Coil o' rope (with authentic cartoon Egyptian snake music!)

[robcat2075]

a cloth simulation.

 

Rope_600.mov

 

 

 

Update:

 

Now with 50% more... ACTING!

 

Snake_600.mov

 

 

Update UPDATE:

 

Now with authentic cartoon Egyptian snake music!

 

DanceRopeDance.mov

[Darkwing]

Wow, that's really cool. And it's done with cloth? That's nifty!

[MJL]

Way to go Robert! That looks great!

[new guy]

OUTSTANDING!!!

[agep]

Simply awesome!

[wedgeeguy]

That is good Robert! How did you get the rope tube shape not to collapse upon itself?

[itsjustme]

Great stuff, Robert!

[robcat2075]

Thanks!

 

That is good Robert! How did you get the rope tube shape not to collapse upon itself?

 

It does a little, but the spline ring is only 4 CPs and that doesn't give it enough flex to flatten completely. I was surprised the first time I tried it too.

[NancyGormezano]

Update:

 

Now with 50% more... ACTING!

 

Snake_600.mov

Nice!

 

Care to augment that with some "All the girls in France do the hootchey kootchey dance" type music?

 

No? Noooo??? well, just in case...

streets_of_cairo.zip

[HomeSlice]

That's great Robert.

[jimd]

fantastic!

[John Bigboote]

Duly impressed!

[robcat2075]

Update:

 

Now with 50% more... ACTING!

 

Snake_600.mov

Nice!

 

Care to augment that with some "All the girls in France do the hootchey kootchey dance" type music?

 

No? Noooo??? well, just in case...

 

Now updated with music at the top!

 

That's amazing, I have never heard that whole song before (it has a verse?) nor did I ever know the name!

[NancyGormezano]

Now updated with music at the top!

 

That's amazing, I have never heard that whole song before (it has a verse?) nor did I ever know the name!

 

Oooo ... perfecto

 

here's the page where I stole it from

 

They claim to have the original lyrics but there are many many deliciously seedy versions.

[johnl3d]

Great use of cloth ...

[HomeSlice]

Update UPDATE:

Now with authentic cartoon Egyptian snake music!

OK Robert, that's outta control You should YouTube that one.

[Walter Baker]

Way to cool Rob as always!

[fae_alba]

Can that be textured to have the look and feel of say, a hemp rope? I'm thinking of a sailing ship (pirate perhaps) under attack, and as masts and such are destroyed, rope comes falling from on high onto the decks.

[robcat2075]

BTW, for anyone curious, the dancing was all done with A:M's little known "mouse capture" feature.

 

 

 

Can that be textured to have the look and feel of say, a hemp rope?

 

I'm sure it can be. My first attempt with a patch image was unsuccessful however.

[NancyGormezano]

I'm sure it can be. My first attempt with a patch image was unsuccessful however.

 

I'm surprised patch image wouldn't work with the right image. Perhaps try bitmap plus?

 

EDIT: proof of concept only: used a tesselating diagonal stripe type image for bump patch image, (image should be modified for better coil look)

Edited November 17, 2010 by NancyGormezano

[robcat2075]

I'm surprised patch image wouldn't work with the right image. Perhaps try bitmap plus?

 

 

Even though my map appears to be a properly repeating map, when used as a patch image for "bump" something goes wrong.

[largento]

This is great, Robert!

 

Here are a couple of images that Stian found that I've been using for the ropes on the Sea Anemone:

 

 

[EDIT] Looks like you already found some. :-) The problem I've had is that I have to go and turn the decals for many of the patches. This sometimes means going 180°.

[MJL]

BTW, for anyone curious, the dancing was all done with A:M's little known "mouse capture" feature.

 

Thanks for this tidbit, Robert. When/where is it accessed, and how is it implemented?

[robcat2075]

BTW, for anyone curious, the dancing was all done with A:M's little known "mouse capture" feature.

