Week 1: Bullet Rigid Bodies
In the first week of this module, I was introduced to the basics of using the Bullet system in Maya. I experimented with the passive rigid body systems in many exercises below.
Task - Basic uses of the Bullet system
Above I have created a cube and a plane where they both use rigid body options. I set the cube to use the static body type and the plane to use the mesh static only. This allows the cube to use gravity and physics that interacts with the plane when they collide with each other.
Finished Result Using Bullet
Task - Continued uses of the Bullet system with dominos
Above I have created multiple cubes in the shape of a domino as I can use the bullet system as seen in the image to create physics with all the dominos and create a chain of them fallling.
To create realistic physics of the dominos I used the dynamic body type and also adjusted the velocity of the first domino so that way it can fall with the others, I used a value of 30.
To help with the performance of the animation I used the bake feature which goes through the animation and bakes it to keys.
Finished Result Using Bullet
Further experimentation of using Bullet on Domino's
Above I have used the MASH editor to create the dominos that are seen above. I have used the colour and curve nodes to set the colour of the dominos and also align them to a curve that I have manually created in the shape of a domino play set.
To give the dominos the physics I added a MASH Bulet Solver node where I then gave it the maximum internal frame rate and created a key frame for the first domino to hit another domino and set the chain off as seen above. I still need to however tweak these settings.
To achieve the finished results seen above I adjusted the friction settings within the Bullet Solver and the MASH settings so that the dominos do not slide on the floor when they drop. I also adjusted the curve so that it is spread out more.
Task - Creating Jenga with Bullet
In this task, I will create a Jenga tower and use Bullet physics to allow the tower to collapse after a projectile hits one of the bricks.
After implementation of Bullet
To allow the sphere that I create above to interact with the Jenga tower I used a sphere bullet setting and also the kinematic setting. To create the projectile path I keyed this in using the translaterotate options in the attribute editor.
Above I have continued to work on the Jenga tower by allowing the sphere I created already to have more keys where when it hits the Jenga tower it turns into a kinematic sphere rather than a dynamic one as this allows the sphere to have physics after it hits rather than just floating in the air.
Creating a Glass Shatter effect using Maya Shatter
In the image above I have applied the shatter effect to a glass model that I have created. The shatter effect has broken up the glass into new different polygons to assemble a shatter of the glass cup.
I then applied a Bullet system to the glass cup and the plane below, however in the clip above both the non shattered cup and the shattered cup are still visible.
To generate the finished result above I keyed in the two different states of the glass cup using a cached animation of them both. The video above is a non rendered version.
Week 2: NCLOTH
This week for the module, I was introduced to NCLOTH. I first played around with an NCLOTH object that I have created using a plane with high subdivisions and used a preset of a cloth to give the plane the physics that would be seen of actual cloth. I also continued to experiment with NCLOTH by creating a flag and also clothes.
To first create an NCLOTH I need to create it as seen above using the default settings on a plane that has a good amount of divisions.
Once NCLOTH was applied to the plane, I used a silk preset of the many that were available and set the collision to ground plane and the result is seen above.
Different Presets Generating Different Results
Adding More Subdivisions Generates Different Results
Creating a Flag With NCLOTH
To create a flag I have added a simple cylinder to the scene and used the create point-to-surface constraint as this connects to NCLOTH (plane) to the flag pole (cylinder). I have chosen two vertices from the top of the plane and the bottom whilst leaving the middle of the plane unconstrained.
Results of Point-Surface Constraint
To allow the flag to move with the wind I have set the wind speed setting under the NCLOTH Nucleus to 10 and that creates the results seen above.
Finished Flag using Textures
Creating Clothes with NCLOTH
To create a skirt on the character above I have created a cylinder where I used a lattice deform to mould the cylinder around the waist of the character making sure no legs or the waists appears through the skirt.
To make the skirt wield to the character around the waist I have used the point-surface constraint and I have also changed the constraint method to wield so the skirt is properly on the character as seen in the image above.
Finished Result
NCLOTH Tear NPART
NCLOTH Pressure
Week 3: Bifrost Graph Particles
For week 3 of the module, I have been introduced to Bifrost within Maya and the workflow for creating Bifrost particles using the Bifrost graph editor. Below are some examples and videos of what I created using Bifrost.
Above I have created a simple Bifrost dependant object where the properties of the mesh in the image above only changes to inputs in the graph editor.
Changing Properties of mesh Using Bifrost
Above I have created multiple particles using the Bifrost particle nodes as seen i the graph editor.
Video Highlighting Bifrost Particles
To enhance the Bifrost particles I have added some colour variations to each particle by creating a custom node where it controls the rgba of the particles.
Video Highlighting Bifrost Particles With Colour Variations
Video Highlighting Inheriting Colour From Emitter
Video Highlighting Modifier Influence
Week 4: Bifrost Graph Aero System
This week I was introduced to creating smoke effects in Maya using the Bifrost graph aero system. Below are the images that I have taken from my experimentation using the graph system.
In the image above I have created a simple smoke effect where the smoke just rises and develops a sort of mushroom cloud. This is a very simple smoke effect
Here I have begun to experiment with the collider settings within the Bifrost graph editor
To make the smoke look more realistic I have played around with the settings in the graph editor to make the smoke collapse on itself more to create the effect seen above.
