Author:  	Reinhard Claus (Uploaded by rray)
Size: 	15.8 KB
Date Added: 	08-09-2008
Downloads: 	242
Average Rating: 	   
  	  	 

Publisher's Description
This is an ICE compound node that computes surface tension for a polygon mesh. Use the output values (scalar) to control whatever parameters you want:

e.g. weightmaps for texturing...
.. for realistic surface simulations this enables you to texture for example skin in a way that it changes when there's tension applied to the skin (pores/skin folds fade out)

e.g. rigging...
.. you could apply all sorts of deformations depending on surface tension (bulging to compressed areas)

particles....
.. emit particles from very stretched parts of the mesh only (like splashes on waves)

Further instructions inside the compound!

Note: beware... This is my first steps using the ICE tree with the XSI trial ...

Output type: Scalar per Point of mesh



compound . yay!!
Usage(Example).....
You want to control a weightmap for texture mixing purposes. To do so,

>>>Create a weightmap, create a set data node for the "weights" parameter of this weightmap. 
>>>Plug the set data node into the ICETree main node. Plug this Tension Node into the set data node.
>>>Create a reference shape (using shape manager or "select shape" with a duplicate). This shape will be used as the reference mesh to calculate Tension
!!>>>Convert the shape cluster to Absolute mode (important)
>>>Pick the shape using the Explorer button in the Tension Node properties.
!!>>>Move the ICETree node above the point in the stack where the deformations happen that you want to have registered (e.g. "Animation" Marker)
>>>Make Weightmaps visible and test the output, customize the compound, access the values from the rendertree with a Map Lookup (Scalar) node
>>>Note! this doesn't support edge clusters as "sensor edges" as the original TensionMap did.

compound version 1.0 created by Reinhard Claus




File: Tension
Version: 1.0
XSI Version: 7.0 and above 

I've tried your tension compound, it works great but it might be worth mentioning how to set the cluster key reference correctly. It took me a while to realise that i was setting the shape reference mode to absolute in the shape preferences rather than converting the reference mode, Doh!

Just thought I'd mention this just in case anyone else has the same problem getting their weightmaps to work..