Simulating Ropes and Chains
Videos
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Creating simple ropes (Begin at 2:50) |
Curve simulation parameters (Begin at 3:40) |
Overview
Lucid can simulate splines and NURBS curves to produce effects like ropes, chains, and strands of various materials. Chains or linked lattices of particles are used to internally represent the curves. You can control the particle generation parameters to adjust the resulting simulation behavior.
Selected knots on the spline or NURBS curve will be used to denote fixed points of the curve. These points will not be simulated. Instead any animation applied to them from 3dsmax key-frames will be passed into Lucid to drive the simulation.
Creating a rope
To create a rope you first need a spline or a NURBS curve object from which the rope will be constructed. Then you need to select the spline or NURBS curve object and either add the Lucid modifier to it manually or use any preset button the Lucid toolbar to add it. Simulating the scene will now have the rope physics for the curve object you selected.
It is a good idea to use the Flex settings helper to manually set the particle radius which can give a better control over rope shape and collisions.
If you wish to have a part of the rope animated by 3dsmax key-frame animation you need to select the knots which are animated before the Lucid modifier in the stack.