 

Thanks for this tidbit, Robert. When/where is it accessed, and how is it implemented?

 

You hit play, and move the bone on-screen. Keyframes are created continuously. Of course it's only simple control, you're limited to one plane of translation only or rotation only.

[NancyGormezano]

yes you would have to rotate your images

 

instead suggestion: take your striped image - apply as decal to entire coiled model (as in your project) as cylindrical map - change repeat to taste (i made it 30 x 50)

[robcat2075]

Stian's image seems render correctly when used as bump, but why doesn't mine? It does tile horizontally and vertically as a color map but as bump, one of the four quarters of the pipe renders differently than the others.

 

Here's the simple sample case...

 

RopeBumpTest.zip

 

Anyone know why?

[NancyGormezano]

Anyone know why?

 

Your image is not exactly "seamless" - I took it, applied it to ground plane, repeat 2 x 2, seamless ON. Looks like there's discontinuity 1 pixel wide?.

 

For any pattern so regular, it would have to be exact to not show funnies. I am also guessing that there might be funnies moire-pattern wise, and possibly scintilating when resolving into small # of pixels.

 

I have a horizontal stripe regular pattern that could also work as a cylindrical decal 1x20 repeat (doesn't have to be seamless)

[robcat2075]

Anyone know why?

 

Your image is not exactly "seamless" - I took it, applied it to ground plane, repeat 2 x 2, seamless ON. Looks like there's discontinuity 1 pixel wide?.

 

Set mine to bump and turn the model around . Three of the four quadrants seam up together just fine. One does not.

 

If the one pixel discontinuity is a problem, it would be a problem at every join, not just for one.

[NancyGormezano]

If the one pixel discontinuity is a problem, it would be a problem at every join, not just for one.

 

Not sure I follow you - it is a problem at every join? (3 x3 repeat, seamless ON) - doesn't match.

 

Regardless - I would have used an irregular coil rope decal image by now and be done with it. Rope, rope coils aren't perfectly regular in my universe. Me be done. I know not what the problem is.

[robcat2075]

Not sure I follow you - it is a problem at every join? (3 x3 repeat, seamless ON) - doesn't match.

 

My model is 4 patches around.

 

Patch image puts one bitmap on each patch.

 

Three of the instances meet up fine with each other.

 

One does not.

[robcat2075]

Here's a turn-around. See how one quarter of the model does not shade like the other three quarters even though they all have the same map on them.

 

Rotate.mov

[tbenefi33]

I'm speechless that's awesome work

[mtpeak2]

Did you try rotating that one patch image 180'?

[robcat2075]

Did you try rotating that one patch image 180'?

 

Just gave it a try, didn't help. But worth a shot.

[mtpeak2]

Use the "legacy bump", it seems to get rid of the problem, though you'll need to up the percentage. I guess there's still issues with bump and displacement maps, I thought that got fixed.

[robcat2075]

Use the "legacy bump", it seems to get rid of the problem, though you'll need to up the percentage. I guess there's still issues with bump and displacement maps, I thought that got fixed.

 

that does work! I guess this is a genuine AMReport candidate then.

 

Thanks!

[Meowx]

I've been having that problem for quite some time, actually. The bump map seems to change values from patch to patch. I posted about it and AM Reported it, but haven't heard anything about it since.

 

I've noticed that if you turn up the percent enough on your legacy bump, it will produce this problem there still as well. And no idea HOW it happens... seems random. Sometimes patches are fine, sometimes they do this.

[robcat2075]

I've noticed that if you turn up the percent enough on your legacy bump, it will produce this problem there still as well.

 

Yeah I guess you're right.

 

 

And i thought Stian's map didn't have the problem but when i put it on the rope one side of the rope looks like it doesn't match.

 

But his should tile perfectly. So I don't think it's the map that is the problem.

 

[itsjustme]

I've seen this problem, but I thought it was just a problem when doing a "Quick Render"...I'll have to check when I get a chance.

