NewtonPhysics Plugin created by Steffen Gross

Description

First I have searched for a possibility to giving the explode plugin physical characteristics. This can not be done with the Rigid Body constraint from A:M for two reasons . First, no access from the sdk to this constraint, second the constraint can only handle the model as a whole model . But the explode plugin need the physics assigned to all bones from a model . After playing with the Newton Game Dynamics engine , I had seen, there is a big potential to improve the physics in A:M , not only for the explode plugin .The main work in this plugin comes from the Newton Games Dynamic engine (collissiondetection and physics) .Some samples for this plugin , you can view here .

Usage

The plugin is now controlled in the general with plugin properties , they are on several locations in a projectfile , but at every time in the tree from "Plugin Properties -> Newton dynamics" . The only thing outside is the simulation start. The simulation process is started from a selected choreography "Plug-ins -> Simulate Newton" , after you have setup the properties. The properties are situation-dependent, means only if they are usable ,you can see it.
With this plugin you can use models, Nullobject and forces .

Now to the properties in the special

• model
• Nullobject
• force
• choreography
• project

- Properties for a model (all properties are available from within a choreography and only some from the Objects tree)

Property name	Description
Use in simulation	control, if the model is used in the simulation . You need at minimum two objects for starting the simulation
Use as	Which type has the model . At this time the following types available Static Object Static with Action Dynamic Object Dynamic Boxobject Dynamic Sphereobject Dynamic Explodeobject Dynamic Breakable Explodeobject Static Fluidsurface For a detailed descriptions look here
Create model for bounding hull	If on from the properties in the category is set to on , a new model from the bounding hull for this model will be created . It is useful for looking, if the bounding hull matches the model . The new model is created at the position from the original model at the start or endtime in the choreography . "Dynamic Explodeobject" and "Dynamic Breakable Explodeobject" are build as one model holding the single pieces in groups, similar  the original model. To check, if the hulls are matching with the original models, simply drop the new created model into the choreography (example project) .
Material settings	In this category you can change the physical characteristics for the object . The plugin has now two different material systems a normal and a extended materialsystem . If you use the extended materialsystem the settings for Softness,Elasticity, Static and Dynamic Friction in this category are ignored . - Softness The softness of the object. This value has influence on the correcting factor with the recognition of penetrations of objects As rule of thumb can apply here, if penetrations in the simulation occur, a higher value for the softnessfactor should be used. - Elasticity The elasticity of the Models. Thus it is specified, like flexibly the material of the model behaves,i.e. around how much the model springs back. - Static Friction The force that keeps an object from moving initially - Kinetic Friction The force that slows down an object after it gets moving - Extended Material Only usable if "Use extended material" is ON in the projectsettings. The difference between the normal material system and the extended material system (and using the extended materialsystem) is explained here. To select a material , double click on the right side from this property . Now a dialog is opened , where you can select the material . - Material This property is only for viewing , which extended material is selected and a workaround for the problem , that the button above is not updated correct after loading a projectfile
Dynamic Object settings	In this category are the settings for dynamic objects . Not available for Static Object, Static with Action and Static Fluidsurface - Subdivision for collision hulls With this property you can steer the resolution for the created collision hull . For a detailed description look here. - Freeze object With this property the model can be frozen and released again. This property is animatable over the time. If Freeze is ON , then keyframes, they are exists for this time, are not overwritten by the plugin. - Use calculated CoM If this property is set to ON, the center of mass for the model is calculated by the plugin, otherwise the center of mass for the model is X/Y/Z 0 in the modeling window, equal where the model is placed (example project) This property is animatable over time . This setting is override, if another dynamic object collides with this object. (example project) - High velocity object            Setting this property to ON prevents objects with a very high speed  from tunneling other models . Should only be used, if you have really high velocity objects like this example. (example) - Use group density Only for models with "Newton_" or "Explode_" groups . Then the density from this groups is used and the center of mass for this model is calculated based on this groups, instead of the center from the whole model. Look at this projectfile , how to use this feature . - Density The density for this object. The weight for the model are calculated from this value and the volume from the model. Normally the values between 1 (water at 20 Degrees) and 20 (wolfram) .More information about density you can find at Wikipedia . This is a physiksimulation and can be braked with to high density values . In the real world the highest known density has Iridium with a density value from 22.42. - Gravity Gravitation , they can be for each model different . Default is the gravitation of earth - Damping The absorption value for the direction/speed. Thus e.g. air resistance is simulated. With a higher value, the model loses more energy per simulated Frame. With the preset value and a gravitation of 9.807, the model will simulate a realistic free case. A lower value accelerates the speed for the model, a higher value slows down these. - Joint with other objects Not available for Dynamic Explodeobject A joint can be created between this object and another static or null object. A fixed joint can be created also between two "Dynamic Objects"  . Be sure that both objects must have "Use in simulation" set to ON. - Jointtype - None all other joint options ignored , there is no joint - Fixed this type of joint can be used to drag a model with a Nullobject or hold a dynamic object at a determined position with the possibility to rotate around the joint this joint is the Ball and Socket joint from the newton library. The center for this joint can be defined with the property "Anchor point". example for fixed joint - Breakable this joint can be destroyed , can only be created with a static object and should be used as example for a picture that hangs on a wall ,hit by another dynamic object , when then the hitting force is higher the "Force to break the joint" the picture are then affected from the gravity and falling down example for breakable joint - Joint with Here you can select the dynamic, static or null object for this joint . Only possible objects are displayed in the dialog , they is opened after double click in the right side from this property - Anchor point            only available if the Jointtype is Fixed .             The anchor point between two objects can be controlled with this property . The values for "User defined" type are in world space.             example for the different types. - Angular Limits only available if the Jointtype is Fixed . With this properties you can limited the rotation around the connection center for the fixed joint - Force to break the joint only available if the Jointtype is Breakable Here you can control the force , they is needed to break this joint
Explode Object settings	Only available for Dynamic Explodeobject (example project) - Explosion center the point from which the moving direction for the explode pieces is calculated - Modelcenter the center from the bounding box for this model - User defined center a free defined point. This point is defined in the global space and can be controlled with thy X,Y,Z values in the Center property - Center from other object the center from the bounding box from another model , which can selected from the dialog , they will appear after double click in the right side of the "Center from" property - Explosion speed the initial speed for the explosion pieces - Additional rotation here you can insert a rotation velocity, they will be added at the simulation starting time to each explosion piece
Breakable Explode Object Settings	Only available for Dynamic Breakable Explodeobject - Force to break the joints the force they is needed to break the inner object joints
Fluid Settings	Only available for Static Fluidsurface, the default settings are the values for water at 20 degree Celsius - Density the density for the fluid or gas - Viscosity (linear motion) the viscosity from the fluid or gas - Viscosity (angular motion) the same as above , only a extra property for tweaking - Fluid deep the deep for the fluid (or high for gas)

