I am finding that one of the (inevitable) shortfalls of Growfx, or any tree creation software that requires the user to create the tree is that unlike real trees you end up with just as many branches in the centre of the crown as you do on the edges...
Real trees seek light, and do so by spreading outwards not inwards, and will "cull" branches and leaves towards the middle of the crown, also sometimes when space is an issue. I have tried to use the Path reaction modifier to get branches to reflect and avoid one another, and even an object reaction modifier (placing a sphere in the centre of the crown), but the former was useless and the latter was unrealistic looking, with branches suddenly changing direction for no apparent reason.
Is there a way to achieve this as the software stands?
If not, would it be possible to perhaps create something that places branches in a more realistic manner - perhaps something that generates a basic "hull" around the crown of the tree and culls, shortens or thins out branches towards the centre, using a falloff curve? You could for example have a "hull distance affects length/count/density".
I realise that generative/iterative software (arbaro, L systems, ivy generator) is far better suited to this as it calculates the tree and light it receives as it grows with each iteration, but obviously unlike growfx you lose complete control over how the tree looks, save a few basic parameters at the beginning.
Thanks in advance, and sorry if it doesn't make as much sense as it does in my head.
Chris