POSERDressing up Forget conforming clothes: discover how to use dynamic cloth simulation to create more realistic clothing for your BY COLM JACKSON Poser figure renders and animations rying to create a Poser render using T conforming clothing that does not fit properly can bring workflow to a halt, interrupting the creative process. Much time will be spent trying to get the clothing to fit using morph targets, and you will often still encounter areas of the underlying figure that will still poke through. As a result, getting conforming clothing to look right can take hours, even days. Rather than spending so much time adjusting settings, you want to be able to see the beauty of cloth as it interacts and collides with your figure, draping, falling and moving as though it were truly silk or leather. For this, you need dynamic cloth simulation. This enables you to dress, pose, and drape clothing onto a figure in minutes. Cloth simulation has been a major part of Poser for the last four versions, yet it’s relatively rarely seen in renders. This is a shame, since simulation gives you more creative freedom, usually results in a better-looking render – and is surprisingly simple to master. In this tutorial, you will learn how to export a stock female figure provided with Poser 7 or Poser Pro to use as a reference mesh. You will then create a dress around her using box modelling techniques. You can use any modelling software for this, but we’re using 3ds Max 2009 because of its new Poser-friendly OBJ import plug-in. If you don’t have 3ds Max, a ready-made OBJ file is provided for you on the CD. Next, you will bring the completed model back into Poser. Using the dress as dynamic cloth around the same figure you started with, you will be able to run a simulation. The result will be a beautifully draped figure, posed and ready to render. On the CD, you can find the opening Poser scene file for the tutorial; the complete Poser simulation scene file; the finished dress model with UV template; a 3ds Max 2009 FACTFILE FOR Poser DIFFICULTY Elementary TIME TAKEN 1 hour ON THE CD • Full-size screenshots • Scene files • Workflow video ALSO REQUIRED 3ds Max (optional) dress model file; and a Poser Runtime, containing two original textures for the dress and material files for loading. The disc also contains a QuickTime screen-capture video setting out the process in more detail, including additional techniques not shown in the walkthrough printed in the magazine. Thanks to CG Textures (www.cgtextures.com) for providing the texture shown in the image on the left. The alternative texture was created by the author. Colm Jackson is a professional 3D content creator. Together with Syyd Raven, he created the hugely successful Poser online community Runtime DNA www.runtimedna.com 064 | 3D WORLD December 2008 TDW110.t_poser 064 19/9/08 10:03:40 am select Convert To > Convert to Editable Poly. click the Vertex icon. In the Create tab’s Object Type pane. This will activate the Export Range dialog. 05 So that you don’t encounter any symmetry problems later. 04 Now you can begin modelling. 09 ▲ December 2008 3D WORLD | 065 TDW110. then click Import. Click this to see the effect of the stack while modelling. individually click on each of the four vertices running down the centre of the mannequin and enter a value of 0 in the X numerical field at the bottom. The box is now mirrored. In the Files of type drop-down menu. Select Single frame and click OK. This will subdivide the polygons connected by the selected edges. As Morph Target (no world transformations). To export the Sydney figure to use as a mannequin in 3ds Max. 08 Activate Edge under Selection. This ensures that the Sydney figure mesh loads in the same position inside 3ds Max as it would in Poser. To import your mesh into Max. Untick GROUND and click OK. 01 The Select objects dialog now opens. Click OK. In any viewport. and Include body part names in polygon groups. Our scene contains only the Sydney G2 figure and the default GROUND plane object. The second icon at the bottom of the stack window is the Show end result toggle. with the right side of the box running down Sydney’s centre. Click the Ring button to select all the edges on that side.t_poser 065 19/9/08 10:03:41 am . 06 Add a Symmetry modifier by opening the Modify tab’s Modifier List menu. The Poser UNIVERSE is already unticked. select gw::OBJ-Importer. then scroll down and select Symmetry. With the Select and Move tool in the top toolbar activated. from the menu that appears. 03 STAGE TWO | Modelling the dress in 3ds Max 3ds Max 2009 contains a good set of plug-ins by guruware to aid in importing from Poser. Click and drag on the activated polygon to create five extrusions. (Click the small black triangle next to Modifier List.Dynamic cloth simulation | TUTORIALS STAGE ONE | Exporting a figure mesh from Poser Start up Poser 7 and open PoserStage1. 02 In the Export Options dialog. and select one of the horizontal edges on the side of the box. 07 Click on Editable Poly in the Modifier Stack. Right-click and select Connect in the tools 2 menu. right-click on the box you just created. Refer to the workflow video on the CD if required. then name and save your file. simply select File > Export > Wavefront OBJ. Select the top polygon on the box and activate the Extrude tool.pz3 on the CD. click File > Import and select the mesh. In the Front view draw a box on the left side of the figure.) This adds the Symmetry modifier just above Editable Poly in the Modifier Stack. select the Modify tab: under Selection. Make sure that X is selected for Mirror Axis and that Flip is ticked. It’s essential to select the correct settings in the OBJ Import Options dialog: copy the settings from the screenshot above. select Box. Repeat this procedure for the horizontal edges on the front of the box. Draw the box around the hip area. This is a hierarchical list of everything found in the scene. tick Weld body part seams. 