Verlet Tools

Verlet Tools leverages Verlet integration, a lightweight physics simulation technique ideal for soft-body motion, cloth, hair, tails, and other physics-driven transforms. Named after physicist Loup Verlet, this method calculates motion using position and velocity approximations, without relying on forces, Rigidbody components, or Unity’s FixedUpdate loop.

Verlet Transform

• Each VerletTransforms simulates a transform’s motion using Verlet integration.

• The system is designed for stable, springy motion with low performance cost.

• Parameters such as drag, damping, elasticity, and stiffness are controlled via artist-friendly animation curves.

• Fully decoupled from Unity physics, it works on arbitrary Transform hierarchies, making it perfect for stylised secondary animation, procedural motion, and non-physical entities.

Verlet Line

In addition to transform-based animation, Verlet Tools include Verlet Line, a powerful system for simulating ropes, cables, chains, and similar line-based objects.

Key features of Verlet Line include:

• Full collision support along the entire length of the line, allowing realistic interaction with world geometry.

• Pinning system with three modes:

  • Static: pins a line point rigidly in world space.

  • Kinematic: pins an object to follow a line, point’s position and rotation.

  • Force Transfer: connects the line with Rigidbody physics, enabling forces to flow bidirectionally (e.g., ropes dragging objects or cranes lifting loads).

• Adjustable resolution for tuning simulation detail and performance.

• Custom mesh support for the line’s profile and caps, allowing full control over visual appearance.

• Per-node parameter control via curves, enabling fine-tuning of properties like mass, damping, and stretchiness along the rope.

• Designer-friendly tools for editing control points and pins directly in the Unity Editor.

Together, Verlet Transform and Verlet Line provide a flexible, performant, and artist-friendly toolkit for physics-driven animation and simulation in Unity, enabling rich, dynamic behaviours without the overhead or complexity of traditional rigidbody physics.