#ncloth

[eazy3d1]

Flag Animation Using Ncloth in Maya

[hubr1s69]

simming clothing in maya because marvelous designer is too expensive per month is a low i never thought i would hit

[weepingwidar]

Kristoffer Zetterstrand (Swedish, 1973) - Ncloth (2014)

[justketerthings]

*slapps you across the face but your body doesn't have collision physics so my hand hits the wall behind you (ridged object) and the shock makes my body (softbody ncloth physics) ripple like jelly

[fmp24np]

Forefront 7

An article on 80. lvl offered insight into the project of Nick Gaul. He was inspired by the "Masters of the Universe" character King Grayskull and aimed to bring the character to life using Unreal Engine and Maya. The artist collaborated with Chay Johansson, who handled CFX and simulation, to push their understanding of character creation and animation in Unreal Engine.

Starting with a generic MetaHuman model, the character was exported to Maya for rigging and then used in Unreal for motion testing and simulation. The character’s wardrobe and hair were simulated using a combination of tools like Ziva, nCloth, and nHair, with XGen used for hair grooming. For the facial rig, a MetaHuman face was created and then customized to match the unique features of King Grayskull using Wrap3 and Maya.

The facial motion was driven by the Live Link app, allowing the artist to capture and apply their own facial performance to the character. Once all animations were completed, the character and simulations were exported as USD and Alembic files for lighting and final setup in Unreal.

King Grayskull (Gaul, 2024b)

The creator also developed a method to create the character's dreaded hair, focusing on efficiency and control to avoid overloading Unreal Engine. The final scene was built quickly using Quixel Bridge assets, with custom elements created in ZBrush and textured in Substance 3D Painter.

I think, this project showcases a high level of skill, creativity, and technicality. The decision to use MetaHuman as a foundation and then customize it to fit King Grayskull's unique design is a smart move, leveraging existing tools while pushing the boundaries of what's possible in Unreal Engine. The collaboration with Chay Johansson adds another layer of depth, particularly in the complex simulations of hair and clothing, which are often challenging aspects of character creation.

Overall, this project reflects a solid blend of artistic vision and technical execution. It pushes the boundaries of what's achievable with current tools and workflows, particularly in Unreal Engine, and serves as a great example of how to bring a character to life in a way that's both visually stunning and technically possible.

Gaul, N. (2024a). Character Production in Unreal Engine’s MetaHuman & XGen. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/character-production-in-unreal-engine-s-metahuman-xgen/.

Gaul, N. (2024b). King Grayskull. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/49rArq.

[neelkamble]

Character Production in Unreal Engine: Integrating MetaHuman and XGen

The evolution of character production in game development has been significantly influenced by tools like Unreal Engine's MetaHuman and XGen. A recent project by Nick Gaul, recreating the character King Grayskull, showcases the potential of combining these technologies with traditional techniques to create highly detailed and animated characters.

MetaHuman as a Foundation

Gaul's workflow began with Unreal Engine's MetaHuman as the base for character creation. This approach leverages pre-existing data and rigging, providing a solid foundation for custom character development. The MetaHuman mesh was exported to Maya, allowing for further customization while retaining the benefits of the MetaHuman system.

Advanced Rigging and Animation

The project demonstrates a sophisticated approach to rigging and animation:

Custom rigging in Maya

Utilization of Unreal's IK Retargeting for motion warping

Integration of various simulation techniques including Ziva, nCloth, and nHair

This multi-software approach allowed for complex simulations of hair and clothing, enhancing the character's realism and dynamism.

Facial Rigging and Motion Capture

A notable aspect of the project was the facial rigging process:

Creation of a MetaHuman face in Unreal Engine

Refinement in Maya using Bridge

Use of Wrap3 for precise 1-to-1 matching with custom geometry

This method enabled the use of live facial motion capture data while maintaining the flexibility of the MetaHuman facial rig.

Innovative Hair Creation

Gaul's approach to creating King Grayskull's distinctive dreadlocks demonstrates creative problem-solving in game character design:

Focus on the outer shell of each dread to reduce complexity

Use of a template system for efficient replication

Application of Maya XGen for detailed grooming

Export as Alembic caches for integration into Unreal Engine

This technique balanced visual fidelity with performance considerations, crucial for real-time rendering in game engines.

