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Mega-fiers! A mesh modifier system coming very soon.

Discussion in 'Assets and Asset Store' started by SpookyCat, May 8, 2011.

  1. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    Hello All
    I am just in the process of preparing and submitting part of my mesh modifier system to the Asset store (now available, click the image above to go to website for more information). The system is inspired by the Modifier system in 3ds max, so if you are familiar with how that works then you should feel at home. The system allows for stackable modifiers so you can do multiple bends for examples. The framework is written in C# and will work on ios etc and the user can add their own modifiers as easily as overriding a Map method in the Modifier class.

    Some of the 40+ modifiers included:

    • Bend
    • Bubble
    • Displace
    • FFD (2x2x2, 3x3x3, 4x4x4) (Lattice in Maya)
    • Hump
    • Melt
    • Morph
    • Noise
    • Push
    • Radial Skew
    • Relax
    • Ripple
    • Skew
    • Spherify
    • Stretch
    • Taper
    • Twist
    • Wave
    I will be adding the Space warps and world space modifiers in the very near future as well as the Path Deform and possibly Flex. Hopefully the system will be expanded by community generated Modifiers as well. Some videos showing some of what the system can do is below

    [video=youtube;XG2zv0-tOM0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG2zv0-tOM0
    [video=youtube;BCsjGyx68os]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCsjGyx68os
    [video=youtube;q9MONtB3w4k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9MONtB3w4k
    [video=youtube;hyHSERddOWQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyHSERddOWQ

    The explanation and params for the modifiers can be found at www.west-racing.com/mf the price will be $150.

    Chris
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2013
  2. brn

    brn

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    Very nice! I can see this being very handy.
     
  3. lilymontoute

    lilymontoute

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    Awesome. Looks great =)
     
  4. Fenrisul

    Fenrisul

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    +1 sale the moment you put it up :)
     
  5. Aron

    Aron

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    +1 as well
     
  6. Toad

    Toad

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    This looks very cool!
     
  7. PrimeDerektive

    PrimeDerektive

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    Can you apply modifiers in the editor, or can it only be done at runtime?
     
  8. kenshin

    kenshin

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    I am interested to buy too! :)
     
  9. ibyte

    ibyte

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    This package is live on the Asset store if your interested!
     
  10. mas

    mas

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    You will become very rich ;)

    sold.
     
  11. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    Hi All
    As iByte spotted the package got approval just after I closed up for the day. Currently the modifiers dont have a direct effect in the editor, though you do see the effect of each modifier on a wire box gizmo. If it is something that is needed I will add support for seeing proper results in the editor, I did have it working. Iam sure there will be many suggestions for improvements and features, and I will do some more complex example scenes as well as add more modifiers and systems as I think of new ones to add or asked for.

    I will also look at modifiers that add/remove vertices, or effect uv's or bone weights if that is wanted by anyone. Be sure to check www.west-racing.com/mega-fiers for any updates and news, the pics there are included in the package but for some reason dont show up in the Asset Store.
    Chris
     
  12. PrimeDerektive

    PrimeDerektive

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    It would be nice if it worked directly in the editor - could make some neat platformer/marble game level geometry without ever leaving Unity.
     
  13. dgutierrezpalma

    dgutierrezpalma

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    What is the performance hit of applying those modifiers at runtime?
    If you get it working in the editor, it would be nice a way to "bake" the modifiers into a mesh so there is no performance hit at runtime.
     
  14. p6r

    p6r

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    Ouch !!!
    It's 142 euros (not 100 !) on the asset store !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :(

    6R
     
  15. Toad

    Toad

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    Shows as 142.50 Euro for me.
     
  16. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    Very odd, the package setup tool the price is set at 100 euros and it was showing that earlier today on the store but now seems to show 142 euros, I will email Unity and ask why its changed.
     
  17. PrimeDerektive

    PrimeDerektive

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    143.58 USD = 100.00 EUR

    Sounds like their currency exchange has a glitch or something :)
     
  18. p6r

    p6r

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    With this 25% VAT, each asset is almost equal in USD or in Euros !!! :(
    Very bad for Europeans !!!

    6R
     
  19. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    Seems that if you are in Europe Unity adds 25% Vat to the price, though that still doesnt add up for me. For non Europeans the price shows as $150, thought it was all taken of the price set not added to.
     
  20. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    Ok until I can figure out why the price went so high I have resubmitted with a price of $100 so grab it early, guess Ill see about maybe putting the price up when I add more functionality.
     
