Tearing Cloth. In this tutorial we are going to go over another basic use of the cloth modifier. Ripping Cloth based on forces like wind.

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Roland Hensley
6 years ago
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1 Tearing Cloth In this tutorial we are going to go over another basic use of the cloth modifier. Ripping Cloth based on forces like wind. We will use a starter file that I have put together so we can bypass the creation of the flag itself as it is nothing more than a plane and a cylinder for a flag pole. You can download the quick start file here: Inside you will find a simple Plane with several segments which we will use to simulate our Cloth flag. A Pole, with some standard adornments created via the Standard Geometry panel, and a couple of lights. I have created some simple textures using 100% procedural texturing in 3DS Max so when you download and open it up all the textures function without remapping being necessary, so when you see the shabby United States flag you know why it's a little off but it will work well for our purposes. You will also see a Wind with some standard settings to make a wind strong enough to rip our flag as it blows in the breeze. This will look very much like our original tutorial on making a flag wave in the breeze and then we will simply add an extra element to it. 1

Select the Plane with the stars on it from the starter scene, take a look at the Modifier stack and you will notice a couple of UVW Maps for the procedural textures, and a Tessellate Modifier, with a

If you want a good jagged edge like a real tattered piece of cloth the more edges the better the tear will look.

2 Select the Plane with the stars on it from the starter scene, take a look at the Modifier stack and you will notice a couple of UVW Maps for the procedural textures, and a Tessellate Modifier, with a value of 2. The Tessellate gives our flag more faces and converts them to triangles so we have more edges to rip. If you want a good jagged edge like a real tattered piece of cloth the more edges the better the tear will look. Go to the Modify Tab and from the drop down list add the Cloth modifier to the top of the Modifier stack. Open the drop down list and find the cloth modifier to add it to the list. In the settings for the cloth modifier first scroll all the way to the bottom and find the Simulation Parameters. Mark the Check Intersections Box and the Self Collision box and give the Self Collision a value of 1 to make the flag bounce off of itself when it folds over on top of itself. 2

To do this open up the sub-objects list in the cloth modifier by clicking on the little black + sign in the Modifier stack.

3 In order to make it so that the flag does not immediately turn to cloth and blow away in the wind we have to assign certain vertices to a node group. This means that whichever vertices we attach to a node will stay put like they are attached to an object. To do this open up the sub-objects list in the cloth modifier by clicking on the little black + sign in the Modifier stack. Select the Group sub-object here, and in the viewport you will notice that all the vertices in the flag show up blue. Select the ones on the left side wherever you don't want the flag to move. 3

you... for this demo it doesn't really matter but if this is part of a complex and loaded scene with lots

4 Then back in the Modify tab settings, with these vertices selected, and click on the Make Group button. A Dialogue box will open where you can give your Group a Name, I recommend something that makes sense to you... for this demo it doesn't really matter but if this is part of a complex and loaded scene with lots of things happening then it may matter in the future. I have called mine Flag Node: Then click the OK button. 4

vertices to... in our case the flag pole works nicely.

5 Once you have created the Group a lot more options will light up for you in the Group settings on the Modify Tab. Click the button that says Node Once the button is depressed and toggled on, then click an item in your scene which you want to "attach" the grouped vertices to... in our case the flag pole works nicely. So after you click to turn on the Node button, then click the flag pole in the scene to attach the group to it. When you have assigned the node correctly you will see it in this list area... you will see the name of your Group and in () next to it will say node to flagpole. 5

Instead of the regular rectangular marquee selector, go to the bottom of the list and choose the Spray can.

6 Next, we will select the vertices which we wish to allow the tear to happen for. So, in the upper left corner of your screen, click and hold down the Marquee Selection setting button. Instead of the regular rectangular marquee selector, go to the bottom of the list and choose the Spray can. This makes it much easier to define a place for the rip to happen. Using the spray can and the control key on your keyboard paint a selection wherever you wish your flag to be allowed to rip. If you don't want it to rip all the way in two, then leave a space at the edge that has no red selections on it. Like below: 6

your vertices selected click this button, and then give the group a

7 With these vertices selected find and click on the Make Tear button. Near the bottom just above the group list is the Make Tear button, with your vertices selected click this button, and then give the group a name just like we did before. I have called mine "Tear Group" then click OK. 7

parameters. Reduce the strength (depending on the needs of your project).

8 The Tear Group will show up in the list under our Node Group. Then with everything still selected the way it is, scroll down on the modify tab to see the group parameters. Reduce the strength (depending on the needs of your project). For this demon I want the flag to rip easily so I have reduced the Strength from 100 to 5.0. Then click on the Group sub-object to turn the selection off. 8

Select the Plane001 from the list, and mark the cloth radial button, then give it a Preset.

9 Then at the top of the settings in the Modify tab and click on the Object Properties button. Click the Object Properties button to open up the Cloth properties dialogue menu. Select the Plane001 from the list, and mark the cloth radial button, then give it a Preset. I chose satin, a heavier cloth type will rip easier and a lighter cloth type will blow around longer before ripping usually. 9

Click the Cloth Forces button to open up the Forces dialogue.

10 Once you are finished setting the cloth preset, hit the OK button to close the object properties dialogue window. Next, click on the Cloth Forces button on the Modify tab. Click the Cloth Forces button to open up the Forces dialogue. Select Wind001 from the list on the left and move the Wind from the Right to the empty list on the left to add it to the simulation. When it appears in the Forces in Simulation list, click the ok button. 10

If everything was done correctly all we should have to do is hit the Simulate button and watch as our flag starts blowing in the wind and eventually tearing apart.

I hope you enjoyed that one, here is another quick note.

11 If everything was done correctly all we should have to do is hit the Simulate button and watch as our flag starts blowing in the wind and eventually tearing apart. At most you may need to re-adjust your tear selections or increase/decrease your wind strength or Tear Strength to get the cloth to rip just the way you like it. I hope you enjoyed that one, here is another quick note. In 3DS Max 2013 and up you can do almost the exact same thing with Mass FX using the mcloth modifier which functions almost exactly like the cloth modifier! Try it out, Try ripping other things by making two nodes and pulling the cloth in opposing directions until it rips, or use a powerful gravity to have it tear down to the ground, etc. You can see a finished animation of the results of this tutorial here: 11

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