[animas3D]

Wow, just saw this. Awesome.

 

When the rope hits the floor it kind of jiggles around a bit in its coil. I suppose that is because the cloth simulator is going through some calculations. Is there any way to minimize this.

 

Also, I suppose the model is a very long extruded ring. Can you give some idea as to how many cross sections you used? 16, 32, more?

 

P.S. What's the chance you do a tutorial on this one?

 

Thanks!

[robcat2075]

Wow, just saw this. Awesome.

 

Thanks!

 

 

When the rope hits the floor it kind of jiggles around a bit in its coil. I suppose that is because the cloth simulator is going through some calculations. Is there any way to minimize this.

 

 

Yes, there are strategies to do that. I'm still experimenting on that.

 

Increased "damping" reduces it quite a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

Also, I suppose the model is a very long extruded ring. Can you give some idea as to how many cross sections you used? 16, 32, more?

 

193 via the dup wizard

 

P.S. What's the chance you do a tutorial on this one?

 

maybe when I write my book.

[jason1025]

Ok you can save the written tutorial for your book.

 

but while its fresh in your head how about one of your pro video tutorials.

 

You can reference it for your book.

[John Bigboote]

Inspired by Rob's test, I applied SimCloth to a chain I am making for an animated title... and it worked pretty good!

 

I don't know how rob was able to 'lead' the rope around like that...mine is a simple cloth simulation on a 4 sided lathed 4 CP circle... and then using that as a path to apply all the little beads (done in an action)

 

Needs work- but a great test I am happy with.

armytest2.mov

[robcat2075]

Inspired by Rob's test, I applied SimCloth to a chain I am making for an animated title... and it worked pretty good!

 

I don't know how rob was able to 'lead' the rope around like that...mine is a simple cloth simulation on a 4 sided lathed 4 CP circle... and then using that as a path to apply all the little beads (done in an action)

 

Needs work- but a great test I am happy with.

 

that looks great, very impressive!

[robcat2075]

Here's another experiment, no music or acting, but this tosses the rope around in a bit more complex manner and has a bump map added too.

 

RopeToss_600.mov

[fae_alba]

Here's another experiment, no music or acting, but this tosses the rope around in a bit more complex manner and has a bump map added too.

 

RopeToss_600.mov

 

Anybody how says A:M can't play with the big boys simply hasn't seen stuff like this! Truly impressive

[HomeSlice]

Inspired by Rob's test, I applied SimCloth to a chain I am making for an animated title... and it worked pretty good!

 

I don't know how rob was able to 'lead' the rope around like that...mine is a simple cloth simulation on a 4 sided lathed 4 CP circle... and then using that as a path to apply all the little beads (done in an action)

 

Needs work- but a great test I am happy with.

 

That's pretty cool matt. Have you tried it with a simple dynamic constraint?

[HomeSlice]

Here's another experiment, no music or acting, but this tosses the rope around in a bit more complex manner and has a bump map added too.

Wow. that's an amazing example!

[Meowx]

Here's another experiment, no music or acting, but this tosses the rope around in a bit more complex manner and has a bump map added too.

 

RopeToss_600.mov

 

Anybody how says A:M can't play with the big boys simply hasn't seen stuff like this! Truly impressive

Ehhhh... on the contrary, that clip kinda highlights how AM cloth isn't anywhere NEAR the cloth tools available to the "big boys" in terms of practical usability. The jittery-ness of cloth-on-cloth trying to figure out how to sit still, for example.

 

Absolutely no love lost for A:M, mind you! Just saying.

[John Bigboote]

That's pretty cool matt. Have you tried it with a simple dynamic constraint?

 

No... I considered making a chain using Newton Dynamics, but not the Dynamic Constraint... hmm. Now I am wondering how I would go about such an undertaking. Just make a bone at the top of the chain and weight the CP's between the bone and the model bone...? I'd like the chain to eventually 'drape' over other objects, which i am hoping the cloth will do for me...