Point Cache Modifier

Topic: version 4 MAXScript New Features/Cache Modifiers/ Point Cache Modifier

This is a simple point caching system. It lets you store modifier animation to a disk file that records only changes in vertex positions, and then play back the animation using the information in the disk file instead of the modifier keyframes. It caches the points of an object across time and then reads them from the disk on play back. It is useful when you have large intricate stacks that you want to speed up or modifiers such as flex that you want to bake.

This modifier sacrifices memory for speed, it stores 3 caches of the points to allow for fast reading from the disk. You can instance this modifier but the instances must have the same number of points, otherwise the results will be inconsistent. This also only record point position it does not store mapping, topology changes etc. It also cannot deal with animated topology changes.

4 MAXScript interface methods have been exposed to allow pressing the Record, Set Cache, EnableMods, and DisableMods buttons.

Methods:

<void>record()

Stores the vertex animation to a disk file. Call Record to activate the Save Points dialog, which lets you specify a path and file name for the cache file. Click OK to record the file, and then load it into the Point Cache modifier, ready for playback.

<void>setCache()

Loads a vertex animation from a cache file on disk into the Point Cache modifier. If number of vertices in the cache file does not match the number of vertices in the object, a warning appears, but no error occurs.

<void>enableMods()

Turns on all stack modifiers below the Point Cache modifier. Use this when you want to change modifier settings.

<void>disableMods()

Turns off all the object's stack modifiers below Point Cache so that only the cached vertex animation appears when you play back the animation.

WSM component of Point Cache.

PointCacheWSM interfaces:

Note: The WSM is identical to the local space version except it records points in World Space and exist higher in the stack.