ICE Unleashed - ICE Kinematics, Dual Quaternion Skinning, Verlet Integration Cloth...

[Leonard]

Hi guys,

We wanted to share with you some of the work that Phil Taylor has been working on with ICE. Due to family commitments, Phil is currently travelling and can’t be with us at SIGGRAPH to show these in person, so he recorded these videos to show what’s possible with ICE.

About Phil Taylor
Phil Taylor is the Head of Animation at Softimage. Prior to working at Softimage, Phil developed CAT, a plug-in for 3ds Max for rigging characters easily. The company was acquired by Softimage in 2006 and Phil now lives and works in Montreal.

Phil’s interest in programming came from a desire to do new and creative things – ICE is naturally a playground for that reason. Many of the compounds shipping with XSI 7 started out with a “what if” idea and just tinkering with what was possible. As the Beta cycle progressed, many cool and interesting tools were developed by Beta users that inspired each other to do more.

The following videos cover quite a wide range of subjects - all achievable with ICE. Not one required any coding or scripting. These compounds can be built by anyone with the current release of XSI 7. ICE is a very broad and powerful architecture – the released version has an environment variable that can turn on ICE Kinematics, paving the way for exciting new developments in rigging and animation. Currently this area of the software is unsupported (hence why it’s turned off by default), but the results give you an idea of what’s ahead.

These compound examples will be made available for everyone to download in the near future.

These demos includes work done by many Softimage staff both current and past.

Enjoy the videos! We’d love to hear feedback.


ICE Kinematics – Rigging Constraints
Note that ICE Kinematics are totally unsupported by Softimage for this release. You can enable this by switching an environment variable on, but you’re on your own!

http://webrel2.softimage.com/open/video/xsi7/01_Rigging_Constraints.flv

ICE Kinematics – Rigging IK

http://webrel2.softimage.com/open/video/xsi7/02_Rigging_IK.flv

ICE Kinematics – Rigging Spines

http://webrel2.softimage.com/open/video/xsi7/03_Rigging_Spines.flv

ICE Kinematics – Rigging a Dynamic Tail

http://webrel2.softimage.com/open/video/xsi7/04_Rigging_Dynamic_Tail.flv

Linear Blend and Dual Quaternion Skinning
Kudos to Thomas Kang who produced the Dual Quaternion skinning compound!

http://webrel2.softimage.com/open/video/xsi7/02_Deformation_Dual_Quaternion_Skinning.flv

Verlet Integration for Cloth and Soft Body Dynamics

http://webrel2.softimage.com/open/video/xsi7/01_Deformation_Verlet_Integration.flv

Particles – Continuous Collision Engine

http://webrel2.softimage.com/open/video/xsi7/01_Particles_Continuous_Collision_Engine.flv

Particles – Growing Plants and Grass

http://webrel2.softimage.com/open/video/xsi7/02_Particles_Growing_Plants_and_Grass.flv

Particles – Strand Dynamics

http://webrel2.softimage.com/open/video/xsi7/03_Particles_Strand_Dynamics.flv
Crowds Navigating Waypoint Graphs

http://webrel2.softimage.com/open/video/xsi7/01_Crowds_Navigating_Waypoint_Graphs.flv

[Ooops]

WOW!!....and this is "just" the first version of ICE. amazing stuff.

The idea of a rigged character, where we can switch solving solutions on the fly, by just connecting different nodes is fantastic.

:D

[SebasProulx]

This is a futur of rigging!
I can't wait to be able to build my own stuff. Great job guys.

[AaronKent]

Bravo guys, great job. I like the new website and the new disclosure attitude. Keep up the great work.

AK

[liltbrockie]

WOW!

Where's the environment variable?

[franky]

this stuff is mind blowing! i am glad it got posted... it shows the real potential, not just particles :)

you guys do such a great job, its fascinating to be with you! who will ask for a port of cat, look what Phil is doing with ICE.....

[farhaad_yousefi]

..i now regret..those momentary regressions that i had about xsi:oops:
..this is awesome ...:batman:
support that i hope never decrease ...:cowboy:

[Photon]

Great Stuff

[mechis]

Wow. These examples are amazing! Please keep posting examples and videos when you have the time.
Thanks,
~Mechis

[Rens]

WOW!

Where's the environment variable?
I don't have access to the trial from here but this should get you there:
The easiest way to access it is probably through the User Tools (there's a shortcut in the SI start menu folder), in User Tools select setenv.bat and add the line XSI_UNSUPPORTED_ICE_KINEMATICS=1
or something similar, check the sytax of the other lines. I've added it near the end of the file, worked for me.

-!- Keep in mind: this is undocumented and unsupported by SI.

But thanks for making it available to us, really great!

[owei]

@Rens

Can you give the prezise line you´ve added?? I´ve tried several things, nothing worked for me..Thanks..!

oliver

[Lepo]

Here we go

set XSI_UNSUPPORTED_ICE_KINEMATICS=1

[TBart]

Here we go

set XSI_UNSUPPORTED_ICE_KINEMATICS=1
I did that, but I don't think anything changed. Has anyone gotten it to work for sure? I'm dying to try this out.

[ThE_JacO]

I did that, but I don't think anything changed. Has anyone gotten it to work for sure? I'm dying to try this out.

