Cloth mechanics are surprisingly under-utilized in game development, despite many universal purposes. We are starting our simulation experiments with some cloth prototypes to create realistic simulations of fabric that billow, drape, and snag.

The first test is to simply create an environment that contains both a VR player and simulated cloth. We began by integrating a cloth library package and Unity’s AutoHand package to test basic capabilities. Testing the cloth’s behaviour straight out of the package, we immediately realized that the hands would pass through the cloth by default. To resolve this, we applied the cloth package’s colliders on top of the Unity colliders on the VR player’s hand, allowing for a cloth/hand base interaction that allowed for the player to push the cloth around. The cloth reacts to the hand movements in a fairly realistic manner, but minor clipping occurs. (↓)

Then, we further explored the package’s built-in functionality. We looked into the cloth tearing mechanics to determine how well it works in a VR environment. To test this, we placed a sharp stick and a cloth into the environment, then stabbed the cloth with the stick. As shown, the tearing by default is quite functional. (↓)

Capping these experiments off was a simple flag experiment. We were then inspired to attach the wooden stick to the base of the cloth. (↓)

As you can see, the flag flows and waves in the air in a relatively realistic way. That’s all for today!