Destruction

VFX
#1

Destroying some big set pieces, wanted to see how others are handling it.

I’ve been trying out PullDownIt, my previous tests with it worked really well; we don’t have Houdini, so I needed a solution in Maya whose native rigid body solver is horrible. Heard of Fracture, but never tested it. Anyone else have positive experiences with PDI, or a different plugin?

As for bringing it into the game, unfortunately I have to rig the sim into a skeletal mesh which always felt odd to me, though I know UDK has the same thing. I’ve since made a script to automate that whole process, so it’s not a PITA anymore, now I want to destroy everything…every desk, every crate, everything!

#2

We use Max here, so we used to use reactor–but since it got taken out in Max 2012 we’re using Mass FX. Using a script to automate the rigging is GREAT especially if you need to do lots of iterations on something to get it right.

Some engines don’t have the requirement to have the sim be rigged, but like you said, UDK is like that. And from what I understand, it actually helps performance to have it rigged if you have lots of pieces (like if you were destroying a building) because if it’s rigged it uses a lot less draw calls.

If I’m doing a small destructible crate or something I usually scale the pieces down towards the end of the animation as they’re falling through the playsurface.

#3

Hey! I’m currently a student just starting into understanding destruction in games and the like. I’m currently using UDK and I know that I often times use APEX to do physics in games to do things like a brick wall breaking down with individual bricks. Are the sims that are created in Maya used often as in-game cinematic stuff or can it be used in actual game play as well? I’m really new to this stuff so I hope this isn’t to noob of a question :stuck_out_tongue:

#4

We started using Max/Reaktor then MassFX but recently migrated over to Rayfire. We found that its proboolean/procutter fracturing functions deliver the quality results of manually cutting with procutter with the ease and time savings of a voronoi script. It uses PhysX just like MassFX so it’s quick and affords us a lot of control over the sim. It also lets us use forces (vortex, wind, pbomb, etc.) which MassFX will do in an upcoming version but does not support currently.

Regarding getting the animation/assets into Unreal, we’ve had great luck with ActorX. We’re also talking about moving over to FBX which, from the little I’ve dug into the export/import issue, is the way Epic is going with Unreal 3/4.

#5

I’ll stand by Fracture. I worked in the beta and used it a lot. We use it here at our studio and a license is about 300 bucks. It has the option of using it’s internal solver or bullet.

#6

I had no idea Fracture used bullet, I’ve tried that one out using Disney’s maya plug-in. Seemed to work well.

Aryo, they can be used in game as well, as long as you’re ok with them always being the same and not interact with changing environments…it’s nice for certain set piece destruction.

#7

+1 for pulldownit. It may be a bit temperamental at times, but it’s a good tool.

#8

I did try RayFire for couple of weeks, and I got fantastic results with it. The fragmentation tool is particularly great an the bomb system used to give impulse (explosion) is very well implemented too! I have not figured a way to import a sim in our engine but the power in that tool is fantastic really. http://www.rayfirestudios.com/

After reading about PullItDown and looking at their promo vids I must say that its not as clean and physic don’t seem to match the quality of RayFire…but I may be wrong…still have not tried it yet myself.

#9

I need to give Rayfire a go. It’s max only though right?
I thought it worked like Blastcode, as in particle based and not usable in game. If it does work in game, I agree, the showreel looks sweet! Similar in price to pulldownit aswell.

#10

[QUOTE=Demno;15508]I need to give Rayfire a go. It’s max only though right?
I thought it worked like Blastcode, as in particle based and not usable in game. If it does work in game, I agree, the showreel looks sweet! Similar in price to pulldownit aswell.[/QUOTE]

YES only for Max.

#11

Regarding Maya. Blastcode is suitable in some cases(explosions). It has nice blast/wave dynamics, but required extra post-processing after simulation(clean up animations, re-baking and so on). For others types of destructions all what you need is fragmenting tool(s)+any physics engine. Probably this might take more time then RayFire takes, but you have able to control everything.

some examples:
Maya + physx

Maya + blastcode

#12

Links seem to be broken.

Has anyone used DMM?

#13

Just played with Rayfire a bunch last week. My first go at destruction and I like the ease of use. I can’t really compare it to any other solutions. Took a little getting used to but now that I understand the flow a bit more I can buzz trough sims and feel a great deal of control to massage the results of the sim in all sorts of ways to get different results. I havent even messed around with the sleeper objects and activating them but I am looking forward to including that in a dramatic falling bridge scene someday.

#14

I’m starting some DMM evaluation in the coming weeks - will be sure to update here. Its been getting quite a bit of use in films these days - lots of DMM in sucker punch and the latest X-MEN. On the real time front, they’ve shipped two Star Wars Force Unleashed games, but not sure what else.

#15

Found a review of pulldownit. It also compares it to Rayfire and Reactor. Pretty interesting!
http://www.evermotion.org/tutorials/show/7962/pulldownit-review

#16

Aaaaaand now I have to try Rayfire… I mean Seriously!
http://vimeo.com/39967685

#17

Any of you guys familiar with MaxScript can probably make your own ray-fire like tool and custom tailor it to your needs. The algorithm is pretty simple, (Depending on which slicing method you use)

Usually what i do is use the slice modifier with the “split mesh” box checked, then add a “cap holes” modifier on top of that. The tricky part is offsetting the slice plane and giving it a random orientation.

There’s a script on scriptspot that does this pretty well using a particle array primitive, which auto generates some random points on the mesh, then sets the location to that particle, then derives an orientation using some functions.

http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/scripts/fracture-voronoi

There’s a link to that free script.

#18

I love fracture voronoi. I use parts of it at work to get me started with different types of destruction. It worked pretty good alongside reactor and it’s still doing great with Mass FX.

#19

Well destruction could be anything you mean. It could be from fire, water or explosion. If it happens in real life den it leads to loss of life and death. So I pray that destruction should not take place in any cost. It should be avoided.

#20

I didn’t expect to see trolls in such small forum… Perhaps we need a banhammer before they multiply?