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-Properties for Nullobject
There is only the property "Use in simulation" available for this type of object .

-Properties for forceobjects
The only property for forceobjects is "Use plane" , default is "Off" . This property is only used , if  the force type is set to "Cylinder" or "Box" , otherwise this setting is ignored .If this property is set to "Off" , the direction for the force is in the direction from pivot of the force to the center from the dynamic object (magnitude positively) or from the center from the dynamic object to the pivot for the force (magnitude negatively). If the property is set to "On" , a infinite plane is used as center of force , look at this example to see the different behaviors .
Forceobjects respect also their  "Active" settings , means if "Active" is set to "Off", the force is ignored . 
Use forces with caution, they can slow down the simulation speed dramatically (in the special, when you have many Dynamic objects) . Here you find example for using forces .

-Properties for the choreography

Property name	Description
Description for this plugin	Click on the right corner , and you are here :-)
Use Chor Time Range	If this property is set to ON , the simulation starts at time 0 and runs the choreography length. If you set it to OFF you can select the start and endtime for the simulation manually.
Display while simulate	If this property is set to ON, than the plugin writes the keyframes after each frame is calculated and update the screen , so you can view in real time , what the plugin does . This has also a side effect for canceling the calculation with the Escape key .If this property is set to ON , they keyframes are written , and if Reduce Keyframe is one the written keyframes are also reduced. If this property is set to OFF, pressing the Escape key during the calculation , preverse the plugin from saving and reducing (if Reduce Keyframes is on) the keyframes . If you have many Dynamic Objects in the chor and high frame count to calculate, it is recommended to set this property to OFF, otherwise you can get a memory problem and it increases also the simulation speed .
Use calculated worldsize	If this property is set to ON, the world size for the simulation is computed to the point of starting time. Otherwise a world size of 1000 meters in all axis is considered used (X+ of 1000 meters, x of -1000 meters, similar for all other axles), "Dynamic Objects", they are leave this world box would be frozen
Scale world	If this property is set to "On" , the world is scaled up with the factor 10 . It is helpful , if you have very small models . Be carefully with this option , the behavior of the simulated objects are in some cases different to unscaled world . (example)
Reduce Keyframes	Thus the number of keyframes per channel can be reduced. Works similar to the Reduce existing in A:M, protects you however to have to accomplish the Reduce for each channel individually and reduces at the same time the file size considerably.
Write Logfile	If this property is set to ON , a Logfile in the project directory is created ("newtonlog_(projectname).txt"). In this Logfile are some informations about the objects, they are used in the simulation .
Resolution for Static with Action	With this setting you can control , how often for a single frame a collissioncheck for the objecttype "Static with Action" with all dynamic objects is done . In most situations the standard settings is good enough. Should only be changed, if you have a "Static with Action" that have "Newton_" groups , like a actor (as example Howie in the vase example) . Higher values for this properties growing the time needed for simulation exponential . (example)

-Properties for the entire project

Property name	Description
Use extended material	If this property is set to ON , for all choreographies for this project the extended material system is used instead of the simplified material system.
Materialfile	With a double click in the right side , you can select the Materialfile, that is used for the extended materialsystem .

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other A:M plugin by Steffen Gross