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Shroud Cloth Physics plugin now available on the Asset Store

Discussion in 'Assets and Asset Store' started by CloakWorks, Jun 20, 2012.

  1. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    Update: we've reduced the price of the Shroud plugin to just $95.

    Hi everyone,

    We're happy to announce that we have launched a version of our advanced cloth simulation technology, Shroud™, that plugs into the Unity game engine. The easy-to-use plugin, which is available for purchase on the Unity Asset Store, offers users a range of powerful features for simplifying the creation of high-performance, highly realistic clothing in Unity-powered games. A free trial of Shroud for Unity is available on the CloakWorks store.

    Used in such high-profile titles as Hitman: Absolution™ and RIFT™, Shroud is a complete solution for adding dynamic interactive cloth, clothing, and other soft-body physics effects to games and real-time applications. It consists of a runtime module that can be added to any game engine for desktops, consoles or mobile devices, and a set of tools specifically designed to make creating cloth content quick and easy.

     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2012
  2. kiranmaya

    kiranmaya

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    looks very nice ,i will test on my android
     
  3. KRGraphics

    KRGraphics

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    I wish i could use this but I don't have 3DS max or maya :(
     
  4. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    You don't need Max or Maya to use it; the editor is a stand-alone application (Shroud Studio). All you need are your character models to be in FBX format (there is also limited support for Collada).

    Video of using Shroud Studio:


    No support for Android yet, just PC, Mac, and iOS. Also, since this is a native plugin, it cannot be used with the Unity web player :-(
     
  5. KRGraphics

    KRGraphics

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    I saw this tutorial... and it is something I defintely could use right now... let me ask you though, if I have a character that is skinned, and i create the cloth rig, will it run in real time in Unity when I hit play and drag it around...? And would I be able to use the colliders in Unity?
     
  6. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    You can attach it to an object in Unity that can be dragged around in real-time, but there's no support for grabbing the simulation itself with the mouse and pulling on it.

    The cloth will collide with the Collider's you've set up, but there's no support for making the Shroud Colliders push other objects in the scene out of way. There is also currently no support for having the Shroud cloth interact dynamically with colliders from the Unity scene. Its just focused on making awesome character clothing.
     
  7. KRGraphics

    KRGraphics

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    this is good to know...lately i have been struggling with the PhysX cloth for something simple as a hanging garrment...is there a timed eval of Shroud Studio just to evaluate? I'm a single developer and the current price is kinda high for my blood. This will solve my physx problem as it is easy to setup and implement.
     
  8. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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  9. DigitalAdam

    DigitalAdam

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    Im having trouble getting your sample scenes to work, see image. Do I need to do any sort of setup, or just installing the Package and executing the scene should have the example run? I have a AMD Radeon HD 6670.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Jun 22, 2012
  10. SevenBits

    SevenBits

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    Which also means Unity Pro is required.
     
  11. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    You need to move the Plugin folder to the root of your Assets folder. Native plugins have to be in a top level folder called Plugins, but Unity submissions require everything to be under a single folder, so you have to move the Plugins folder once you unpack it as the Readme describes.
     
  12. DigitalAdam

    DigitalAdam

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    It would help if I actually read the Readme. ;) Thanks, it worked.
     
  13. DigitalAdam

    DigitalAdam

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    So if Im interesting in build an online game with Pro, and I'd like the players to use the webplayer to join a server and play, they wouldn't get Shroud to work?
     
  14. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    That's my understanding. The webplayer requires users to download it as a browser plugin, so any native code not in the Unity core is not included.

    We're looking at Unity Native Client and Flash deployment as a possible alternatives, but have not determined yet if native plugins will work there either.

    Anyone on the Unity staff reading this thread able to answer this for us?
     
  15. DigitalAdam

    DigitalAdam

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    From my understanding you have to purchase the Unity plugin for $400, and then you also need Shroud Studio for another $399. So what can you do with just the plugin?
     
  16. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    The plugin is all you need to load and use Shroud cloth files with Unity. So if you buy characters from the Asset Store or other sites that include Shroud files you're set. But just as you need Maya or Max to create content for Unity, you need Shroud Studio to create content for the Shroud runtime.
     
  17. DigitalAdam

    DigitalAdam

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    Pricing seems a bit steep especially if you want to create your own custom content. Why would anyone drop $400 on a plugin when there isn't any assets that utilize Shroud on the Asset Store? I just don't understand the thought process on this pricing model. Plus there's no iPhone, Android, or webplayer integration yet.

