This example will show
you how to use nCloth to simulate a buttoned shirt.
Buttoning the shirt together
The goal of this example
is to button the two flaps of the shirt together rather than let
them hang loose.
To template the buttons
- Select
Window > Outliner.
Maya displays the Outliner.
- In the Outliner window
select hairSystem1Follicles.
- In the main menu select
Display > Object Display > Template.
The buttons change to
a wireframe display. If you click on them you will be unable to
select them. This will be helpful when you need to select specific
vertices when buttoning the shirt together.
To button the two sides of the shirt
together
- Go to the beginning of the playback range.
- -click
the shirt and select Vertex from the marking menu
that appears.
Maya displays the vertices
of the nCloth.
- Select the vertex directly underneath
one of the buttons on the shirt and -click
the nearest vertex on the flap underneath to include it in the selection.
NoteIf you have trouble
selecting the two vertices as described, you can change the display
mode to Wireframe (hotkey: 4) to make
the selection process easier.
- Select
nConstraint > Component to Component.
- In the Attribute Editor,
select the DynamicConstraint1 tab.
- In the Dynamic Constraint Attributes section
set Constraint Method to Rubber
Band.
- Select
nCache > Create New Cache.
Maya automatically plays
back the nCloth simulation and saves it to disk as a cache.
- Playback the simulation.
The shirt now falls loosely
over the body, but the two flaps remain fastened to one another
at the button which you constrained.
- Go to the beginning of the playback range.
- Select
Window > Outliner.
Maya displays the Outliner window.
- In the Outliner window,
select DynamicConstraint1.
- Press to delete
the constraint.
- -click
the shirt and select Vertex from the marking menu
that appears.
- -click
each vertex underneath each button as well as each respective closest
vertex on the flap underneath just as you did for the third button
in steps 3 and 4.
- Select
nConstraint > Component to Component.
- In the Dynamic Constraint Attributes section,
set Constraint Method to Rubber
Band.
- In the Outliner window, select hairSystem1Follicles
and then select
Display > Object Display > Untemplate.
The buttons will become
visible again in the scene view.
- Select
nCache > Create New Cache.
Maya automatically plays
back the nCloth simulation and saves it to disk as a cache.
- Playback the simulation.
The two shirt flaps remain
together at each button.
Improve the shirt's behavior
While the shirt is now
buttoned together, you will notice that the overall look of the
cloth is still not correct. The cloth appears to stretch too much and
at some points and the two flaps pass through one another. You now need
to make some adjustments to fix this.
To enhance the appearance of the nCloth
shirt
- Go to the beginning of the playback range.
- Select the shirt.
- In the Attribute Editor,
select nClothShape1.
- In the Collisions section,
set the attributes as follows:
- Self Collision Flag: VertexFace
- Self Collide Width Scale:
1
- Thickness:
0.017
- In the Dynamic Properties section,
set the attributes as follows:
- Stretch Resistance:
100
- Compression Resistance:
40
- Bend Resistance:
1
- Select
nCache > Create New Cache.
Maya automatically plays
back the nCloth simulation and saves it to disk as a cache.
- Playback the simulation.
The two flaps of the
shirt now collide with one another correctly without passing through
each other.
Painting the shirt's properties
You may notice that although
the collisions are now correct, some parts of the shirt still do
not react like real cloth would. Most notably, the collar and cuffs
appear too loose, where on a real shirt they would be stiff. You
can fix this by painting vertex properties.
To stiffen the collar and front flap
- Go to the beginning of the playback range.
- Select the shirt and then select
nMesh > Paint Vertex Properties > Input Attract.
The cursor changes to
an artisan brush.
- Open the Tool Editor.
- Adjust the tool settings as follows:
- Radius(U):
0.3
- Radius(V):
0.3
- Value: 0
- Click Flood.
The entire shirt is flooded
black indicating no attraction to the input mesh.
- Set Value to
1.
- Using the artisan brush, paint the collar
of the shirt.
- Set Value to
0.2.
- Using the artisan brush, paint the cuffs
of the shirt.
- Select
nCache > Create New Cache.
Maya automatically plays
back the nCloth simulation and saves it to disk as a cache.
- Playback the simulation.
The collar now remains
completely stiff, and the cuffs hang slightly, yet maintain their
shape.
Improve the appearance
of the shirt
To smooth the look of the shirt
- Go to the beginning of the playback range.
- Select the shirt.
- In the Polygons menu
set select
Mesh > Smooth.
- In the nDynamics menu
set select
nCache > Create New Cache.
Maya automatically plays
back the nCloth simulation and saves it to disk as a cache.
- Playback the simulation.
The shirt is more malleable
and flows like real cloth.