Yes, it works for sure, worked that way without a hitch since it was locked by env variable. There might be catches to it though, like having a point cloud to "host a tree" etc.
Incidentally this is a thread about the videos Phil worked on. Features/Workflow questions are better directed to other threads, also because this is recurring all over the place and the answers are getting fragmented and devaluing thread context and killing the search engine :)

[csaez]

Wow!!!! amazing

[talent103]

We are in for very good things in the future. :) Maybe they can top themselves next year at siggraph. I hope so cuz I am missing this one but will def be ther next year. :)

[Gavin]

Yes, it works for sure, worked that way without a hitch since it was locked by env variable. There might be catches to it though, like having a point cloud to "host a tree" etc.
Yes, from what he was saying in the videos I got the strong impression that the requirement for a placeholder point-cloud object would be going away before this stuff becomes officially supported. So I think anyone using this stuff should assume that anything they do with it is likely to stop working in 7.1 (or whatever). Since it's not officially supported yet, they're free to change the way it works, and things like node inputs and outputs are probably still very subject to change.

So don't use it unless you're prepared to have to make some significant changes to keep it working in the future.

But all of this is totally effing awesome :D

G.

[OurMoods]

besides the "Wow!!!"...

i guess ice shoud be something like this ! it is a core, not just a particle sys!!
as a rigger some thing like surface constraint, dynamic parenting is sooo neat !!
but i just wonder the ICE version is slow or fast than the origin implement.
or just because the ICE can use all available core ?

if every op is implement with ice~~
great!!
this time is ICE Kinematics, next time.....

[REZI-st]

many thanks for this great sharing - ICE is amazing!

[David]

Amazing!! I didn't know Ice could be so useful for character animators and riggers! I have just watched half of the 1st video and I'm already over excited!! :wub:
When will this be supported by Soft? Can't wait to use it. :eek:

[DDd]

OMG you have a fully working AI system done in ICE wholly crap, that is impressive!!!

I would like to get my hands on that crowd system. Is the A* algorithm hierarchical to support thousands of searches? How big can we make a crowd, also what kind of flocking algorithms are you guys planning?

I can see many 3ds plugins, just turn obsolete right about now.

What part of XSI are programable by ICE does anyone know?

[ThE_JacO]

Yes, from what he was saying in the videos I got the strong impression that the requirement for a placeholder point-cloud object would be going away before this stuff becomes officially supported. So I think anyone using this stuff should assume that anything they do with it is likely to stop working in 7.1 (or whatever). Since it's not officially supported yet, they're free to change the way it works, and things like node inputs and outputs are probably still very subject to change.

So don't use it unless you're prepared to have to make some significant changes to keep it working in the future.

But all of this is totally effing awesome :D

G.

The requirement for a point cloud has already gone away, I forgot about it, so you can disregard that part of the post.
Just enabling the variable in your setenv is now enough.

[Daysgone]

cant wait till they release these compounds they were showing in those vids, there are a few that I cant figure out how to make myself :(

[Pete]

Yeah, I couldn't fine the quaternion skinning compound in there. I was hanging to give that one a go. They should upload them to the content exchange section.

[Ivo]

I did set the env variable inside setenv.bat (should work, right?). I still could not find the "Bone Based Deformation Compound" though, so i am guessing we have to wait for the download?

[ThE_JacO]

the compounds in the demos aren't in the final version, it's not just a matter of enabling something. They were part of an older build and they are mostly for demo purposes.

[hchs]

I have tried to change setenv.bat,
or:
XSI_UNSUPPORTED_ICE_KINEMATICS=1
set XSI_UNSUPPORTED_ICE_KINEMATICS=1
whether:
XSI_UNSUPPORTED_ICE_KINEMATICS=ON
set XSI_UNSUPPORTED_ICE_KINEMATICS=ON
but,nothing !!!!
Is that True?

[redmotion]

I have tried to change setenv.bat,
or:
XSI_UNSUPPORTED_ICE_KINEMATICS=1
set XSI_UNSUPPORTED_ICE_KINEMATICS=1
whether:
XSI_UNSUPPORTED_ICE_KINEMATICS=ON
set XSI_UNSUPPORTED_ICE_KINEMATICS=ON
but,nothing !!!!
Is that True?

Read this thread: http://community.softimage.com/showthread.php?t=1975

Right now, you won't see anything different. No new nodes or plugins. You'll only be able to set data on an objects position/orientation/etc.

[SebasProulx]

Working with kinematic in ICE is great ! You guys know when is it going to be supported(and stable)?

7.5 ? 8?

[scaron]

its the most logical place to go next with ICE but its best to let softimage know where your interests are, that way they can make an informed decision about where they will push ICE for future releases. ICE has soo much potential its hard to know which direction to take it, the same feeling you have when using it i bet the developers have when developing it.

steven

[hchs]

redmotion:ths
that only for setdate.

[TBart]

I think I speak for everyone when I say "please release these compounds". I wish I had the time to learn how to recreate all of these, but I just can't wait for the quaternion skinning :wheelchair:. Actually, are all of the nodes visible in the video to recreate it? I think some were still hidden.

[csaez]

I think I speak for everyone when I say "please release these compounds". I wish I had the time to learn how to recreate all of these, but I just can't wait for the quaternion skinning :wheelchair:. Actually, are all of the nodes visible in the video to recreate it? I think some were still hidden.
Is not the same but if you can't wait for the dual quaternion envelope maybe this operator can help you :)

http://www.highend3d.com/f/4977.html

[Theht]

i could also get used to these componds espeacealy the envolping operator cause the quaternion skinning plugin is only for 32bit but iam on vista64

[rigg4d]

If you can't release the compounds yet, could you please release images of the graphs of the different compounds so we could temporarily rebuild them from scratch and learn from them?

Does anyone know how to access deformers from the allBones group?