dForce - How do I?

artistb3

Example Scenario:  I have a graphic novel scene with 20 panels (20 DS frames on the timeline).  Each frame has a single G8 figure with a separate and distinct pose.  The G8 figure has one dForce wearable (e.g. a dress) conformed to it.  Ideally, when rendering, I want to set the Render Type to "Image Series" and the Render Range from 0 to 20 and then press Render.  And, I want each frame to have the dForce wearable properly "draped" when it renders.

Because the poses are distinctly different in each frame, I cannot do an "Animated (Use Timeline Play Range)" simulation -- some part of the scene would invariably intersect the dForce mesh and cause a mesh mess. 

I could step through each frame, do a "Current Frame" simulation and then do a "Still Image (Current Frame)" render.  That is not a preferable solution.  Much too time consuming.

I could space the timeline out by a few hundred frames and keyframe each of the 20 poses, spaced out by, say, 30 frames.  That is not a preferable solution.  Much too time consuming.

Anyone know of a practical way to do what I would like to do?  I gotta think this is a common scenario for folks. 

If nothing else, seems to me that a script could be written that would automatically step through the timeline, do a "Current Frame" simulation on a frame, wait an appropriate time for mesh smoothing, and then do a render on the frame.  Frame by frame.

Richard Haseltine

I think your two impractical options are all there is - if you try going from pose to pose without giving the simulation time to dump the "energy" generated by the move, or stopping and restarting so that there's no energy left from the pose before, then the cloth will explode,

artistb3

If I can do the first impractical workaround manually (which I can), then I gotta believe it could be automated.  Sounds like an opportunity for a PA with script writing capability to make some money, or, for a script-tinkerer to do the community a big favor.  Someone, please, I beg you!

Gusf1

   There is a product by Manfriday calle render queu.  (something like that)  wouldn't that be more covenient than trying to use an animated render?  From the description you create a scene, add it to the queu, create the next scene and repeat.  When your done just set it to render.  Needless to say, you would do the dforce before adding the scene to the queu.

                 Gus

artistb3

Gusf1 said:

There is a product by Manfriday calle render queu.  (something like that)  wouldn't that be more covenient than trying to use an animated render?  From the description you create a scene, add it to the queu, create the next scene and repeat.  When your done just set it to render.  Needless to say, you would do the dforce before adding the scene to the queu.

                 Gus

Thanks for the suggestion, Gus, but I thought about that (product found here https://www.daz3d.com/render-queue).  Unless I am missing something, it would require me to create separate scene files for each pose.  That would be 20 scene files queued up.  Workable perhaps, but not ideal.

Gusf1

    Couldn't you just go through your animation frame by frame, save as a scene file.  Then call them back and do the dforce on them and, add to the queue.  when done, render.  Remember this is only because you already have the 20 frames done.  In the future it would be: create the frame, dforce and all, save, add to the queue and, render.  I wonder if that workflow would work on the timeline like you started out?  I'm assuming the end product you want is 20 one frame renders.

artistb3

Yes, I agree with you, Gus, that it could work.  And I certainly appreciate the suggestion.  However, I think it far less than ideal and I hope someone (perhaps ManFriday) will create a solution that we can apply to single scenes with multiple disparate poses.  Just imagine setting up a scene, positioning all characters in each frame, and then rendering (with dForce) over the entire timeline.  Magnifique!  It must be done!

Gusf1

    I wish you luck!  Anything that makes things easier is a good thing.

                 Gus

guangyang142

I'm looking for such script too ,have you found it?