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Monster drool

[Deleted User][Deleted User]11 Posts: 4,002Member
edited February 2007 in Technical Questions and Answers #1
Pretty simple question. Pretty tricky problem.

Im using 3ds and making an animation with an alien. I want to make that slimey drooling look that aliens are known for but just cant figure out how to do it. I tried modelling streams of seliver using a flex modifier but they just bounce around and dont break off into drops as you would expect. I also tried with particles but this didnt work. I was considering metaball particles to simulate liquid but the collisions around the mouth and teeth along with the mass of particles etc.etc.etc. would melt my pc. Any ideas??? I was thinking a 2d aproach by putting a plane around the mouth and giving it a flex modifier then animating the opicity channel with a dropping drool texture???

Any suggestions?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Posts

  • ZabieglyZabiegly176 Posts: 0Member
    #2
    If you have a dropping drool texture that works the 2d approach would devinativley be a good one which is easy on rendertimes.

    Otherwise a particle system with metaballs is the only inbuilt way. It depends a bit on what you need. Extreme closeups of the salliva would need fluid simulation like RealFlow I think. Medium distance shots could get away with metaball particles or maybe morph-animated geometry.

    Another thing which might work is a 3d/2d fake. You modell the drops still "attached" to the mouth and use a flex modifier for motion, then you modell the detached drop and animate it falling by keyframing it. Render those two elements on a sperate pass and fix the transistion in postproduction (maybe using 2d image morphing to some extend).

    But in general if you want to have something which looks cool and renders fast - it's not an easy task at all.

    Moving Picture Company did all the saliva for the Werewolf in Harry Potter. They used a mixture of fluid simulation and modelled softbodys. There was one guy dedicated to this job, one guy working only on the saliva of the werewolf - he had a fulltime job which lasted more than a year! One year of saliva!
  • GuerrillaGuerrilla795 HelsinkiPosts: 2,868Administrator
    #3
    Looks great on a CV though. :D

    Zabiegly's methods are probably the quickest, but if you feel like an interesting exercise in PFlow, look up the drip system tutorial in http://www.allanmckay.com

    Seems it'd be easy enough to get saliva out of that.
    Comco: i entered it manually in the back end
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  • ZabieglyZabiegly176 Posts: 0Member
    #4
    Yeah the Pflow drip system looks quite cool. But of course that would also be dependant on Metaballs to generate geometry. Or if you really can't use metaballs due to fusion-reactions starting in your processor you could try to get something out with sprites. But I don't think that's a very promising way to do it, using sprites.
    Jan 2001 to May 2002: MovingPictureCompany / London
    *** what I did: Spittle

    Objectives: PLEASE PLEASE hire me for something else then saliva
    :D :D
  • GuerrillaGuerrilla795 HelsinkiPosts: 2,868Administrator
    #5
    Well, he's still better off than the guy who had the ungrateful job of dealing with Superman's package. :p

    You could get away without using metaballs with some clever trailing and possibly instances, but I never claimed it was easy. I just said it'd be a cool challenge. :)
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]2 Posts: 3Member
    #6
    im very much leaning towards the 2d approach. PFlow scares the hell outta me. all my experiences with that have gone on for months. This is just a little animation for fun. How would i go about making a 2d opacity map for seliver? I will play around and post some results.
  • JedilawJedilaw0 Posts: 0Member
    #7
    Guerrilla wrote: »
    Well, he's still better off than the guy who had the ungrateful job of dealing with Superman's package. :p

    You could get away without using metaballs with some clever trailing and possibly instances, but I never claimed it was easy. I just said it'd be a cool challenge. :)

    Wait, use metaballs for Superman's package? LOL
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]2 Posts: 3Member
    #8
    LOL!!!! thats funny.

    anyways. I tried the 2d approach and its worked out ok with quick render times and descent results. I set up a system of metaparticles and let them run down a deflector with high friction. I gave them pure white on black background and used that as an opacity map. I mapped that onto a flat plane with flex modifier and stuck them on the model. What you think??? any suggestions?

    before any 1 asks the model is not my own. If i ever put anything finished on the net full cred will be given.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]2 Posts: 3Member
    #9
    hmmm that animates pretty well. for a 1st render im pretty happy with this 1.
  • ZabieglyZabiegly176 Posts: 0Member
    #10
    Well it is quite a lot of saliva and it also is too fluid in my oppinion. I'd expect something with more viscosity which is gently dripping
  • GuerrillaGuerrilla795 HelsinkiPosts: 2,868Administrator
    #11
    I agree with Zabiegly. Except for the lot of saliva bit. I mean there's a lot of it, but you could probably do with a couple more emitters emitting a bit slower.

    Cool Alien mesh btw.
    Comco: i entered it manually in the back end
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]2 Posts: 3Member
    #12
    Aye. Too fluid.

    Right now it looks like his ....equipment....is in his mouth.:D:D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]2 Posts: 3Member
    #13
    fair nuff lol. mmm i did like the bottom emmiters but the top one was definately too fast. I slowed it down and it looks better thanks. I also added some mucassy thick slimey stuff that stretches between the jaws. Cant really see it though because its inside his mouth not around the outside :S i think the effects coming together.
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