Integration with Unreal Engine

The final stages of the project highlight the strengths of Unreal Engine in character production:

Seamless integration of custom assets with Quixel Bridge resources

Efficient shader and lighting setup

Rapid environment creation

Gaul's project demonstrates how Unreal Engine can serve as a central hub, bringing together various aspects of character and environment creation into a cohesive whole.

This case study illustrates the evolving landscape of character production in game development, showcasing how artists can leverage cutting-edge tools like MetaHuman while incorporating traditional techniques and custom solutions to achieve unique and highly detailed character designs.

Reference:

Gaul, N., 2024. Character Production in Unreal Engine's MetaHuman & XGen. [online] 80 Level. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/character-production-in-unreal-engine-s-metahuman-xgen/

[mitcenter]

3ds Max vs Maya: Detailed Comparison of Features and Capabilities

When it comes to 3D modeling, animation, and rendering, two names often come up: Autodesk's 3ds Max and Maya. Both are industry-standard tools used by professionals worldwide, from game developers and filmmakers to architects and designers. However, each software has its unique strengths and nuances that make it better suited for certain tasks and workflows. In this detailed comparison of 3ds Max vs Maya, we'll explore the features and capabilities of 3ds Max and Maya to help you decide which one might be the best fit for your needs.

User Interface and Ease of Use

3ds Max

3ds Max is known for its user-friendly interface, which makes it particularly popular among beginners and intermediate users. The software features a customizable and intuitive UI with a wide array of toolsets that are easily accessible. Its modifier stack system allows for non-destructive editing, making it easier to experiment and iterate on designs.

Maya

Maya, on the other hand, has a steeper learning curve but offers immense flexibility and power once mastered. The interface is highly customizable, allowing users to tailor the workspace to their specific needs. Maya’s node-based architecture provides a deeper level of control, which is highly beneficial for complex animations and simulations. However, this can be daunting for new users.

Modeling Capabilities

3ds Max

3ds Max excels in polygon modeling and is often the go-to choice for architectural visualization, game development, and industrial design. Its precision and control in handling vertices, edges, and faces make it ideal for creating detailed and complex models. The software also includes robust spline-based modeling tools, which are useful for creating smooth and flowing surfaces.

Maya

Maya is highly regarded for its organic modeling capabilities, making it a favorite among character artists and animators. Its advanced sculpting tools and ability to handle high-resolution meshes allow for the creation of intricate and lifelike models. Maya’s NURBS modeling tools are also powerful, enabling the creation of smooth, mathematically-defined surfaces, which are crucial for character rigging and animation.

Animation and Rigging

3ds Max

3ds Max offers solid animation tools and is particularly strong in keyframe animation. Its Character Studio feature provides an efficient rigging and animation system, especially for bipedal characters. The software also includes CAT (Character Animation Toolkit), which simplifies the process of rigging and animating characters.

Maya

Maya is renowned for its superior animation and rigging capabilities. It is the industry standard for character animation in film and television, thanks to its advanced rigging tools and flexibility. Maya’s HumanIK system and powerful skeleton rigging tools enable precise control over character movements. Additionally, its animation layers and nonlinear animation capabilities offer animators extensive creative freedom.

Dynamics and Simulation

3ds Max

3ds Max provides a range of dynamics and simulation tools, including particle systems, cloth simulation, and rigid body dynamics. The MassFX toolset integrates these features, allowing for complex physical simulations. While capable, 3ds Max’s dynamics tools are generally considered less advanced than Maya’s.

Maya

Maya stands out in the realm of dynamics and simulation. Its nDynamics system, including nCloth, nHair, and nParticles, allows for highly detailed and realistic simulations. Maya’s Bifrost procedural effects platform enables the creation of complex simulations like fluids and smoke. These capabilities make Maya a preferred choice for visual effects artists.

Rendering

3ds Max

3ds Max offers robust rendering capabilities with its native Arnold renderer and the legacy Scanline Renderer. The integration with third-party renderers like V-Ray and Corona enhances its rendering power, making it a strong contender for architectural visualization and product design. The ActiveShade interactive rendering feature allows users to see real-time updates as they adjust lighting and materials.