  21. caitlyn

    caitlyn

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    Because our finance operations are in Denmark, all customers purchasing from within the EU are charged 25% VAT (sales tax).

    That's just the law and is beyond our control.. but feel free to complain about it to your EU parliament representative. ;)
     
  22. Screenhog

    Screenhog

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    Do you have to create the modifier within Unity, or can it be done in the 3D application - Blender, Maya, Softimage, etc. - and then imported? For lattices in particular, being able to animate them in the animation program and then importing that animation to Unity would make it a must-buy for me.
     
  23. 3Duaun

    3Duaun

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    Firstly, GREAT WORK on this release. I remember watching your original videos on this great toolset months ago.

    Second, is there any plan to allow for the importing of Shapekeys from Blender, as morph-targets? Shapekeys are vertex morphs, blendshapes in Maya, and the same as using the morphs-modifier in Max?
    Our pipeline no longer uses Max/Maya/lightwave, just Blender 2.5x; we'd purchase(at least 1 license) in a SECOND if you considered offering Blender Shapekey support(its nearly the exact same thing as a blendshape, vertex morph target, etc).
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2011
  24. Toad

    Toad

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    I agree with a few others that it would be really great if this worked as a level design tool in the editor as well as in the game at run-time. Is this going to be possible? If so, any idea on likely timescales?
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2011
  25. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    I will be working on the Editor mode this week, so hopefully that will be ready for next week.

    Currently the modifiers are dragged and dropped in Unity (or added by code), I do have all the data being exported from Max in another system so again if its really wanted I will tidy up the fbx exporter code or do a xml exporter or something.

    I do have vertex animation and multi target morphs working in another package so if I get time I could either merge the two or package up the morph animation stuff, would need to learn the Blender SDK though to extract the data and thats an unknown for me at the moment.

    Currently working on a test scene to fully show of some of the potential in the system which will be in the next release and a webplayer version uploaded so you can have a fiddle to see if it meets your needs instead of judging from video and screenshots.
    Chris
     
  26. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    Added a better test scene to the package and fixed a couple of issues, mainly missing bits of gizmos and a bug in the FFD which is sorted now.


    Older videos
    [video=youtube;d7eM_LNNNDM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7eM_LNNNDM
    [video=youtube;tv9Dl0V4nTg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tv9Dl0V4nTg
    [video=youtube;GBmgtjyAFaw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBmgtjyAFaw
    [video=youtube;u1fKjvQ1DWc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1fKjvQ1DWc
    [video=youtube;yXWs3NwgfJM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXWs3NwgfJM
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2013
  27. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    I have just extended the system to allow for proper use as a mesh editing tool in the Unity editor as opposed to a purely runtime system, so now could be useful for twisting and bending trees or adding a small bit of noise to meshes or ripples to a water plane. Anyway quick video below.
    Chris
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2013
  28. 3Duaun

    3Duaun

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    @SpookyCat, thanks for the useful new addition of deformation in the editor. Questions regarding this, does the script still make a constant update/late-Update call to perform this deformation on EVERY FRAME, as is current the case in the last build you released? OR, is the deformation cached to some extent, so no additional calculations need to occur on every frame to maintain the deformation?
     
  29. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    If you get the mesh to a state you want to keep just set the Enabled param to false in the Modifiers class and the last mesh state will be kept with no cpu cost.
     
  30. 3Duaun

    3Duaun

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    Perfect, those update calls are pretty costly on Mobile, glad there is a form of storing/cacheing in there. Thanks SpookyCat.

    Do you know of any way to have a mesh that has a modifier on it applied in edit mode, to NOT add an additional draw-call to the stack for each editor-created(and disabled in the editor) modifier deformation.

    Obviously I already made the purchase, but still REALLY look forward to any Blender Shapekey support(that is iOS friendly) you might consider offering one day.

    Awesome work thus far!!!!

    1 more question, is there a planned repository for user-created-custom deformations?
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2011
  31. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    You can also disable the whole Script if you want as well to save any overhead at all, the mesh will keep its last state.

    As for a user created mods repository that is a good question, any ideas on how you would like that to work?