    Do you have any performance comparisons to PhysX cloth that's already integrated within Unity? Your site said said there was a 10x improvement compared to other "traditional" cloth solutions for games. Which ones did you compare them to? It also doesn't use the GPU, only CPU processes. Any plans on getting that to run entirely on the GPU?

    What about offering the plugin for free if you purchase Shroud Studio? I can understand not offering the plugin for free, since like you pointed out that you can (eventually) buy assets that have Shroud integrated. But for $400 it's a sizable chunk of change to shell out for another person assets that others can use as well.

    Just some thoughts...
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2012
  18. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    We feel that the pricing is very aggressive for a product like this. For comparison, Unity Pro (which is needed to even use native plugins) costs ~$1500 per seat. 3ds Max and Maya are around $5000 per seat. FaceFX Studio is ~$2000 per seat. The Shroud plugin is only $400 per team, and one copy of Shroud Studio is all you need to create content for multiple titles. The price is a little high for hobbyists maybe, but then so is Unity Pro and Maya. And we offer student discounts to Universities with game development programs.

    For serious developers making original content, Shroud has a good cost/benefit. I'm afraid we're not set up to create a lot of content ourselves, but we are talking to several providers about including Shroud support for their assets.

    Shroud is a professional product currently used in AAA PC and console games, mostly by teams using PhysX for their rigid-body solution. Ease of use is one reason they chose Shroud, performance is another:

    http://www.cloak-works.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Benchmark.png
     
  19. liverolA

    liverolA

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    I checked the website,the shroud stuido is $599,not $399.....

    Agree,i am developping a Clothing Show game currently,really need the solution, can you offer a discount price for short-term promotions?

    BTW:i am still confused,if i want to use shround for Unity PC standalone,first i need $599 for shroud studio,then i need $400 for pc runtime(unity plugin)? So i have to pay $1000 ,Am i right?
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2012
  20. Fufurata1234

    Fufurata1234

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    I watched tutorial and have one question: you really think that somebody will spend time creating a new mesh (!!!) - you call it a cloth - fitting it to the original one (which may be very hard if you have something different from planar cloak) and manipulating vertices? It is thousand times harder, than using APEX. Necessity to create a whole new mesh in absolutely different program (something studio), with awkward interface and matching this new mesh to original one makes it absolutely no use for me.
    Thanks for offer, but I personally rather wait APEX integration in Unity. Or at least use some engine with APEX.
     
  21. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    Update: we've reduced the price of the plugin to just $95
     
  22. ecurtz

    ecurtz

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    Downloaded the demo plugin (thanks for updating the Mac library.)

    There does not seem to be a way to add any constraints or colliders into the shroud instance at runtime. Is that correct? Does that mean that it is impossible to have the simulation interact with any scene content other than the object it is attached to (and adjusting the wind)?
     
  23. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    The base Shroud runtime does support dynamically adding and removing colliders and adjusting constraints on the running instance. However the Unity plugin does not currently tie that functionality into the rest of the game world. We hope to add support for this in future releases.
     
  24. Liens

    Liens

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    Is it possible to rip the shroud cloth? Through physics or programmatically?
     
  25. mrbdrm

    mrbdrm

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    how could i miss this ?
    this is fantastic, exactly what unity need to make character cloths .
    i will buy this soon
     
  26. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    No, it doesn't have any support for tearing.
     
  27. Tae

    Tae

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    The studio is windows only?

    Do mac developers have access to studio in anyway ?
     
  28. twigs192

    twigs192

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    My first attempt at using shroud to simulate dynamic hair


    Overall great plugin, just wish they would had more support/tutorials ;-) . If this ever gets the web build support I'll go pro

    map is from the Big environment pack, Alice's character belongs to Spicy horse

    Dress is simulated through Unity's standard interactive cloth as well as the bow straps.


    Please pester Unity to integrate this plugin so we have a web option!
     
  29. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    Very Nice! I'd be interested to see the rig you set up for the hair, are you able to share a screen shot?

    I have, trust me. The only way it will happen is if the Unity community demands it.

    In the mean time, I'm working on a viewer using Google Native Client so that you can at least show your work online.
     
  30. twigs192

    twigs192

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    I'll do you one better, here's a video of the simulation.
    I've made some changes since that last video, however I'm having major problems with the scale when importing into Unity, and yes I used the exporting guide/script.

    The transformation points and the actual character mesh were only used as a guide so I didn't have to go about it blind.