Maya

Maya also features the Arnold renderer, providing high-quality rendering outputs. Its integration with other render engines, such as RenderMan and Redshift, makes it versatile for different production needs. Maya’s Hypershade material editor and extensive shader networks give artists fine control over textures and materials, essential for achieving photorealistic results.

Scripting and Customization

3ds Max

3ds Max supports MAXScript, a scripting language that allows users to automate repetitive tasks and create custom tools. While powerful, MAXScript is generally considered less flexible than Maya’s scripting options.

Maya

Maya excels in scripting and customization, supporting both MEL (Maya Embedded Language) and Python. This dual-language support provides unparalleled flexibility for creating complex scripts and custom tools, making it a favorite among technical directors and pipeline developers.

Industry Use and Integration

3ds Max

3ds Max is widely used in architecture, product design, and game development. Its integration with other Autodesk products, such as AutoCAD and Revit, makes it a preferred choice for architectural visualization and engineering workflows.

Maya

Maya is the tool of choice for the film and television industry, especially for character animation and visual effects. Its extensive toolset and flexibility make it ideal for high-end productions and large studio environments.

Conclusion

Choosing between 3ds Max and Maya ultimately depends on your specific needs and industry. If you are focused on architectural visualization, product design, or game development, 3ds Max’s user-friendly interface and robust modeling tools may be more suitable. On the other hand, if you are working in film, television, or character animation, Maya’s advanced animation and simulation capabilities provide the depth and flexibility required for these demanding fields.

Both software packages offer powerful tools and features that can cater to a wide range of 3D design and animation tasks. Understanding their strengths and how they align with your workflow will help you make the best choice for your projects.

[laomusicarts]

Maya: Tips, Tricks & Techniques

LAOMUSIC ARTS 2024 presents

I just finished the course “Maya: Tips, Tricks & Techniques” by George Maestri!

#lao #music #laomusic #laomusicArts #LAO #MUSIC #LAOMUSIC #LAOMUSIC_ARTS #lao #music #laomusic #laoMusic #laomusicarts #laomusicArts #LAO #MUSIC #ARTS #LAOMUSIC #LAOMUSICARTS #autodeskmaya #3dmodeling #particles #ncloth #vfx

Check it out:

[eliskey]

Nâng cấp tài khoản Autodesk Maya

Autodesk Maya là gì?

Autodesk Maya, thường được gọi tắt là Maya, là một phần mềm đồ họa 3D chạy trên nền Windows, OS X và Linux, ban đầu thiết kế bởi Alias Systems Corporation và hiện tại đang được sở hữu và phát triển bởi Autodesk, Inc.

Maya là một phần mềm đồ họa máy tính được sử dụng để phát triển trò chơi điện tử, thiết kế 3D, phim hoạt hình, phim truyền hình, thực tế ảo (VR) và các kỹ xảo hiệu ứng hình ảnh (VFX). Phần mềm này có thể tạo ra các mô hình nặng, giúp chúng tôi cung cấp các hiệu ứng Ultra 3D tạo ra một cái nhìn chân thực cho người dùng.

Maya có đầy đủ các công cụ xử lý hình ảnh 3D như Nonlinear, Keyframe,...giúp cho hình ảnh và nhân vật được chân thật và sắc nét hơn. Nhiều bộ phim bom tấn đoạt giải Oscar cho Hiệu ứng hình ảnh xuất sắc nhất như Chúa tể của những chiếc nhẫn: Hai tòa tháp, Kỷ băng hà,... đều sử dụng Maya để tạo ra các hiệu ứng đặc biệt.

Một số tính năng của phần mềm Autodesk Maya

Autodesk Maya là một phần mềm đồ họa 3D chuyên nghiệp với nhiều tính năng nổi bật:

Các tính năng chính của Autodesk Maya:

Xử lý hình ảnh 3D toàn diện

Maya cung cấp đầy đủ các công cụ xử lý hình ảnh 3D như Nonlinear, Keyframe, giúp tạo ra hình ảnh và nhân vật chân thực và sắc nét.

