Gravity Rope

 

Introduction

 

• Installation of the Gravity Rope add-on :

Go to Edit → Preferences → Add-ons → Install… → Choose the GravityRope.zip file Check the box “Gravity Rope” Restart Blender to finish installation.

 

Default settings:

 

Here you will find several parameters to speed up the process when you animate several ropes in a row.

To choose the cache folder  (Really important to avoid loose a simulation.) :

Go to the Gravity Rope panel → Create Rope → Default Settings → Folders

 

Rope over path (manually draw path):

 

This mode allows you to precisely draw the rope you want by hand. You can draw a path by changing the 3d cursor position and add a new connection point from the pose tab. In the pose tab you can also detach or hang the rope at a point.

 

 

To create a new wire (when nothing selected) you have to click on Gravity Panel → Create Rope → Bouton add (icon +) (If you have an object selected (The icon is different))

Then you can add some connection point by clicking on the 3D cursor button on the pose panel : 

 

 

In this tab you can also modify the connection order of the points. When you have selected a point you can decide to take off the rope. Notice that in this mode there is minimum 2 connection points.

 

Add pendulums to path, manage pendulums:

 

The single rope mode (see upper) allows you to hang out objects, This functionality will be available for the others mode in the next version.

 

 

Closter Rope object:

 

With this mode you can generate a multitude of ropes quickly. It is activated when you have selected an object of type “MESH” (with at least two vertices). It’s a semi-automatic mode driven by percentages. (Ex : % of head of rope falling, % of connection, etc). (Notice that you can select and remove unwanted wire.)

 

 

Closter bridge over objects:

 

This mode provide you to make a bridge using the vertices of two objects. It’s works like the previous mode (Closter Rope  object).

 

 

Simulate:

 

In this section you can activate the simulation. The button on the right of the play one allows to resume the simulation using the current frame. This allows you to continue the simulation indefinitely when you press it successively (as long as the simulation does not reach 100%). Notice that it’s available only when the ends are not animated. You can simulate with a lot of preset to make the simulation more realistic.

 

 

Physics settings :

 

Under the simulate button you have some important physics settings. You can change the length and the mass of the rope to modify the physics of this one. and you can also change the fps to improve quality of the simulation and doing some interessant stuff in motion design (slow down move effect with high FPS).

 

 

Making Breakable Strings :

 

You need activate the collision (under the “simulate” tab) and activate the “breakable” feature. There are two important parameters :

• Simulate –> Physical parameters –> Collision –> Repulsion:must be at least 1 to react to the collision

• Simulate –> Physical parameters –> Spring –> Breakablea small value makes the rope very sensitive and breakable

•  

 

Issue to know : Notice that the collider object can’t support the rope feedback (stop or cushion an object)

 

Geometry / skin / curves:

 

In the Geometry mode you can add a curve shape to your rope. You just have to draw the curve shape in the geometry panel and to use the curve settings to modify some curve parameters (extrude, depth or resolution)

 

Geometry / tool / extract data:

 

This feature allows you to extract the simulation and convert it in cloud point with an empty at each point. It’s allows you to hang objects more intuitively on the rope.

 

 

 

You can also create a profile using a bevel object (a rope for example ) : When you have your bevel object ready you have to add an array modifier and a curve modifiers to your object. Once this is done your rope will have the profile of your object.

 

 

The objects generated with this method must be manually exported  by the user in .abc form for rendering.

 

Baking:

 

Every simulation must end with baking in order to share the project or render the animation on a render farm. The baking function generate a “.abc” / simulation sequence. You also  can baker several simulations at the same time.

 

Display:

 

Here you can display useful information for debugging. You can for example display the simulation in the form of a particle and/or hide the “relationships lines”.