Does Create have the ability to have flexible objects? Yes, and we have the details!

Jared Paranych

• November 02, 2022 20:16

We often get asked if Create has the ability to work with flexible objects. The answer is yes!

Create has a collection of flexible objects that are found in the asset library under "Company Assets". Here is a video to explain how to use them!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW_AMOgHkFU&list=PLIlc03Ez_aGB3oABzMtbCD1xljIu_YZyQ&index=14

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  Andrew Hale

  • November 17, 2022 21:09

  Thanks for posting this super helpful video, Jared!

   

  One of our projects involved moving leads of a voltmeter around in scene.  This video helped us animate the flexible wires between the voltmeter and the leads.  Great help!

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  Samuel House

  • November 18, 2022 17:31

  Thanks Jared,

  Awesome video. And as Andy indicated these objects have been very helpful in building out our animated voltmeter wires. Can you point us in a direction of how to create these deformable objects ourselves? We use Cinema 4D and Blender as DCCs. It'd be great to understand the dev process. 

  Sam.

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  Jared Paranych

  • June 29, 2023 19:38

  Thanks Sam and Andrew.

  I'm not familiar with the process in those 2 applications. We used 3ds max to create these very quickly though. The process was using the skin modifier on a 3d object that had fairly even mesh to help distribute the bends. We also used empty objects to act as controllers in the skin modifier. You can also use bones to achieve this. The helpers allowed more flexibility as it didn't require a set hierarchy that chained all the helpers together.

  Once it was all setup in 3ds max we exported to an fbx file with specific settings enabled to include the skin deformer.

  Hope this information helps you discover a process for you.

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  Andrew Hale

  • July 20, 2023 00:32
  • Edited

  Thanks Jared! 

  We often need to animate tubes/hoses/wire movements and flexibles would make them look great.  We can't always use the stock flexibles included in WorkLink, because they're not always the right scale.

  I work in Blender (intermediate knowledge level, self-taught).  I've tried several different types of "bones", but haven't got anything to work properly.  They all work great in Blender, but don't work the same in WorkLink.  In WorkLink, only the final bone can be adjusted.  The other bones stay rigid.  I’ve tried Bendy Bones, traditional Armature bones, as well as Curves with objects hooked at each end .  I've adjusted export settings in many ways.  Each time, only the final bone has freedom to move.

  I'll let y'all know if I find a way to get flexibles from Blender to work well in WorkLink!  If you find a way, please let me know!

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  Jared Paranych

  • March 12, 2024 22:26

  Hi Andrew,

  I just did a Tip of the Week that helps answer some thoughts around this challenge at a high level. Take a look at the link below if you are still needing pointers. I have successfully created a deformable in both Blender and Cinema 4D using the ideas discussed here.

  Create Authoring: Creating and Translating Deformables

   

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