    I don't quite understand the draw call question, sorry. Are you seeing extra draw calls due to the modifier script?, it shouldn't cause that especially if disabled. Or do you mean is there a way to instance the mesh, it would need to be on the GPU in that case and that isn't really doable and keep the flexibility of the combining of modifiers. Or have I completely misunderstood your question :)

    I will be adding the world space warps in soon, and I may well add in my morphing system (without max export for now) soon as well. Just need to sort out a spline editing system as well (path deform). Guess I need to have a look at the blender SDK as well :)
    Chris
     
  32. 3Duaun

    3Duaun

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    maybe a github repository for user created modifiers, so we can just pull them all at the same time :)

    and I would REALLY find useful a way to RESET a mesh's vertex positions to the pre-mega-fiers state, if I choose to delete the mega-fiers components. Currently I need to restart unity to recover the mesh's original vertex-state.

    regarding the extra draw calls from each editor-deformed mesh, of the same base mesh, I'll see if I can just batch them with a grouping script on awake, or something.

    Speaking of that, is there a plan to allow for 2 instances of the same mesh to be deformed separately, at this time(it sorta seems like currently the script is affecting the mesh instance on the heap, not the stack), when I apply the mega-fiers to one instance of 2 duplicated meshes, it deforms both of them, even if the second doesnt have the megafier components on it.
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2011
  33. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    Added a reset to the ModifierObject. Good spot :)

    Ill look into the instance issue, not messed with those before but should be sortable.
    Chris
     
  34. Toad

    Toad

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    Bought! :)
     
  35. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    I managed to leave the test scene out of the package, new version on its way to the store, look for version 1.09. Sorry about that.

    Also the editmode is still in development and is a bit fussy with skinned meshes at the moment, I am working on sorting that out.
    Chris
     
    Last edited: May 14, 2011
  36. kerters

    kerters

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    lovely! :)
     
  37. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    New version in the Asset Store, has a better test scene and the system has been made leaner and friendlier, you just drag a ModifyObject script to your object and then pile up the effects you want and it all works seamlessly in the editor or while running. More effects and enhancements coming very soon.
    Chris
     
  38. yannalaplage

    yannalaplage

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    Hi,
    what about morph ?
    it is written once but then... nothing.
    do you plan on releasing it ?
     
  39. 3Duaun

    3Duaun

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    thanks for the great additions @SpookyCat !!!

    +1 to the morph script with BlendShapes, and ShapeKey Support(nearly the exact same format)
     
  40. konzon

    konzon

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    Are the exposed parameters available to the animation editor? I looked through your videos, but didn't see any examples where the animation system was used. It looks like a great package.
     
  41. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    Yes all the params can be animated through the animation editor, I was asked to do a video showing that working so I may well do that tomorrow. I do have a page turn modifier that is done with some params being animated but not through the anim editor. We use 3ds max for our own stuff and I converted the animation system from that over to unity so I tend to use those animation controllers as opposed to the built in Unity system but I will have a play :)

    Adding some uv modifiers at the moment so can do rotation and spiral effects on uvs on a mesh as well as adding as I mentioned above a page turn modifier.
    Chris
     
  42. 3Duaun

    3Duaun

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    thanks for the future UV feature inclusions(will be great for normal maps imo)
     
  43. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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    Hi All
    Just did a quick test to show animated params and a UV Mod as well as a work in progress page turner mod.
    Chris
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2013
  44. p6r

    p6r

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    Fantastic !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I like your new avatar...

    Great curling page !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Your plugin is wonderful and so easy to use...

    6R
     
  45. 3Duaun

    3Duaun

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    The UV mod support is such a great addition!! I hope that area gets built upon, as updates come along. I'd love the ability to define "morph states" for UV's to retarget towards(using say, a lattice in the editor, for example), features like that would be great. The ability to create a modifier target using a lattice, specifically for retargeting UV positions, then triggering the value of the modifier in code, would be soooo useful.
     
  46. SpookyCat

    SpookyCat

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  47. shinriyo_twitter

    shinriyo_twitter

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    hi SpookyCat
    can it create bouncy ball like rubber?
    and, it works for iOS and Android??
     
  48. Zeronine

    Zeronine

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    Hey Shinriyo, SpookyCat can tell you more about his app's fantastic ever evolving list of features but YES, Mega-fiers can do bouncy ball rubber effect no problem with little effort. It also works with iOS and Android.

    I don't work for SpookyCat and I can tell you this is one of the very best assets on the Unity Asset Store. The possibilities are endless and fun to explore. Support is the fastest in the community.

    This is the more active place to keep up with Mega-fiers development.
    http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/89...eformation-system-RELEASE?highlight=megafiers
     
  49. shinriyo_twitter

    shinriyo_twitter

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    hi Zeronine
    thank you for fast replying
    I will try.
     
  50. shinriyo_twitter

    shinriyo_twitter

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    Is there some sample game or project file which using Mega-fiers ?