My First Attempt at Simcloth = Crazy Splineage

[Dale_The_Bold]

I created a character wearing a robe. I gave the character bones. I set the lower section of the robe (the hangy-cloth, skirty part) to the default settings for cloth. I then set both legs to be collision objects. As a test, I created a ten second choreography of the character lifting his left leg. When I right-click and go to Simcloth Simulate, the cloth geometry goes all wonky and I get the following message.

 

System found to be unsolvable. Possible causes: forced intersecting geometry, very sudden movement, or other setting...

 

I also created a character wearing a skirt. When I do the same animation, and apply SimCloth, her skirt constantly wiggles around, as though there is wind (which there isn't), but it does move when her leg pushes it, even though it is wiggling around the whole time. Even without and character movement, her skirt splines dance around.

[Dhar]

Finding the right cloth behavior will depend on mesh heaviness/settings, proximity to collision objects, rate of speed of movement and experimenting. It ain't easy, but if you keep at it you will arrive at a satisfactory result.

[Rodney]

You may want to experiment with hiding parts of your model that might effect the cloth adversly.

An example posted here in the forum some time ago had a shirt that worked with with the characters arms and belly (those areas needing to effect the cloth) but had no other geometry underneath. An example where the entire body underneath the shirt had the cloth flapping uncontrollably.

 

So... my suggestion: Remove unnecessary geometry.

[NancyGormezano]

Have you seen this tutorial - perhaps this might help (not sure)?

 

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?s=&am...st&p=248996

[Dale_The_Bold]

Have you seen this tutorial - perhaps this might help (not sure)?

 

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?s=&am...st&p=248996

That helped a lot. I had seen it a long time ago, but only scanned it. It's helpful having something like that while working. I printed it and now have it with my collection of helper guides I have put together.

 

It's definitely better. The ten seconds I added prior to the choreography allows the cloth to settle, eliminating the splinophrenia (crazy splines). I'm still getting a sneak peak at my character's undies, but the interaction is much better (I've greatly increased the density of the spines in the skirt). It's still an issue, though. I'm hoping a glance at this will give someone a "eureka" moment.

 

[Rodney]

It's still an issue, though. I'm hoping a glance at this will give someone a "eureka" moment.

 

Hiding the geometry underneath doesn't work?

I don't suggest hiding everything... only that which is necessary.

[Paul Forwood]

Hiding the underlying geometry won't help in the long run. It may help you complete a difficult shot but as it is still there it can still snag the cloth.

 

I haven't used cloth for ages as I found it was taking far too long to find the perfect settings every time. I don't know if you have done this yet but if you try to ensure that the cloth and the legs have geometry that is closely aligned there should be less chance that a cloth CP will penetrate the legs geometry. Once a CP gets caught inside the legs it is likely to get stuck there and gradually pull the rest of the cloth inside.

[John Bigboote]

How dense is the skirts mesh? Denser equals better for SimCloth collision-detection. I find that square shaped patches (uniform) help too.

 

The best way to get going in an advanced feature like this is to conduct some rudimentary tests for your own experience. Drape a cloth mesh over a box, ball or other more complex shapes. Experiment with dense meshes versus not-so-dense meshes.

 

There is no 'for dummies' guide...it's a very advanced feature and to try it on a moving figure means you will have some experimenting.

 

HERE is a 'simple' draping experiment I finished recently for a TV spot that proves A:M SimCloth Collision-Detection DOES work (on a static object at least)...this used an EXTREMELY dense mesh.

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Yhv88Vakq6Y

[Dale_The_Bold]

How dense is the skirts mesh? Denser equals better for SimCloth collision-detection. I find that square shaped patches (uniform) help too.

 

The best way to get going in an advanced feature like this is to conduct some rudimentary tests for your own experience. Drape a cloth mesh over a box, ball or other more complex shapes. Experiment with dense meshes versus not-so-dense meshes.

 

There is no 'for dummies' guide...it's a very advanced feature and to try it on a moving figure means you will have some experimenting.

 

HERE is a 'simple' draping experiment I finished recently for a TV spot that proves A:M SimCloth Collision-Detection DOES work (on a static object at least)...this used an EXTREMELY dense mesh.

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Yhv88Vakq6Y

Wow. That video clip is amazing. I didn't know that it was capable of working that well.

 

I found the problem. I had been having a problem where the top of the skirt and the top of the legs shared CPs. I created a separate object I called "Upper Legs" just to keep a gap between the starting position of the cloth and the deflector. Basically, I ended up with upper thighs that weren't deflectors, so the cloth passed through.

 

Good advice, everyone. Thank you. I may have to keep this thread in Favorites, just for reference.