hackney
08-17-2009, 11:21 AM
Introduction to ice strands.
I've been running through the Introduction to ice strands stuff, which has proved usefull, but i've a couple of issues surrounding the Custom Strand section.
Tutorial #22 shows how to stick the strands to a shape deforming mesh, using the MOVE_TOWARDS_GOAL compound. I'm finding the update of this setup to be laggy and twitchy. Turning the speed multiplier up further, beyond the figure of 100 as used in the tutorial makes the update twitchier. To get round this i first replaced the MOVE_TOWARDS_GOAL compound with a simple GetCLosestLocation Node and SetParticlePosition which worked withough the twitchyness but the strands would slide very sightly over the surface, as it evaluates the closest location, however i had the best results from using a GetClosestLocation node into a stick to location node, which was both properly stuck to the surface and had a smooth update.
My question is why was there a reason that the MOVE_TOWARDS_GOAL node used in the example? Is there something i'm missing in my use of the StickToLocation node?
My Second question is regarding setting the strand size so it tapers, which isn't covered in the example. I was assuming that by multiplying a scalar value with an fcurve and pushing that into set Self.StrandSize i would attain the same control i would get from the CreateStrand node, but no dice unfortunately. Is there something else i should be doing to gain control of the trand size.
Kind regards.
Hackney.
I've been running through the Introduction to ice strands stuff, which has proved usefull, but i've a couple of issues surrounding the Custom Strand section.
Tutorial #22 shows how to stick the strands to a shape deforming mesh, using the MOVE_TOWARDS_GOAL compound. I'm finding the update of this setup to be laggy and twitchy. Turning the speed multiplier up further, beyond the figure of 100 as used in the tutorial makes the update twitchier. To get round this i first replaced the MOVE_TOWARDS_GOAL compound with a simple GetCLosestLocation Node and SetParticlePosition which worked withough the twitchyness but the strands would slide very sightly over the surface, as it evaluates the closest location, however i had the best results from using a GetClosestLocation node into a stick to location node, which was both properly stuck to the surface and had a smooth update.
My question is why was there a reason that the MOVE_TOWARDS_GOAL node used in the example? Is there something i'm missing in my use of the StickToLocation node?
My Second question is regarding setting the strand size so it tapers, which isn't covered in the example. I was assuming that by multiplying a scalar value with an fcurve and pushing that into set Self.StrandSize i would attain the same control i would get from the CreateStrand node, but no dice unfortunately. Is there something else i should be doing to gain control of the trand size.
Kind regards.
Hackney.