Bộ công cụ quản lý chuyển động và tính cách cao cấp như Animation Layers, Dope Sheet, Graph Editor, Constraints, Expression, giúp chuyển động của nhân vật trở nên mượt mà.

Tích hợp nhiều công cụ tạo hiệu ứng

Maya được tích hợp các công nghệ ảo độc quyền như Maya Fluid Effects, Maya Hair, Maya Fur, Maya nParticles và Maya nCloth để tạo ra các hiệu ứng hình ảnh kỹ xảo chân thực.

Các công cụ này giúp mang lại hình ảnh và tương tác sinh động cho nhân vật và cảnh trong các tác phẩm 3D.

Chế độ mô phỏng 3D nâng cao

Maya cung cấp đầy đủ các công cụ mô hình hóa 3D như Nurbs, Polygon, Texturing, cùng với nhiều thao tác nâng cao như chuyển đổi tính, tương tác UV, Unfolding.

Các tính năng này giúp quá trình mô phỏng và tạo hình ảnh 3D trở nên dễ dàng và nhanh chóng hơn.

Tính năng render linh hoạt

Maya tích hợp công cụ render Arnold và Render Setup, cho phép người dùng tùy chỉnh quá trình render một cách linh hoạt.

Sự kết hợp này giúp tạo ra những hình ảnh 3D chất lượng cao và sắc nét.

Nhìn chung, Autodesk Maya là một phần mềm đồ họa 3D toàn diện, cung cấp các công cụ mạnh mẽ để tạo ra các tác phẩm kỹ xảo, hoạt hình và hiệu ứng hình ảnh chuyên nghiệp .

Related

Autodesk Maya có những công cụ nào để tạo hiệu ứng hình ảnh

Autodesk Maya có thể tích hợp với các phần mềm khác không

Autodesk Maya có các công cụ nào để xử lý animation

Autodesk Maya có hỗ trợ render hình ảnh 3D không

Autodesk Maya có thể tùy chỉnh giao diện người dùng không

Ưu điểm và nhược điểm của Autodesk Maya

Autodesk Maya là một phần mềm đồ họa 3D chuyên nghiệp với nhiều ưu điểm nổi bật:

Ưu điểm của Autodesk Maya:

Đa dạng và mạnh mẽ

Maya cung cấp nhiều tính năng mạnh mẽ cho việc tạo mô hình, hoạt họa và hiệu ứng đặc biệt.

Phần mềm có kho công cụ xử lý hình ảnh 3D khổng lồ như Nonlinear, Keyframe, Graph, Layer, Dope, Animation,...giúp xử lý hình ảnh và chuyển động của nhân vật một cách mượt mà.

Thiết kế môi trường 3D chân thực

Maya có thể tạo ra các mô phỏng vật lý chính xác trong môi trường lập trình trực quan.

Phần mềm cung cấp sự tương tác chân thật giữa phần cứng và phần dẻo trên cơ thể dựa trên quy tắc vật lý thực.

Được sử dụng rộng rãi trong các lĩnh vực sáng tạo

Maya được ưa chuộng trong ngành công nghiệp điện ảnh, truyền hình, trò chơi điện tử và quảng cáo.

Phần mềm thường được dùng để tạo ra hiệu ứng đặc biệt, mô hình hóa các nhân vật, cảnh quan và các đối tượng động.

Nhược điểm:

Không có thông tin về các nhược điểm cụ thể của Maya trong các kết quả tìm kiếm.

Tuy nhiên, Maya là một phần mềm chuyên nghiệp và phức tạp, nên người dùng mới có thể gặp khó khăn khi làm quen với giao diện và các tính năng.

Nhìn chung, Autodesk Maya là một công cụ mạnh mẽ và toàn diện để tạo ra các tác phẩm kỹ xảo, hoạt hình và hiệu ứng hình ảnh chuyên nghiệp. Mặc dù có thể gặp khó khăn ban đầu, nhưng với sự linh hoạt và sức mạnh của phần mềm, Maya đã trở thành tiêu chuẩn trong ngành hoạt hình 3D hiện nay.

