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String like shape animation

acai

Hi, I created a string-like shape with the following setup:
I used 26 large bones for the main structure, then added a Path and split another bone into 40 smaller bones. I set these smaller bones to follow the Path using a Path Constraint.

What I’m trying to achieve is this: one end of the string needs to stay fixed, as if it’s plugged into a wall—like a power cable in a socket—while the other end can move freely.

I tried adding IK Constraints to the large bones at the fixed end, but using one or two IK Constraints didn’t look natural.

What would be the best way to animate this setup so that one end of the string remains fixed while the other end moves freely? Thank you so much for your help!

Spinebot

To achieve a natural animation where one end of your string-like shape remains fixed while the other end moves freely, you can use a combination of path constraints and IK constraints effectively. Here's a suggested approach:

Path Constraint: Ensure that your path constraint is set up correctly so that the smaller bones follow the path smoothly. This will help in maintaining the overall shape and flow of the string.
IK Constraints: Instead of applying IK constraints to the large bones at the fixed end, consider using them on the smaller bones near the moving end. This will allow the moving end to have more natural and fluid motion while keeping the fixed end stable.
Fixed End: For the fixed end, you can use a single bone that is not influenced by any constraints, ensuring it stays in place. You can also use a transform constraint to keep this bone anchored to a specific position.
Animation: Animate the path itself to create the desired motion. You can adjust the path's vertices to simulate the movement of the string, ensuring that the fixed end remains stationary.

By focusing on the path and using constraints strategically, you can achieve a more natural and dynamic animation for your string-like shape.

acai

Thank you, Bot.
I reversed the direction of the bones and tried using IK Constraints. It sort of works, but if there’s a better way, I’d appreciate your guidance.

Misaki

acai I am not sure I understand your requirements exactly, but how about something like this with physics constraints?:

In the video above, the only bone being animated is the Control-bone. When this bone is transformed, the child bones are swayed by the physics constraints. The path attachment is bound to these red-coloured bones and they are weighted. (I was going to show you the weight view in the video as well, but I forgot that step. Sorry!)

Fixing one end of the path was done by giving the root bone's weights.

Here is the Spine project shown in the video:

path-with-physics-constraints.spine

2kB

In this way, it would be possible to express the softness of the string while maintaining a simple method of control. However, the physics constraints are only available in Spine 4.2, so the same rig cannot be reproduced in earlier versions. The same results can be achieved in older versions by manually creating the rotation animation of the red colored bones. I hope this will be helpful.

Misaki

Oops, I assumed that I should just deal with rotation on my own, but I realized that perhaps I should have moved softly even with translate, so I modified the rig:

Here is the modified version of the Spine project:

path-with-physics-constraints.spine

3kB

acai

Oh my god 😮 Thank you so much! This is exactly what I was trying to achieve. I'll study the file you shared. Thanks again!