For some time I’ve noticed a little limitation, something noticed by others here also when attempting to create ropes, chains, etc … using splines that react physically(collision/gravity) with dynamic environments. Then I bumped in Cable Component Plugin Feature.
But the cable component only uses cylinder mesh as particle effect, creating pipe cables.
I can not add custom meshes to act look like chain links, barbed wire sections, bones… or simple sprites or planes, is not possible to add custom material with normal map, etc.
It could be quite interesting the feature, one array to choose particle effect or/mesh/material Intended to act as SIM Particles in Cable Component. The ability to changing particle effect within cable component details pannel to create things like ropes, barbed wires, bone chains, animated fire effect…etc, using Cable Component.
Now I saw on UE4 Roadmap ‘Done and Ships with 4.16’
Spline IK Solver. Okay, this meets…
Like description in Roadmap, ‘A spline IK node has been added to animation blueprints. This can be useful for controlling character spines or bone chains.’
But just know, how many joints is supported. Is possible using it to move things like tentacles using IK solver only?
I started this thread because of a request I made for some marketplace Creators, from the items like Spline: Ropes - Hoses - Sci-fi and ‘Spline Chain System’, about possibility of activating physical interaction with 3D objects procedurally generated using splines.
Since I do not get any entries in this thread. Perhaps to whom it may concern. There is also the possibility of using the AnimDynamics solver to animate things like ropes, chains, sci-fi cables…
AnimDynamics:
“used to provide physically based secondary animation for Skeletal Mesh assets”
Cons:
“Collision is not calculated. However, constraints can be used to restrict movement.” Works with Skeletal Mesh not Splines.
i.e, AnimDynamics requires a Skeletal Mesh to work, and does not receive collision, does not interact with environment like Cable component. Works only inside the AnimGraph in the animation blueprint.