by Didik Wijaya

Let's learn different thing: Cloth animation. If you want to create this manually, you'll end up in frustation. Fortunately, 3dsmax has these cool and interesting modifiers: Garment Maker and Cloth simulation. Garment Maker is used to convert an object into a 'fabric' ready to be animated. Cloth modifier is used to control how a 'fabric' behave in 3D space. This tutorial explains basic use of these modifier. This time you are going to create realistic table cloth cover animation.

1. First you need 3D table model. You can download here. This is just a simple round table. After download, import this model into 3dsmax (File>Import).

2. Next, we need table cover. Create using Rectangle. Position this rectangle a little bit above the table.

3. Next step, convert this rectangle into 'fabric'. Make sure this rectangle is still selected. Apply Garment Maker from Modifier List. As result, rectangle is divided into small wireframe mesh. Use Density=0.1. Density controlled how realistic your cloth animation later. Bigger value means more realistic cloth, thus smaller cloth division, but the drawback is more computer resources needed to calculate cloth animation.

4. To create cloth animation, apply Cloth modifier. Then, you need to define which object acts as cloth and which object doesn't. In Object rollout click Object Properties button. A window will open. Select Rectangle 01 (your table cover), check Cloth. In Presets, use Silk. All values like U Bend, V Bend will be filled to make cloth behave like silk.

5. Next, you need to add table as a solid object to interact with cloth. Click Add Objects button. Select table object. Then activate Collision Object in bottom part of window. Use Depth=5 and Offset=5. These values control the distance between solid object and cloth. Finally click OK.

6. In Object rollout, click Simulate button. 3dsmax will calculate the cloth animation frame by frame. Render the animation if you want. Save your 3dsmax file now. You can use saved file later in Part 2 tutorial.

7. To create more realistic result, in Modifier Stack highlight Garment Maker. Click Yes when any warning window appears. Increase the Density value. For example 0.4. Don't increase Density too much, it may crash your computer. Click Mesh It button. Highlight Cloth modifier again and click Simulate.

8. Below is sample of rendered cloth animation.

Download table cloth cover animation (3dsmax 8)

Realistic Table Cloth Cover Part 1 | Part 2

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