Much testing this past week with a simulation using the Apply Fur shelf tool on a simple sphere. Unfortunately no detailed information I can find on adjusting hair simulation dynamics in 16.5!

It seems that what was the Material TAB has now been separated into Physical and Plasticity TABs.
Under Elasticity I have increased Stretch Spring to 3000, reduced both Stretch and Bend Damping to .01, and increased Bend Spring to 5. (see attached)
From what I understand, this SHOULD result in my hair or hair guides having less ‘stiffness’.
But I can see zero difference. Any Wire Solver or hair experts (Kai?) able to suggest what I am doing wrong?

I wonder if you found a solution to your problem as I wanted to ask exactly the same question. I am working on the hair now and I am fed up with trying to tame it.

This seems to behave much better when you set “Reference Matching” to 0. I think maybe there's some weird interaction with the non-1 spatial scale there. I'll look into that.

So is it some soft of bug? i have been trying to get the guides to simulate but they are always so stiff.