    Basically I'm trying to recreate something along the lines of Alice Madness Returns hair physics, which originally used verlet integration.
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2013
  31. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    Cool. Are you changing the amount and direction of gravity to make it move around like that?

    If you don't want it to fly out medusa-style when you turn gravity off, you can remove the Skinned Position Force control through the 'Select Controls' dialog (access from the simulations properties panel).
     
  32. twigs192

    twigs192

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    Oh...My...God.

    Thank you so much, that helped A LOT. BTW I think I figured out the scaling problem, due to the model being so bloody massive in 3ds I manually scaled it within Unity, so ill more than likely have to reimport it on a smaller level.

    Hopefully later this year my team and I will near completion on this unofficial Alice prequel. Sometime during that period I'll pony up the $$ for the pro version since I plan on using shroud for the dress and bowstraps (need lots of colliders).

    Thank you again for that little bit of info, assuming this game project turns a couple of heads in the future you can bet I'll promoting this plugin all over the credits and intro.

    And yes, I was changing the gravity during simulation ;)

    -Dan
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2013
  33. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    Np, best of luck to you!
     
  34. KRGraphics

    KRGraphics

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    Glad to see this tool is so powerful and easy to use... for my fighting game I have characters with cloth simulation, this is essential... although I am an individual artist, i would definitely purchase the pro version of this so i can have more colliders... and I REALLY WANT this in Unity, especially since it is not heavy like PhysX cloth and easy to set up...

    Is there an update to Shroud?
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2013
  35. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    Shroud Studio's user interface got an overhaul for 2.3, streamlining the workflow and making navigating the scene easier:

    $ShroudStudio2.3.png
     
  36. twigs192

    twigs192

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    Awesome, does this version still have the QWER hotkeys?

    *edit* it does not

    *Sadface*


    Nice update though!
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2013
  37. zbrusher

    zbrusher

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    I m trying the demo version to check out the functionality and see if we could place it in our pipeline of production. Sadly I got and issue regarding the difference between what we see in shroud studio and Unity. There is a big difference between both results.

    I could attach pic if required. But first of all I would like to know if it is normal? any advice ? Im following the tutorial as it is. Everything works, but the only issue is the above mentioned.

    thank you

    Christian
     
  38. Gunhi

    Gunhi

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    is there any Shroud Studio's version for MAC?
     
  39. Fishypants

    Fishypants

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    This seems really cool, but unfortunately we are developing for webplayer . . . :( if this gets webplayer support then I'll be all over this.
     
  40. yuewahchan

    yuewahchan

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    Can you include the demo scenes (gamefest 2011, crowboy, cape setup and summer dress ), in the unity3d package ?
     
  41. fanling3

    fanling3

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    I'm trying the Basic version of Shroud Studio. Just want to make sure is it possible to reproduce your cowboy demo with only basic version? Any direction for doing that? I cant figure out if I can match a single cloth tube to match a cloth like the one cowboy wears.
     
  42. Play_Edu

    Play_Edu

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    Awesome hair effects. I want same effect. Can it's made with Shroud Cloth any tuts for it.
     
  43. CloakWorks

    CloakWorks

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    You can get close, but:
    - The basic version is limited to only 4 colliders, and you're going to need more than that
    - One cloth sheet will be enough for the coat. You won't be able to add the tassels at the same time in the basic version though, as you can only have one simulation per scene
     
  44. neroziros

    neroziros

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    Hi! Is there a way to have two simulations per scene? (I am trying to make a fighting game and the two fighters could be using shroud clothing and the same time)

    Thanks for your time in advance!
     
  45. yuewahchan

    yuewahchan

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    @CloakWorks , Can you include the demo scenes (gamefest 2011, crowboy, cape setup and summer dress ), in the unity3d package ?
     
  46. thilina098

    thilina098

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    hi CloakWorks,

    I am making a football penalty shootout using unity3d and just wondering whether is it possible to simulate football net physics using your plugin.

    And, do I have to purchase ShroudStudio to do that ?

    cheers!
     
  47. twigs192

    twigs192

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    Last edited: May 12, 2014
  48. Guideborn

    Guideborn

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    I've run into a small problem with exportation. I am trying to rename the exported file by adding the .txt extension; however, it does not change the file into a .txt, but remains a .cwf file with just .txt added at the end.
     
  49. twigs192

    twigs192

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    Easy fix, in the folder options on windows uncheck "hide extensions for known file types"

    It's checked by default
     
  50. Guideborn

    Guideborn

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    Thanks. It worked. Sadly, despite doing everything in the plugin tutorial, my scarf mesh still isn't simulating.