser or Daz Studio will create an interpolation for the other frames. Then you can do a dynamic simulation.

@Smaker1: Stef, for your quick simulation, I would like to ask you a question: The pokethroughs appear because the mesh elements at the bottom of the dress is very large. To correct them, it is possible to apply the subdivide function. I remember there was an issue on this function which generated unwelded edges. Have you tried this function since this date and could you tell me if this problem yet exists with Daz? Just a remark, (to help new users), it is possible to remove the helpers seen on the floor by hiding them before the simulation.

VirtualWorldDynamics posted at 8:56AM Wed, 24 January 2018 - #4322871

@sriesch: you can create the animation by using the T pose in frame 0 and the final pose at frame 30 for instance, that's all. Poser or Daz Studio will create an interpolation for the other frames. Then you can do a dynamic simulation.

@Smaker1: Stef, for your quick simulation, I would like to ask you a question: The pokethroughs appear because the mesh elements at the bottom of the dress is very large. To correct them, it is possible to apply the subdivide function. I remember there was an issue on this function which generated unwelded edges. Have you tried this function since this date and could you tell me if this problem yet exists with Daz? Just a remark, (to help new users), it is possible to remove the helpers seen on the floor by hiding them before the simulation.

Hello Gerald (and a happy new year as we are still in january :-) )

About subdivision I usually use the native DS4 I will make a test with VWD. I'm also fond of subdivision as I like plenty of folds for my clothes.

Yes I didn't take the time to delete the helpers.

Hello Stef, I also wish you a happy new year. Excuse me for my remark, I forgot to thank you for your replies and your help.

Hello

Certainly no need for excuses !

.... and I made my homework : deleting the handles and using the sudivision in VWD. Everything works fine with plenty of folders as I like ! The feet problem disappears (see picture).

One remark: I wrongly used the sudivision parameter (too low: 0.5) : the clothe-VWD was created in DS4 but I had a message "clothe.obj doesn't exist" and no clothe in VWD . With subdivide set to 1 it worked.

I think I figured out how to erase the previous test. Possibly between each use of VWD you need to click on Utilities > "delete all Exchange files" button? (at least, that worked for me this time.)

I created frame 1 with the T pose and frame 20 with a kneeling pose (a very similar one, I couldn't find my original randomly-selected test pose), and this time the dress stayed on throughout the demo instead of vanishing. Success! Thanks.

Glad it worked ! Whatever the dynamic simulator, if the pose is too extreme an animation is required for the simulator to go progressively frame by frame. At the last frame you can make dynamic adjustement you need (VWD marvels!). You also don't need to send all the animation to DS, only the frame you want. You will have a static object in DS4. Go at the same frame in DS4 and do the still render.

sriesch:

What VWD demo version are you using? It looks like one of the earlier ones (from screenshot of panel, and last image with bad normals). If you are not using the February 24, 2017 - version 1.1.502.3552, you might want to download and evaluate that one for your purchasing decisions.

From your first post, the sim did not like that you had your dress through the ground plane (floor), and immediately created a mass collision which shot your dress into space when you started the sim. It could probably have handled the figure interpenetrations, and you could have worked them out with the dynamic push/pull.

I have worked with worse, and would have turned off floor collision, and also zeroed out gravity (for ease of use). Once the lower part of dress was manageable, I would turn back on both gravity and the floor. You can work very interactively within VWD, and are not stuck with what is just given to you as you are with Poser, or DS cloth sims.

Also, with the later versions, Gerald introduced a movable floor plane which also gives another option to the technique by moving your figure/cloth up off the ground plane in DS, and then in VWD while the Static Simulation is going and gravity is pulling the cloth down, you move the floor plane up to your figure/cloth which gives you the cloth on ground folds. Just another way to skin the cat...

The dynamic sim is usually the way to go, as the others have pointed out, but you can achieve success with just the static sim as well.

And, Happy New Year to all the VWD users too...

The demo link mentioned on the product page leads to https://www.renderosity.com/mod/freestuff/vwdclothandhair-v1-0-338-2604-demo/76177 which is for 1.0.388.2604.

Hello sriesch, The lastest demo version is the 1.1.502.3552 which can be found at the freestuff.

