Stretching and Contracting Lines (Flexibility Effect) in Newton or others

Question

Hi everyone,I'm trying to create an animation in After Effects where a shape layer (specifically a line with path animation or trim path) extends and retracts, simulating a stretching effect. I would like this animated line to interact with a maze (or other static objects) using the Newton plugin or etc...However, I’ve noticed that Newton doesn’t seem to recognize the Trim Paths animation and path stretch animation. Is there any workaround or technique that would allow me to simulate this interaction? Ideally, I want the line to collide with the maze walls as it moves through it.

Mylenium · Answer

Not really. The line is just the rendered effect. You would have to animate the mask/ shape path and then perhaps a plug-in could do something with the animated mask points. Quite generally, why would you, though? This very much sounds like a task you could chew through with a bit of patience and hand animation. Even if it worked with Newton or whatever setting up the simulation, tweaking it, running it over and over again and then still cleaning it up afterwards would very likely consume more time than just animating the path.

Mylenium

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