Tree Generator Plugin

[ZPiDER]

done in 10.5

leaves are a:m hair, stucure is plugin output.

[ZachBG]

Wow!

[R Reynolds]

Good first attempt.

 

Any chance we can get leaves that look less hairy (and diffuse) and more leafy?

 

How far can you push the branching? (i.e. many more and longer branches)

[ZPiDER]

download this project file

http://www.kci-group.com/z/TreeeZ-prj.zip

 

and this plugin

http://www.kci-group.com/z/TreeeZ.zip (PC only)

install in HXT folder

 

create some cool stuff

post it here

if 20 coool images are posted, treeez is free!

 

this image shows how the project looks BEFORE:

[Rodney]

I'd guess that since the leaves are hair you may be able to use any leaf picture you want?

 

Yeah? neah?

 

More importantly though... I cannot see the download... Am I dense or what?

[Rodney]

Oh... there it is!

Typed too soon.

[ZPiDER]

and this AFTER TreeeZ:

[ZPiDER]

I'd guess that since the leaves are hair you may be able to use any leaf picture you want?

sure can!

but i've created the example in 10.5 and realized too late that it doesnt have leaf images.

the plugin SHOULD work fine in 11.0 though.

[kat]

WOW EXCELLENT

 

A tree plug in...

 

OK I downloaded the zipped files... now what... where do I save them, how do I start up this program.

 

Thanks alot!, this should save me a massive amount of time!

[ZPiDER]

OK I downloaded the zipped files... now what... where do I save them, how do I start up this program.

on my machine the unzipped file goes to C:\Programme\Hash Inc\V10.5\hxt. likely on your computer the folders wont read german ("program files" ?).

 

also download the project file, then just rightclick in the sction window and do as the BEFORE-image above shows.

[Rodney]

Tested in Beta 3 before I realized you'd said v10.5. Seems to work fine.

I'm still trying to figure out how hair fits in though.

Going into v10.5 to see what (if anything) may be different.

 

 

I assume I need to create a group of the leaf areas and apply a hair system material. Checking v10.5 to see if this is a correct assumption.

 

Attached: first screenshot of my first tree created with Marcel's Treeez plugin. Tweaked the base to get a bit more root stickin' out. I like thus far...

[ZPiDER]

I assume I need to create a group of the leaf areas and apply a hair system material. Checking v10.5 to see if this is a correct assumption.

if you use the supplied .prj file you wont need to create this group.

the plugin will will the existing groups for you (this screenshot is taken in 11.0: hair images are awesome ):

[Rodney]

Marcel,

 

As you can see from my added screenshot (2 posts back) no materials were generated. Maybe I broke it after I downloaded... I'll look into it.

 

I thought your plugin created the material/hair stuff so was surprised when I didn't see it

[kat]

Ah man!... I don't get it,

 

I was able to open the project just fine, however, how do I create a new tree???

[Rodney]

Pretty tricky how your getting everyone moving toward upgrading to v11!

Sneaky. <_ good thing i already upgraded.>

[Rodney]

More infos coming Diego but until then if you have the .hxt file in the right folder all you should have to do is right click in the model window/select plugins/Treez wizard and... whala the tree is generated.

 

Learning myself...

[ZPiDER]

the plugin does NOT generate the materials. it only creates the inner structure and groups it, so you can easily texture it based on that. the hair system in my first image was just dropped on the level0 group and tweaked for 3 minutes.

[KenH]

Great stuff! Thanks Marcel!

I got the tree generated from the project. But it's green and I can't see where it's getting that colour from. I'm not that familiar with hair either so I've no clue where to put the hair material or what to do with it to get a leaf lol I think I'm banjaxed!

[ZPiDER]

I was able to open the project just fine, however, how do I create a new tree???

1. open the Model1 in the project

2. draw your target surfaces (you can delete the ones that are already in there)

4. edit the "base" group (be careful that all of your base cps are in the group!)

5. go back to the action window, rightclick>plugins>wizards>TreeeZ

[ZPiDER]

Great stuff! Thanks Marcel!

I got the tree generated from the project. But it's green and I can't see where it's getting that colour from. I'm not that familiar with hair either so I've no clue where to put the hair material or what to do with it to get a leaf lol I think I'm banjaxed!

1. color comes from Model1>Surface>Diffuse Color

2. just play with the hair material! its actually really easy.

to tweak, make sure to

* have the model view open

* have the material assigned to a group (or more)

* tweak the values in the material

* to update the view, click into it and hit the spacebar

 

my settings for the last screenshot (v11.0 hair)

[Rodney]

the plugin does NOT generate the materials. it only creates the inner structure and groups it, so you can easily texture it based on that.