Thanks. Found it (along with the older versions) at https://www.renderosity.com/mod/freestuff/contributor/VirtualWorldDynamics . Oddly the newer demo versions don't show up if you just search for vwd in the normal freestuff section via https://www.renderosity.com/mod/freestuff/?search=vwd , you have to click on you as a vendor and then it shows the additional versions. Downloading now.

On one test with this new version I also once got a message similar to the "cloth not found" (I forget the exact wording, so I can't be sure it was the same message smaker1 saw) when I tried to click the cloth button, but after exiting and rerunning it without modifying subdivision or changes to the scene it worked on the second try.

I retried my test with the tilted T-pose, and this time it is working as expected, so either I did something wrong on the first test or the various differences in settings I used and/or the version eliminated it.

Her toes are sticking through for some reason (but only the feet/toes), I'll have to learn a bit more about what controls or affects pokethrough. I tried messing with subdivision a few times but that didn't seem to resolve it.

Is there somewhere (or will there be) an updated version of the VWDClothAndHair.pdf document that matches the interface? Some of the panes/buttons are different, so you have to guess a bit to find them when following the instructions. An up-to-date help document would be helpful.

Out of curiosity, I tried the following test using some cables to see what would happen. Of course hollow "cloth" cables flatten out rather than retaining their cable shape as expected so I wouldn't use it to drape cables I suppose, but I still see this as quite useful for example to create a "melted" effect on various objects. I would resize the cube underneath slightly smaller after this completed and was sent back to DS so they didn't go through it.

One additional question: Do you anticipate that the next or near future versions will retain compatibility or become incompatible with the older DAZ Studio 4.8? I don't expect DS4.8 to remain supported forever, and understand that your plans could change regardless of your answer today, but since I'm stuck at DS4.8 I'm happy that the current version works with it and I am curious about your near-term plans for the next version that might include 64-bit support.

I keep a computer with 4.8 installed just for that purpose. As long as this computer is working and studio doesn't go in a version incompatible with it, it should be all right.

Hello sriesch,

I try to reply to all your questions.

For the toes, the reason is the size of the mesh at the bottom of the dress. Normally, the subdivision should resolve this problem. I will make some tests.

For the cables, if you want to keep the shape of the cables, not flatten, you have to rigidify the mesh with a size greater than the diameter of the cable with a value like 0.01. The cable should keep its diameter but should bend on the cube. The cube must have a small mesh size to repel correctly the cable on the edges. The problem is the same than the clothes simulations. I don't know if you made a static simulation (with the cables penetrating the cube). This method will generate a very strong force in the cables. The best way is to use an animation of the cube. In frame 1, the cube is under the cables, at the frame 30, the cube penetrates the cable. The simulation will be really better.

For the 4.8 version, the reply made by Philippe is clear. But It is difficult to say if this version will be supported many years.

sriesch:

Check the VWD folder for a second manual (totaling two; Original manual, and a second one) which should have more compatible control illustrations, and updated tutorials.

If you are doing static images, and not doing animations, you can use the Dynamic Deformation simulation function (push/pull cloth - see Chapter 7: Dynamic Deformation in new manual) on any poke-throughs, so that should not be an issue. For the demo version you are using, I believe you need to have Static Simulation active, but in previous versions, and the latest (purchased) version, you don't even need SS active (It auto-activates SS while in use). To activate DD hold the SHIFT button, and you will see a Yellow sphere highlight over any vertex you hover above. While holding down SHIFT, and a vertex highlighted, left click (and hold) and pull the cloth around.

In your foot poke-through example above; Click on a vertex on the cloth somewhere above the foot, and pull both up and out, then let go and let the simulation re-drape the cloth over the foot. There is a Start/Stop paradigm with the DD usage and the SS button, so if you see your simulation (with gravity) is not draping after you let go of SHIFT, then Stop and Start the SS again for a normal draping.

Also, in Gerald's last post above, he is referring to the cube's mesh topology. You basically want to match cloth and collision densities, so the cloth has something to collide against. It does not have to be 1-to-1, but you need to have enough vertices in the collision model. VWD has a subdivision/tessellation button (adjustable) for both cloth and collision models for use cases.