What is the workflow to create a Vertex Animation for cables

[wirmachenbunt]

there is this demo https://cables.gl/edit/2gX261
showcasing a vertex animation. i would like to learn how this is done in Blender or Cinema4D. If it isn't bones and not PLA...what is this ? i'm curious.

[tastez]

I've only done this in Blender, where it is called Shape Keys, but you basically make keyframes of your vertices on a model and then fade between them.

think i followed this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e675Ulc7QL4

[wirmachenbunt]

cool cool, i was looking into that as well. ok, i need to get my modifier animation somehow baked into shape keys.
cheers man !

[wirmachenbunt]

got it working
https://cables.gl/p/VsLPA4
there is still lots to learn in blender

[VoidBoid]

Hi there : )
I have been trying to get Blender shapekeys to work in Cables for a while now but i can't get it to work... feels like i have tried every possible combination of GLB export settings but i must be missing something. could you elaborate what export settings to use ? also, should i keyframe the shapekey? bake it? make a nla track? if yes turn it into an action ? ... so many possibilities : o
Cheers !

[wirmachenbunt]

hey, i followed the youtube tutorial, is this not working for you. i can't remember setting anything special in blender. as far as i remember, if you see the shapekey animation in blender, it works in cables too. are you sure you have a timelined (like in the yt tut) shapekey animation ?

[dudumaluf]

https://cables.gl/p/611166992727b6137df6bf80?s=7e6nh4wXqboewICj
In cinemad4d Ive pretty much just baked the physics animation first internally then Ive baked it as PLA ( Point Level Animation )
its been a while, will try again and let you know the c4d method in case someone needs it,.

[n4hui]

Hi! well i share you my method you need to activate the animateall and newtek mdd addons in blender. then you make a geometry and add an animate all keyframe, then advance in time and add another keyframe changing the point positions, then select the object and export the mdd format, and with the object selected import the mdd file so it bakes the keyframes for the vertex animation.

[wirmachenbunt]

shapekeyCablesExample.zip

and here is a blender project file and the cables patch using this blender output
https://cables.gl/p/VsLPA4

before i export, i do select all objects i want to export in the editor. that should be it.

[VoidBoid]

Thank you everyone !
I really appreciate you sharing all this information !
Maybe the thing is that i have been trying to use shapekeys as they are set up in the 'object data properties panel' and have been avoiding the 'animall' addon because it caused some pretty bad crashes in the past ; )
I can't wait to try to get shapekeys into cables again with all this new information. I have to wait until my PC is back from getting repaired but ill you posted on my progress when the time comes : )
Cheers !

[VoidBoid]

@n4hui it worked !
thank you for the description with the screenshots, i really appreciate the effort !