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In memory of Not a Number |
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TOPIXCLOTH for Blender | ![]() |
2004
2 24 | ||
Presented by Tatsuya Nakamura |
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![]() Todd's great user interface is available for this release! ![]() |
About the VERSION 2. by Todd Koeckeritz |
After looking at the work Tatsuya did on his original port of
the Topix cloth simulator to blender, I was impressed by its
capabilities and Tatsuya's ability to get it to work with
blender. However, I felt it could use a better interface, a way
of storing the simulation results and exposure of all of the
parameters the original Topix code supported.
Since I was unable to get permission for redistribution from Topix, I asked Tatsuya if he might be interested in redistributing my work and he most graciously decided to do so. The results of both our efforts are contained in this new release. |
Features of Blender
TOPIXCLOTH plug-in All of the original features of Tatsuya's port are still available and are marked in the list below with (original). The new features I provided access to are marked as (new).
Some of the original limitations were removed, but most remain.
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Usage |
You can also find the past discussions about the usage in the Python & Plugins forum
at elysiun.
The usage of the simulator is documented within the cloth2.blend file available in cloth2.zip above. We will not be documenting the complete usage of it here. Only an abbreviated version of the usage of it will be outlined to show how its usage has changed. You will first need to put the compiled module in the proper place. This involves installing the .dll, .so or other file in a place where Blender's python can find it. Which file you use depends on your operating system and CPU.
ex. Windows version, the easist way is putting the 'topix.dll' file on the directory in the default "Python Files" path: C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender. Note: If you wish to use the CPU specific linux versions, linux/topixmodule-athlon.so or linux/topixmodule-p4.so, you will need to rename them to topixmodule.so after you've copied them to the appropriate location. The following instructions for use are taken from the HOWTO.txt which is also available in the cloth2.blend file. |
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![]() Fig 5 Selected cloth object after the simulation. (click to enlarge) |
![]() Fig 6 The 'Relative Keys' and the vertex keys on IPO window. (click to enlarge) |
![]() Fig 7 Edited speed curve. (click to enlarge) |
There is no need in the new cloth simulator to setup a Frame changed script and most users should have no need to write any python scripts at all. I have performed simulations of at least 400 frames and have had no problem creating or using them. However, there may be limitations in blender that make using larger simulations impossible or impratical.
Here's the tips quoted from the document of the original version:
Sample movies by Todd Koeckeritz |
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These are the liks for the sample movies that are the results of the example file cloth2.blend.
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The Future by Todd Koeckeritz |
The originally released Topix source code is clearly marked as being released under GPL 2 or later. However, the web page hosting that source code required permission from Topix to redistribute. Topix refused to reply to my inquiries to receive that permission and shortly after I initiated contact with them, they took down the page that was distributing the code. Because of these events and the unclear status of the Copyright of the original Topix source code, I will not be expending any new efforts on this cloth simulator. I have started work from scratch on a new cloth simulator for blender. It will be released under a clear GPL, possibly a GPL/BF license and potentially be more tightly integrated into blender at some later date. My main provision for release and status updates will be through the Python and Plugins forum at elysiun. At some point in the future, there may be a project for this at the main Blender projects site. You may contact me by posting in the forums at elysiun.com or by sending a Private Message to me there. My username at elysiun.com is zaz. The goals for the initial release of the new simulator are to provide a replacement for the topix based simulator with very simular functionality. Future releases of the new work should be able to expand on these capabilities significantly. |
Acknowledgement by Tatsuya Nakamura |
Thank you very much for Mr. Colin Withers, the author of the original version, who gave me the permission to make this available in public kindly. And, of course, I am really happy that Todd Koeckeritz has done this great job and my old work comes alive today! |