Week 6: Refining the Scene

This week, my focus was on perfecting the scene by incorporating an animated model, adjusting the camera angle, fine-tuning fracture pieces, and enhancing velocity control.

Optimus Prime Takes Center Stage

According to the feedback I got last week, I realized the animation and the model strongly affect how the Rigid Body Dynamic simulation in my scene could turn out. Facing the challenge of not having a Sentinel Prime model, I opted for a rigged Optimus Prime model from Pipogame on Sketchfab. I meticulously animated him to align with the reference, ensuring he seamlessly integrated into the scene. Tweaking the camera angle was essential to capture his presence effectively.

Refining Fracture RDB:

To elevate the appearance of my Fracture RBD pieces, I transitioned from voronoi fracture to Boolean fracturing, utilizing an array of scattered points within the designated emit area. This adjustment was tailored to match Optimus's movement. After measuring the area of each piece, I pruned those that appeared oversized. This yielded a diverse and plentiful set of fracture pieces.

Refining Velocity Field:

Next, I set out to fine-tune the velocity of each piece as they burst forth. This adjustment demanded precision to align with the laws of physics, inheriting attributes from Optimus (as a colliding object) and the wall (as a static object). Through the Attribute VOP, I harmonized velocity with their respective normals, injecting a touch of noise to infuse variability and distinctiveness into their motion.

Addressing a time-consuming hurdle, I delved into rectifying the velocity overwrite issue within the DOP Network. In a last-minute revelation, alongside guidance from both my supervisor and a peer, I discovered that the pieces lacked unique IDs. This impeded their ability to recognize their designated velocity. Upon rectifying this oversight and assigning unique IDs, the simulation exhibited marked improvement. However, it wasn't an instantaneous success as in prior weeks, given the substantial increase in polygon count.