FLEX: General purpose feather system for Maya – Plugin Development ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Technology: C++, Maya API, MEL ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Description: Main Features: • Non-Destructive workflow • Interactive modification • Applying animation using key frames and dynamics • Styling using control curves • Pipeline friendly; Saves and Exports feather data to attribute maps and Maya’s geometry cache Flex Pipeline: Stage (1) – Sample distributing • [ Particle Repulsion ]: Distributing samples using particle repulsion algorithm • [ Uniform ]: Distributing samples using uniform methods including grid and padded grid •
[ Paint Samples ]: Painting samples using Artisan for greater control over samples distribution
• [ Randomizing Samples ]: Adding chaos to samples using various methods including noise and randomization •
[ Cut and Density Maps ]: Applying Cut map to remove samples; Applying density map to alter density of samples Stage (2) – Flex geos scattering •
[ Spine ID Editor ]: Defining Edge Spine ID for flex geometries •
[ Flex Scattering ]: Scattering flex geometries over samples using various options including Instancing, initial orientation, etc. Stage (3) – Tweaking and Editing Flex geos •
[ Flex Replacing ]: Non-destructive flex geometry replacement using various options including map, range and deep mode •
[ Flex Attributes Mapping ]: Setting flex geometries attributes by mapping to files and textures •
[ Randomizing Flex Attributes ]: Adding randomization to flex geometries attributes •
[ Flex Initial State Editor ]: Setting flex geometries initial states after tweaking and editing Stage (4) – Flex Partitioning •
[ Flex System ]: Defining various flex system for greater control over flex geometries (Wing, Body, Chest, …) •
[ Flex Active Mode Editor ]: Setting active flex mode including Guided (Control Curves), Passive (Interpolated), Static Stage (5) – Styling •
[ Guided Flex Styling ]: Styling passive flex geometries using active guided flex geometries Stage (6) – Dynamics / Animation •
[ Set Collision ]: Attaching geometries to flex systems as collision objects
• [ Connect to Field ]: Connecting Maya’s fields to flex systems Stage (7) – Exporting Cache •
[ Flex Attributes Exporter ]: Exporting flex geometries attributes using texture maps •
[ Flex Cache Exporter ]: Exporting flex geometries animation to Maya’s native geometry cache format =========================================== Please visit my website for breakdown and detail: http://cgdna.com/​web Thanks for watching ! :)