Flag waving animation using 3ds Max
In this article, i will show how to make waving flag using 3ds max. Flag is create from rectangle shape turn into garment mesh and then apply cloth effect. Wave animation is create by adding wind force and combine with cloth simulation. Please follow instruction below for more info
Shape and garment maker
Create rectangle in shape rollout or from create menu-shape-rectangle, and then apply garment maker modifier.
For better result you should increase garment density, but high density can slow your PC performance, so be careful for using density parameter.
Cloth Modifier
After flag is created using garment maker, apply cloth modifier on the top garment maker modifier. By selecting cloth modifier, find object properties and then click it. Now you open pop up window of object properties. Select your flag object (mine is rectangle001) in list of “objects in simulation” in the object properties window that already opened, and switch tick from Inactive to cloth.
Expand cloth modifier rollout then select group, you will see vertices point flag in viewport. Select all vertices in left end of flag, on group parameter press make group, just press OK when group popup window appear when ask permission to create this group.
You create a vertices group but it is unassigned, so we need assign drag in this vertices group. Select unassigned group if not yet already selected, then apply drag to this group.
lets try to test our simulation. Select cloth modifier to exit from group properties, in the object press simulate local and you will give result below if flag simulation is working.
Wind Force
Cloth modifier have gravity force itself, so we just need add wind force to make waving animation, but first lest clear our simulation that we’ve done before. On the Selected Objects Manip press reset state. Go to Space Warps and press Wind to create wind
You need link this force to flag to take effect. Select flag-Cloth modifier-Cloth Forces and you will see wind appear in Forces in Scene. Lets add wind to Forces in Simulation by press “>” button when wind is selected.
Wind now is link to cloth simulation. Once flag selected lets try our simulation by press simulate local again. Waving Flag simulation now is created. If you not satisfied with result, you can change wind parameter like strength, decay, turbulence, or frequency. Also you can play on cloth-simulation parameters. If you want animate flag based on active time frame please press simulate instead simulate local.