Further Adjustments to Make the Smoke Look Realistic
Week 5: Bifrost Graph Combustion Aero System
This week I have again looked at the Bifrost system in Maya but in particular, I have had a look at the Bifrost graph combustion aero system which is used to create smoke effects and explosions. Below are the images and videos that highlight my go at using this system.
Assignment 1: Artefact Destruction and Cloth
Week 8: Bifrost Liquids Introduction
In this week I have had an introduction to Bifrost liquids as I have had a look at such important features as scene scale, kill plane, caching liquids, Bifrost rendering, etc. Below are my experiments and tasks for today's lecture on Bifrost liquids.
Photo Highlighting Bifrost Liquid Basics
Photo Highlighting Bifrost Liquid Basics
To change to scale of the liquid to center metres I have had to scale the gravity to 980 and also the physical density of the water to 0.001 as seen below.
Photo Highlighting Center Meter Change
Photo Highlighting Transport Time Step
Photo Highlighting Transport Time Step Settings
The problem with the image above is that the liquid overflows and keeps simulating beyond the ground plane to solve this I need to use a kill plane which stops all liquid that goes beyond the kill plane.
Photo Highlighting Kill Plane
The image above highlights the use of a motion feild which changes the way the liquid acts by adjusting its turbelence, density, noise and many other attributes.
Photo Highlighting Motion Field
In the image above I have changed the resolution of the liqud/voxels to a higher number and thiis creates the results as seen above.
Render of Final Result
Week 9: Bifrost Ocean
In this week I have I had another look into the Bifrost fluid systems but in particular, I have looked into the Bifrost ocean system. The task for today was to create a realistic ocean simulation that mimics the real world. Below are screen shots of the proccess that I have taken for this week.
In the image above I have created a plane where I have applied the bifrost ocean modifier which has turned the plane into the sea seen above. I have also played around with the attributes of the plane to make it look more realistic.
I then carried on experimenting with the Bifrost ocean settings by brining in a rocket ship that will interact with the sea when it pushes through the top of the ocean. To achieve this, I have setup a Bifrost liquid area where the rocket ship will penetrate the sea. As seen in the image above.
To add to the realism, I have added Bifrost foam and made sure the attributes mimicked real life. The foam in the image is highlighted as the white dots.
Image Highlighting the Bifrost Liquid Mesh
Render of Final Result
Week 10: Bifrost Graph MPM
In this week of the module, I have had a look at the Bifrost Graph MPM (Material Point Method) granular solver. It can be used to simulate a wide range from sand and snow to cloth and fibers. Below are screen grabs of my work using the Bifrost Graph MPM.
The video above it explains everything related to the MPM solver in high detail and will help me a lot when coming to understand this system more.
The image above highlights that I have setup the MPM system on the meshes that are already in the scene. I have connected the snow, liquid, sand and cloth to the MPM solver.
Image Highlighting Results of MPM on Meshes
To get better results I have increased the resolution of all the MPM solvers and the result can be seen in the image above. There are also many settings that I have changed to make the materials act more realistic.
Week 11: Bifrost Graph Strands
In this week for the module, I have had a look into making strands and fibers with Bifrost. Below are screengrabs and recordings to highlight what I have done this week in regard to the Bifrost Graph Strands and Fibres workflow.
Above I have set up a strand using the bifrost graph as seen in the image. The strand above is a very basic one.
I began to enhance the strand by adding multiple new nodes in the graph such as the set strands size profile node and I have also set up a material for the strand. Below is a render of what I have created.
Render of Strand
To create the offset of the strand above I have created another array node and used a certain value type to create the spacing of the strand.
To enhance the strand further I have used the strands along the normal node which creates a sort of hair look. I have also added a time node to make the strands dynamic and move. Below is a render from what I have created.
Render of Strands Along Normals
The image above illustrates the scatter points and masking method to create the gap in the object where there are no strands. To complete this I have used the scatter node and then masked an area of my object where I don't want strands.
Above I have made it so that there is gradual turbulence in the strands so that at the base of them they have no turbulence.
Image Highlighting Particle Strand Trails
Another way of creating trails with strands is to generate strands from a geo such as a plane as I have used one in the image above where I then get the points from the plane to generate the trails. Below is a render from this method.
Render of Trails from Geo
Week 12: XGEN Hair
In this week for the module, I have had a look at the XGEN hair workflow within Maya, I have briefly touched upon this when creating my raptor in the rigging module but this week I am going to go into more detail on how to create alien scenes and realistic hair.
Above I have created a simple shape where it has then been archived within XGEN so it can replicate this object over a plane as seen in the image. I can adjust the intensity and density of the objects.
Render of Alien Objects by Chaning Attributes In XGEN
In the image above I have created a map that changes where the alien plant can and can't be as seen with the paths. This is done by painting the areas that I want affected.
I have then added a custom expression to another map that I have created to adjust he height. The expressions generates random height numbers that the alien plant can be.
Render of Alien Objects using Color User Data
Week 13: Bifrost Instances
In this week for the module, I have had another look into the Bifrost graph editor but this time I have looked at the technique of creating a scene using multiple of the same object/instance. This can be useful if you would want to create a forest environment for example.
Image Highlighting Bifrost Instance Intro
Image Highlighting Bifrost Instance Intro
Image Highlighting Bifrost Instance Scatter Points
Image Highlighting Bifrost Instance Scatter Points
Image Highlighting Bifrost Instance Randomise Points
Image Highlighting Bifrost Instance Scatter By Probabilities
Image Highlighting Bifrost Instance Randomise Shader Allocation
