animating neo's coat

[martinpe]

Hi guys,
this time I've a question concerning cloths. I'd like to try to modell a Neo-like coat (like that one from Matrix Reloaded). The modelling is not the difficulty.
The thing is, that I want to animate the coat end, I mean the one from the hip to the feet. I'm sure, it won't be a problem with reactor, but for some special frames and angles, I'd like to have full control over this coat end.

1) Is it possible to create bones over the coat end, so I can animate and bend the cloth like I see fit?
2) Is a combination of reactor (clothFX modifier) and bones possible?
3) Or do you have a better way how to do this?

Thanks for your replies.

[<<GhosTS>>]

Well for normal walking shots you can use reactor or any cloth simulation software..It will be realistic..but with limited controls..But when you need full control over the cloth you'll need to do the animation with bones..(Like the slow-mo fight with Smith.)Hope this will help.

[Clalan]

you can create two coats, one being controlled by reactor, one being controlled by bones. then you can have a third and final coat, that morphs between those two.

[martinpe]

hi clalan,

good idea, but how to i create the morph? via a modifier?

[Clalan]

there is a modifier called "morpher", which allows you to blend between different meshes. it's mainly used for blending facial expressions.

it's pretty easy, just make sure you don't change the number of vertices in your copied mesh, or things will explode :)