Cloth simulation cache

NEW: You can now use uDraper to record and play back a native Unreal Engine Geometry Cache for simulated clothes. See this video tutorial

Previous simulation cache method:

See also video tutorial Cloth simulation cache for Unreal Engine

I. Preparation

1. Make sure the Simulation is enabled for the garments you want to create the animation cache.

2. Add your garments to your character track. In this case we add the Skirt and the Tank Top.

3. For each garment add Event Trigger track.

4. Add events at specific times for your animation. E.g., at the start and at the end.

5. Right click each event key and specify Properties – Quick Bind – Cache. Each time you do that, the Director Blueprint will open, just close it.

6. For the starting events, right click again, select Properties and in the Folder specify a path and a folder to where you want to save simulation cache for this garment.

Note:

If no path is specified, the cache folder should be located in the 3D garment folder.
If the folder doesn’t exist and the Draper Garment Simulation option is enabled (see #1 above), the folder will be created.

Leave the Folder empty for the ending events.

II. Recording

Render the movie from the Sequencer with the minimal resolution to save the performance.

You can see that the cache files are created in the folder you specified in the step 6 of the Preparation stage above.

III. Playback

1. To play the caching animation back, disable the Simulation for these garments.

2. Render a movie with the sequence created in the section 1 with the clothes simulation disabled. Alternatively, create a new sequence for this animation and repeat the Preparation steps 2 – 6 above.

For the Preparation step 6, make sure you specified existing folders with cached files for your animation.