Nguồn: https://eliskey.com/tai-khoan-autodesk-maya/ 

[surajheroblog]

Creating Expressive Characters: Rigging Best Practices

Rigging is the unsung hero of 3D animation. It’s the invisible art that gives life to characters, allowing them to move, emote, and interact with their virtual world. In this blog post, we’ll delve into rigging best practices that elevate your characters from stiff puppets to expressive beings. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned animator, these tips will enhance your rigging skills and bring your characters to life.

1. Understanding Character Anatomy

Before diving into rigging, understand the anatomy of your character. Study how joints connect, where muscles flex, and how bones move. This knowledge informs your rigging decisions and ensures natural movement.

Rigging the Spine

Use a hierarchical spine rig with controls for each vertebra.

Add squash-and-stretch attributes for flexibility during animations.

Facial Rigging

Rig facial muscles (brows, lips, cheeks) individually.

Blend shapes (morph targets) allow precise facial expressions.

2. Creating Custom Control Rigs

Control rigs are your animator’s toolbox. Let’s explore advanced techniques:

NURBS Curves and Custom Shapes

Create custom NURBS curves as control handles.

Attach them to joints for intuitive manipulation.

IK/FK Switching

Implement IK/FK (inverse kinematics/forward kinematics) switching.

Seamlessly switch between posing (FK) and natural movement (IK).

3. Enhancing Facial Expressions

The face is the canvas of emotions. Rigging expressions adds depth to characters:

Joint-Based Facial Rigging

Use joints for basic facial movements (smiles, blinks).

Combine with blend shapes for nuanced expressions.

Rigging Eyes and Eyelids

Rigging eyes involves aim controllers and eyelid joints.

Simulate eye blinks and squints for realism.

4. Simulating Secondary Motion

Lifelike animations go beyond primary movements. Let’s explore secondary motion:

Cloth Simulations

Rig clothing with cloth simulations (nCloth, Marvelous Designer).

Achieve realistic folds, wrinkles, and draping.

Hair Dynamics

Rig hair with dynamic simulations (nHair, XGen).

Add wind forces for natural hair movement.

Conclusion:

Enroll in our 3D Animation Course in Hyderabad and take your skills to the next level. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced animator, our expert instructors will guide you toward animation excellence.

[mi6014mez]

building up the room

Making a flag for the wall, this will be a good chance to experiment a little bit with nCloth simulations, the main body for the flag is just a plane, then the two cylinders on the left and right are what is going to hold the flag up, otherwise when I add gravity it will just fall

This is what it looks like without anything holding it up, it just falls endlessly

First I make the two cylinders passive colliders

Then I need constrain the ends of my plain to stop it from falling. Once that is done all you have to do is mess around with the settings until your flag is moving the way you want it to

Here's what the flag looks like now, it is animated so what I had to do next was find the frame that I liked the most, keyframe that frame and then delete history, now only that keyframe is left

Here's how the flag is looking once textured, I've used a pride flag for this example because it's a great token of inclusivity and a way to celebrate those who are underrepresented

And here's the geometry underneath

Next up I wanted to make a picture frame, this one again just uses really simple geometry of rectangular shapes to make up the design of a picture frame

For texturing, I made a little picture to go into the centre

I made the design in photoshop, it's meant to represent a child's drawing, I think this will look good with the rest of the room because it's all about combining different lifestyles, having different items of culture.

Next up I made some shelves for the wall, it took me a while to find the right placement, but I'm happy with where they are now, the wall was feeling a little empty before and seeing as it's an area that's going to be highly visible, I thought it would be good to add some shelving in here

So I started by taking the books that I had just made before and arranging them onto the shelves, changing the thicknesses and colour so that they all look different

I also added another set of candles from before

Then I modelled a little glass and some vases, the vases are just extruded cylinders, they are also following the same colour scheme as the sky logo, using the blue and purple shades

Then I also took the opportunity to duplicate my picture frame from before and make that in to a little picture of the Sky Glass promotion, it's a nice way to fill space and save on time for modelling something completely new

I'm now slowly adding more stuff into my scene to make it feel more like someone's home. What helps with this is placing objects at different angles. This helps things feel less scripted and specifically placed

[amandi-mga2024mi5014]

Class Assignment - Part 2

Making the cloak using Ncloth on Maya:

I wanted to experiment with using cloth simulations.

