Getting Started with Lagoa

In Portuguese, the word "Lagoa" means "lagoon, pond, or small lake."

In Softimage, the word "Lagoa" means a multiphysics simulator that uses ICE to create amazing fluid, soft body, rigid body, and cloth effects. It is a framework for building different physical effects in a single unified environment.

Image courtesy of Lagoa Multiphysicsª

There are many ways in which you get started with Lagoa.

Once you have a Lagoa ICE tree set up, you can use any of the commands on the ICE toolbar, or any ICE node in the preset manager in the ICE tree.

Lagoa Sample Scenes

Load a sample scene from the \Data\XSI_Samples\Scenes\ICE folder in your Softimage installation directory. All Lagoa scenes has a Lagoa_ prefix.

You can quickly open this folder by choosing User Tools Browse Examples from the toolbar in the ICE Tree view.

Lagoa Models

Choose a complete model from the Particles Model Library Lagoa Particles menu on the ICE toolbar:

Mesh Hanging and Simulate Mesh both use the Setup Cloth Mesh compound.
Flexible Structure uses the Setup Throw Breakable Structure compound.
Inelastic uses the Granular material.

Quick Start on Creating Lagoa Effects

Create an emission of a certain type using the commands on the Particles Create Lagoa menu and the Deform Simulate menu on the ICE toolbar — see Lagoa Particle Effects and Deforming Geometry Using Lagoa Simulations for more information.

Create a Lagoa Effect from Scratch

Set up your own Lagoa effect from scratch by using the nodes found on the Tasks > Lagoa tab in the preset manager in the ICE tree view.

See Creating a Lagoa Effect from Scratch for the nodes that you need to create a Lagoa simulation.
See Task Tab - Lagoa (Fluids and Deforms) for a description of each Lagoa node.