Weekly Summary

This week, we began to experiment with how to manipulate an object in Unity using softbody physics. We started by applying the cloth component to a 3D object to see if we could increase the stiffness so that it could mimic a clay-like behavior. We discovered that cloth isn’t super responsive to 3D objects, so we decided to scratch that idea and instead pursued manipulating an open source library on various softbody physics interactions with objects. The component we are using could already interact with planes using gravity, so we added the ability to interact with a user’s hand. The interactions aren’t quite what we are hoping for yet, but we are likely planning to continue manipulating this code such that it mimics the behavior we want more closely. We are also planning on delegating some research among our members to look into other ways to manipulate and deform shapes, such as Biharmonic Deformation to see if that might be a moroe viable and realistic path to go down instead.

Team Member Contributions

Zoe: Initiated the early efforts using the cloth component on a 3D object, as well as manipulated the open source softbody physics libary to have an object change when interacted with. Contributed to efforts of understanding why external objects aren’t behaving in the same way as game objects.

Joanie: Wrote snippet 3, initialized project and set up the original shape and plane, as well as contributed to understanding the open source softbody physics library to think of potential future avenues to pursue. Contributed to efforts of understanding why external objects aren’t behaving in the same way as game objects.

Emi: Manipulated the open source softbody physics libary to have an object change when interacted with. Contributed to efforts of understanding why external objects aren’t behaving in the same way as game objects.

Madrona: Researched alternative ways to manipulate objects beyond soft body physics.

All team members spent a significant amount of time understanding the open source code that we have started to base our own softbody physics off of.

New Features

  • A pill that can be manipulated using an early form of soft body physics
  • Added assets from sketchfab to experiment with low poly objects

Files for Review

  • The primary file we have been manipulating is the softbody physics script. This file doesn’t quite do the intended behavior, but it allows us to manipulate objects with both gravity and physical interaction.

Blocking Issues

  • We are feeling a bit stuck on where to go with developing the physics of manipulating objects. The most recent issue we ran into is that the meshes on the assets we have downloaded from the internet aren’t reacting to the softbody component in the same way as the pill, nor is it reacting to the rigidbody component (i.e., it is falling through the plane we are using for the ground).

Links