bouyancy in reactor

[LuckyST]

I'd like to know if there's a way to simulate buoyancy?

I'd like to animate an object falling into the water, and then slowly sinking. can that be achieved with reactor or some other more or less physically correct method in max? or is the only way to achieve it by keyframing it?

[BrianKitts]

Yes, check out reactor's Water Space Warp.

 

Your buoyancy will be a product of balancing the mass of the rigid body dropped into the water versus, the density setting of the water. Too much it'll sink, but get it right it will drop below the surface, come back up and bob a bit, then float with the ripples of the water created by the initial impact.

 

The 3DATS book for max 2010 Advanced to Export, has a chapter covering Reactor that does runs through an exercise very similar to what you're working on.

[LuckyST]

cool, thanks. Sorry I didnt notice that one while going through reactor.-silly of me.