Chain simulation.

[raymondwganderson]

Hello Folks,  Been doing a few tutorials on Max chain simulations using the gravity function,  Have got up to speed with a straight chain falling down to the ground,  now I would like to know if it is possible to have a chain that is along a path do the same  ie a curved chain falling to the ground. I have tried everything to get this but no luck, there appears to be no tutorials on Youtube showing a curved chain falling to the ground, they all show a simple straight chain.  I am not even sure if it is even possible to do what I need hence the post on here.

[3dtasarimokulu]

you can use massFX, it isnt a plugin.

[raymondwganderson]

 @3dtasarimokulu  Many thanks, I shall have a try.👍

[MartinBeh]

Do you need a full chain simulation, i.e. with every chain link moving independent of each other, or would a rope simulation be sufficient (i.e. the chain links would always touch each other but align to the rope)?

[raymondwganderson]

@MartinBeh   Thanks for the reply, I would prefer to be able to do the most realistic one. although the rope one would suffice  [ especially since I have no idea how go about any of them ] 

Cheers.

[MartinBeh]

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@raymondwganderson wrote:

@MartinBeh   Thanks for the reply, I would prefer to be able to do the most realistic one. although the rope one would suffice  [ especially since I have no idea how go about any of them ] 

Cheers.

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Some pointers for setting up a rope simulation:

• using MassFX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_CprxMM-9w
• using Cloth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx0L-9wgC38

Once you have a good rope animation (i.e. a spline that moves the way you want it), you can use that rope spline as the target for a Path Deform modifier applied to your chain mesh - or (probably better) you use the spline as the target for the Array modifier, which generates your original straight chain links.

[MartinBeh]

PS: Also found these on how to do a chain in MassFX: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyuYnJD97j0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTMV9t4uulw

I have to admit that I did not trust MassFX to do this well, with a full setup of individual chain links, but it seems to actually work (I had to increase the simulation substeps from 3 to 10 to avoid the chain links from losing connection to each other)