AETHER and GAIA.
Two engines, one Blender workflow.
AETHER is the unmodified PPF Contact Solver by ST Tech / ZOZO. GAIA is the PolyWorks build of that solver, where new capabilities such as fluid-driven cloth are developed. Both are set up from the same Blender panels, starting with Cloth neXt 3.0.
AETHER and GAIA. The engines of Cloth neXt 3.0.
The engine symbols above are abstract identity art. They are not simulation output or a performance comparison.
Two engines, two jobs
AETHER
Core EngineBuilt for the cloth you make today. The unmodified PPF Contact Solver by ST Tech / ZOZO. Layered garments, contact against fully animated characters and soft bodies, set up and baked from Blender's Physics properties.
- Available today, and in 3.0
- NVIDIA CUDA or CPU, on Windows x64 and Linux x64
- Installed from the Cloth neXt add-on preferences
GAIA
Extended EngineExploring what cloth can become. The PolyWorks build of the same contact solver. It runs the same cloth, contact and soft body work, and adds cloth driven by FLIP Fluids simulations, one way only.
- Arrives with 3.0, currently in acceptance testing
- First planned target: Windows x64 with NVIDIA CUDA, plus a native CPU fallback
- Fluid-driven cloth is experimental, one way only
What each engine does today
A status comparison, not a benchmark. No performance claims are made for either engine.
| Capability | AETHER · Core Engine | GAIA · Extended Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Cloth and layered garments | Available | With 3.0in acceptance testing |
| Contact against animated characters | Available | With 3.0in acceptance testing |
| Soft bodies | Available | With 3.0in acceptance testing |
| Hydrodynamics (FLIP Fluids to cloth, one way) | Not included | Experimentalplanned for 3.0 |
| Release status | Available | Arrives with 3.0 |
| Distribution | Official upstream releases, installed from the add-on preferences | Through your PolyWorks account, from launch |
Platforms and hardware
The two engines do not share one support matrix. GAIA platforms are only listed as supported after they have been validated.
| Platform | AETHER | GAIA |
|---|---|---|
| Windows x64 · NVIDIA CUDA | Supported | 3.0 targetacceptance testing |
| Windows x64 · CPU | Supported | 3.0 targetnative CPU fallback |
| Linux x64 · NVIDIA CUDA or CPU | Supported | Not validated yet |
| AMD GPUs | In development | Not validated yet |
Both engines need Blender 5.0 or newer. See the system requirements.
How each engine reaches your machine
Installed from the Cloth neXt add-on preferences, where you confirm the official upstream source. PolyWorks does not host or repackage AETHER builds. The add-on checks engine compatibility before every bake.
GAIA builds are signed off by PolyWorks and offered through your PolyWorks account and the add-on, with a published checksum for every file. Downloads open with the 3.0 release.