3 in 1: Path Distributor, Optimize Steps, Start/End Slice Suggestions

[archaeotect]

While working on my trees I had some ideas of how to easily add more natural randomness to them. I thought about starting 3 threads, but I hope you don't mind if I put them together in this one.

 

 

1.) Distributors > Path distributor

Would it be possible to add a "count" value to the Starting path group? So that new paths only grew from randomly chosen x % of the path instances of the Starting path list? For example if you added leaves with a Path distributor and a starting path "branches", you could let them grow from only 90 % of the actual "branches" generated by the parent path.

That would be a very easy way to create random dead branches. Or to let fruits/flowers grow only from some branches (without the need to manually create a seperate set of branches). If Affects could be directed at this value you could influence the distribution of the "dead"  vs the normal starting paths, which would be great.

 

 

2.) Direction Modifiers > Optimize steps

The Optimize Modifier makes most sense at the bottom of Direction Modifier stack, but it does not work correctly below a Deviation Modifier. Right now I'm putting the Optimize second to last, above Deviation, but this does not always look good (sometimes there are not enough steps left to deviate smoothly). So I wanted to ask if it would be possible to create an AfterMesh Optimize Modifier that optimizes the final (cylinder) mesh (by deleting edge loops?)?

 

3.) Direction Modifiers > Start/End Slice

Would it be possible to add a random range (min/max) option to the slice length? So that instead of specifying a fixed Start/End Slice value in units you could also say that X % of all paths should be sliced randomly somewhere between Y % and Z % of their length (from either beginning or end).
Many trees contain branches that just broke off at some random point (mostly due to wind or snow, I'd guess). That could be simulated if this modifier could slice at random path positions.

 

 

Of course I can't tell how difficult it would be to implement these changes and how important they are to other users, but maybe they could improve the GrowFX workflow.

[Eduard]

Hi,

 

1) Yes, your idea is good, we'll try to add this into distributor, or add an additional parameter like the Count Rate% in the Direction Modifiers...

 

2) The Optimize steps was developed mainly to optimize the Cylinder meshes, and of course, as you said, it should be used at the end of the Direction Modifiers stack. The After Mesh Modifiers not change the topology, ie this doesn't re-create the mesh (deleting/allocating a new memory blocks), but this changes the vertices position only, so it works is very fast! So the main idea - quickly calculate a wind animation...

 

But regarding your idea, we can add something like Optimize mesh modifier, which will work in Mesh Builders...

 

3) I think it's possible to add some additional parameters for Start/End Slice modifier... Thanks!

 

Thanks for your ideas!    It's very appreciated!

 

Cheers

[peleus]

2.) Direction Modifiers > Optimize steps

 

Thanks. I'd like to have that too. Good job so far guys. 

[archaeotect]

Hi Eduard,

 

is there any news regarding my suggestions? Will you be able to implement any of them in the near future? Currently I have to create a forest of massive trees, and especially an Optimize Mesh or Optimize Steps option would be very helpful to reduce my polycount.

Please don't get me wrong, you are doing a great job with GrowFX, I'm just asking

 

Cheers

archaeotect

[Eduard]

Hi Eduard,

 

is there any news regarding my suggestions? Will you be able to implement any of them in the near future? Currently I have to create a forest of massive trees, and especially an Optimize Mesh or Optimize Steps option would be very helpful to reduce my polycount.

Please don't get me wrong, you are doing a great job with GrowFX, I'm just asking

 

Cheers

archaeotect

 

Hi Archaeotect,

 

Sorry for the delay!

Yes of course, we'll try as soon as possible to add an optimization. However, please try to apply the Optimize steps before the Deviation direction modifier. That is, add the Deviation modifier latest in the list, after Optimize steps, it will work fine.

 

Cheers