29 of 32:, Joint Dynamics, Skin binding vs Cloth sim

Follow up on the last blog, some extra notes and a review kinda on each methods when making cloth, you have a number of choices on how to rig and animate them, you can use a cloth simulation, mess with its settings until you get what you like, you could use IK driven joints, and have controls thought the joint chain to give full control. or you could simple straight up Skin bind the object to bones (works best for Hoods, cleaves. and short items)


1, here we have the simplest of method, straight up Skin bind...

simply put the skirt is bounded to the L_Leg, R_Leg and Hip_Dislocate joints, And applying 2 levels of smooth weight via weight paint Tool.


Pros, the skirt Deforms with the legs movements as expected, and needs no attention. and minimum stretching, render time+playback is normal

Cons, its solid and lifeless, and if you move too much some of the mesh might pock though the top,, or fall through objects (ie if you have them sit)




2, here we are using the Cloth simulate and a collision bound on the body, the set up is fairly simple,

Under nDynamic tool set.1st select object> nMesh> Create Cloth, 2nd select the cloth object, go into Vertex mode and select the area you want to pin. then SHIFT select the target object, go to nConstraints> Pin to suffice

Pros, you have loads of presets and controls to make the fabric look 'Right',
the nCloth DOESN'T pass though other object (if they have collision bounds added)

Cons, you can view an animation in real time, so when animating, best you turn the nucleus off or make switches.
the cloth can at times bunch up and look jagged.

3, and finally here we are using the Dynamic Joints we looked at in the last blog,,



Simple crate a joins that follow the target objects rename joints as Root>Start>1,2,3..end.
Create a CV curve on each joint between Start and End,
Select the CV Curve and make it nHair (hid the original CV curve)
With IK spline tool selected, select the Start joint, End joint and the new CV curve
in the joint chain replace the new CV curve with the Original CV curve....

with the right settings, it looks fairly ok,




Pros, you can view it in real time in the view port,
render time is fairly ok but slightly slow
Dynamic curves can be used for both small or large objects,

Cons, you have no control on how it reacts (unless you make secondary animation controls)
the dynamic joint have a habit of passing though other objects (even if they have collision bounds added to them)




Conclusion: Dynamic join chains are best used with hair, cloth strands, ie rope, cables, curtains, cloak, or (the long floppy bits on long coats)
Dynamic joint chains are not so good with Skirts or dresses... anything that needs to overlap  an object that moves.

i am tore between using either Skin bounded skirt, or nCloth Skirt, as both effects are desert, but i really want to get the dynamic joint chains to work with the skirt, as i do like its look and effect..