2nd attempt;

[fmp2gracieosborne]

This video and the Maya website on nCloth and wind has helped me create a flag/ sail simulation for my ship in Maya as Cinema 4D is down at the moment.

I have also found a water simulation I like so I am just trying out other effects in Maya to add later on in Cinema 4D.

[w21009869-mi6015]

Bed and nCloth Simulation

Used the nCloth simulation in Maya.

Made a cube into the size of a mattress, and bevelled the edges to make it softer. And made that a pacifier for the ncloth.

Made a plain in the size of a bed sheet. Smoothed it out. And put the ncloth simulation on it.

Set gravity to 8.0 and let it fall, thickness to 0.04

Added one key frame, to a position to which i like the cloth in and then deleted history by type to keep on that keyframe.

Made a cube into a flat pillow case shape. Added the ncloth simulation to it.

Set the Pressure to 0.300, so that it'll somewhat inflate and form and puffed pillow.

Key framed where i liked the position and deleted history by type.

Now with both set. I poofed up the sheet i bit more by extrusion.

Took the top set of faces of the sheet and extruded that to make like the sheet has folded over.

[elizaallenmi6011]

Maya Silk test

While trying to make a silk swirl animation I tried using ncloth in maya but I didn't quite like the way it looked and i faced issues while trying to make it look swirly.

[leahmcewen]

Week 10/11/12

This week I properly made a start on my diorama. I first started by making the base for my environment. The first thing I put into my environment was the counter, as I thought it was a good divider of the space. I ended up changing my plan to have a regular cuboid shaped counter, to make it curve at the end, with a hinge door. I then added in the shelves and made a glass case for my cakes to go in.

Table Cloth:

To make a tablecloth for my table, I used the animation part of Maya. I made a plane to go above my table, and made it an nCloth. Then, I made the table I had already modeled into a collider. Then, when the animation played through, I chose where the table cloth looked best, and froze the transformation. This meant that it would no longer move in my environment. I also textured it to have a gingham pattern on it.

I also used this method to create an apron hanging up on the wall.

Cardholder wire:

Using the curve tools, I made a basic shape that would act as a “card holder” for each of the cards describing the cakes on the stand. Once I had made the curve into a shape I was satisfied with. Then, I made a cylinder, and turned the subdivision caps to 0. Then, I deleted all the faces except one circle shaped face. I then had to align this with my curve using c and the middle mouse button. After this, I could use cmd e to extrude, and increase the divisions, so that it followed the curve smoothly. I then deleted the history and froze the transformation. I could then duplicate this model multiple times in my project.

I also used this method to create the fairy light wires, and the plant.

UV mapping and textures:

For a lot of the objects in my scene, texturing was quite simple, as they were solid colours, so I could just choose what type of surface shader I liked, then choose the colour and that was it. For a few, I had to properly UV map and texture them. For example, I did this with the name cards, the textured cube, and the sign at the front of my environment. For the sign, I first designed what I wanted written on it, and drew this using ProCreate. Then, going into the UV editing on Maya, I unfolded, split and rearranged the UV. I made it so that the but that would have graphics on covered a larger surface area, as that part was more detailed. The other parts of the object were all going to be one colour, so I made them smaller on the UV map as they weren’t detailed. Then, I imported this into photoshop where I distorted my design to properly fit the region it was meant to go in. After this, I could import it into Maya to texture my sign.

Lighting:

I found adding the lighting quite challenging, as depending on which rendering software I used, the results were completely different. I found that the Maya Software represented the lighting effects I wanted, so I used that one as my guide. I also found that it made a massive impact on the atmosphere of my scene, just from adding an orange toned ambient light, the space seemed far more intricate and welcoming. Alongside the ambient light, I used point lights on the lampshades, as well as on the lamppost outside. For the point lights, I experimented with the fallout of the lighting, keeping the lamppost with less fallout so that it impacted the shadows more. I also used some directional lighting to subtly add to the scene.