12 STAGE THREE | Setting up the cloth simulation in Poser With the Sydney figure loaded in Poser. The Cloth Room can also be used to make movement morph targets for conforming clothing. 16 The next step involves making the dress a cloth item. Use Maximize Viewport Toggle and work in Perspective view. 11 With the modelling completed. give the simulation a name.obj on the CD). Make sure you copy the OBJ Export Options exactly as shown in the screenshot. click the small black triangle next to Object to clothify to open the drop-down menu. except the Cloth Draping pane’s Drape frames option. It is critical for the exported mesh to load into Poser with the right size and placement. When modelling a garment. select gw::OBJ-Exporter. Navigate to Props > SydneyDress if it is not already selected. Click the Set Parent button to open the Object Parent window. Click the Cloth tab at the top of the interface. Use the [Ctrl] key to multiple-select components. and should appear directly on the Sydney model. you will be able to see the subdivided result as you model and shape the dress. Click the Clothify button. Scroll down the window and choose SydneyG2. In the Import Options dialog. The dress is now parented to the Sydney figure. Click the New Simulation button at the top left of the screen. Make sure that the Sydney figure is selected by clicking on the figure. it is not necessary for it to fit perfectly over the underlying figure. Click OK. Leave all other settings exactly as they are. In the dialog that appears. In the dress object’s floating window. Click OK. Open the Poses Library on the right and click on the small black triangle to navigate through the drop-down menu to Pose > G2 > G2 Female > Walking > Walking and select Walk 03.TUTORIALS | Dynamic cloth simulation STAGE TWO (Continued) | Modelling the dress in 3ds Max Delete polygons for the neck. 17 066 | 3D WORLD December 2008 TDW110. add a MeshSmooth modifier to the top of the Modifier Stack. change from Parameters to the Properties tab. untick everything apart from Make polygon normals consistent. Model the dress to fit as closely to the body as you can: refer to the video on the CD to see this process in more detail. which you should set to 10. 14 Select Window > Animation Controls to reveal the Timeline at the bottom on the screen. click File > Import > Wavefront OBJ. In the Simulation Settings dialog. you are ready to export your mesh to use in Poser. Under Subdivision Amount. Move the slider to frame 30. arm and legs of the character to go through. In the Save as type drop-down. set Iterations to 3. Click File > Export. Use the Orbit and Zoom tools to check your model while working. 10 Next.t_poser 066 19/9/08 10:03:43 am . With Vertex selection. and can even create full-body morph targets of the different body shapes that are possible with Poser figures. and name your file. 15 EXPERT TIP Draping i The Cloth Room’s Draping feature enables you to make clothing that was modelled for one figure fit a completely different one. Select the dress mesh that you exported from 3ds Max (or SydneyDress. With Vertex selection activated. select vertices and reposition them to begin shaping your subdivided box into a dress. 13 The newly loaded dress model now needs to be parented to the Sydney figure. The dress will now be imported. The Draping function will make it fit as closely as you need. 0010. Cloth Density should be changed to 0. Click the Collide Against button. Make sure that Cast shadows is ticked. while leather drops quickly because of its weight. i Now you are going to let Poser know what the dress is going to collide with. Select Render > Render Settings. loose look. then it will run the simulation for 30 frames.20. you can set the quality of the render and whether to cast shadows. ● 22 December 2008 3D WORLD | 067 TDW110. In the Cloth Collision Objects dialog. They enable you to fine-tune how the cloth will react in the simulation. 20 Click the Calculate Simulation button. 21 After the simulation is complete.100. Leave the Start draping from zero pose option ticked and click OK. Poser will display a busy icon for a minute or two while it begins the calculations necessary to produce the final simulation. Under Dynamics Controls. These settings will generate a fairly high-quality render.000. Although many settings are specific to the mesh that is being used. Cloth Density simulates how gravity affects certain types of material. Set both Collision Offset and Collision Depth to 0. and select Raytracing or other interesting render features. Set Pixel samples to 8 and Min shading rate to 0. For instance. Here. which gives a more creased. silk almost floats to the ground. there are two more universal functions.Dynamic cloth simulation | TUTORIALS STAGE THREE (Continued) | Setting up the cloth simulation in Poser EXPERT TIP Dynamics Controls Dynamics Controls are a powerful feature in the Poser Cloth Room. scroll down and untick Right Shoulder. Left Shoulder and Left Forearm. set Fold Resistance to 60. you need to determine how your cloth will react in the simulation.t_poser 067 19/9/08 10:03:45 am . choose Manual Settings. Click the Render Now (Firefly) button to render the final image of your cloth simulation. the less the cloth bends as it contacts an object. It will start by draping for 10 frames. all you need to do is produce a render of your work. Tick Smooth polygons to make sure nothing in the render contains unsmoothed geometries. This will give the dress a nice smooth look as opposed to the default setting. Leave all other settings at their default values. 19 STAGE FOUR | Running the cloth simulation in Poser Next. The activity meter will then appear. Before clicking OK. 18 Back in the Cloth Collision Objects dialog. This will create a snug fit to the dress. Fold Resistance controls the cloth’s stiffness. you need to define exactly how close the dress will collide with the Sydney figure. Right Forearm. click the Add/Remove button and choose SydneyG2 in the Select objects dialog. This will simulate a softer and more delicate material. The higher the setting. In the Render Settings dialog.