 

The following fits into the 'everyone's a critic' zone so don't read this wrong. What you've done is SUPER COOL!:

--------------------------

Seems the steps needed once the tree is generated are as follows:

 

- Create a basic hair material

- Group the leave areas into one group

- Drop the hair material on to the leaves group

 

At the risk of being stoned to death...

Could these steps be automated after the tree is generated?

 

Note: Once people play around and a good tutorial is produced that would be almost the same, I guess.

 

Customers... are never satisfied.

[ZPiDER]

2 examples with more regular targets:

the left just uses a grid as target, the right uses 2 "C" splines

[ZPiDER]

Seems the steps needed once the tree is generated are as follows:

 

1. Create a basic hair material

2. Group the leave areas into one group

3. Drop the hair material on to the leaves group

 

At the risk of being stoned to death...

Could these steps be automated after the tree is generated?

1 and 3: not necessarily. you dont need to use the hair material. after all you've already drawn the target-surface which, whith a nice texture will serve well as leaves.

 

2: re-read the above posts! this group is already there and its called "level0"

 

- the group needs to exist already BEFORE invoking TreeeZ [WHY: because its currently not possible with the a:m sdk to create a new group]

 

- the group must also contain at least one cp (in the sample project file it is one of the base-groups cps - doesnt matter really which one) [WHY: because its currently not possible with the a:m sdk to create the first cp in a group]

[Rodney]

Excellent example! Your value as a plugin creator has just skyrocketted!

(Not that it wasn't huge before)

[ypoissant]

Marcel,

 

That's a pretty creative approach to defining tree shapes you designed there. Very good work.

[ZPiDER]

That's a pretty creative approach to defining tree shapes you designed there. Very good work.

thanks!

though currently all structures will look pretty much the same.

soon though one will be able to animate the target surfaces (with bones or muscle mode) and e.g. let the tree start growing flat outwards, then up in a cone and to a tip. or in a spiral around something. or twisting, etc.

i hope this will work

[mediaho]

It's been said before and I'll say it again.

 

Marcel rules.

[dbritton]

Here's my second attempt at a tree with Marcel's great new plugin. I had to use render lock mode to render though. v11 Beta 3 "goes away" when I try to do a final render. That also happened with my first tree attempt. There, however, I couldn't even get a render with render lock.

 

[KenH]

What on earth dermines which branch will go to which point? For example, why would one branch just have one bow while others have smaller branches coming out of them? Is there a random factor in that regard?

 

Well here's my effort. lol I can't get rid of the leaf group. Should they be hidden? As for the leaves, I think they need an alpha channel in them?

[Rodney]

Thanks for the information. Since your first example mentioned hair I had tunnelvision and might have assumed the hair material was integral to the process.

 

Thanks also for the information on SDK limitations.

My knowledge there is spotty at best. Hope to see you're wish list implemented!

 

Looking forward to seeing more people post their results with your plugin.

[ZPiDER]

1. What on earth dermines which branch will go to which point? For example, why would one branch just have one bow while others have smaller branches coming out of them? Is there a random factor in that regard?

 

2. Well here's my effort. lol I can't get rid of the leaf group. Should they be hidden? As for the leaves, I think they need an alpha channel in them?

1. its a clustering algorithm (i've had uni classes on data mining, but to my shame i couldnt remember any clustering algorithm, so i had to re-invent it)

 

how it basically works:

at each intersection the plugin tries its best to separate the cps relevant for the branch into 2 sets.

then it sends a child branch one step towards each set.

 

2. you can hide it, or just copy the tree geometry into a new Model.

[ZPiDER]

Here's my second attempt at a tree with Marcel's great new plugin. I had to use render lock mode to render though. v11 Beta 3 "goes away" when I try to do a final render. That also happened with my first tree attempt. There, however, I couldn't even get a render with render lock.

neat! i'd like to see it lit, but i know, 11.0 beta has some issues with hair (though i've only managed to break it with spriticles and hair combined).

[Rodney]

Marcel,

 

Just so I don't misunderstand (again).

The base group can be pretty much as detailed as you want it... Just as long as it's a group?

 

Getting distacted here... Have to play with the kids.

It's quite shameful the way their sad face treatmetn works on me...

 

[steve392]

I got a tree lol but need to work more on it hehe this is graet,Zpider

[dbritton]

Here's one more. No hair this time. After the branches were generated with Marcel's plugin, I deleted the original leaf geometry and added a bunch of deformed spheres, à la Rodger Reynolds. Then I applied a material to those spheres. The material has some fractal sum and cell turb nodes. A while back Reynolds made some really nice looking leaves with the Enhance:AM materials, if I remember correctly.

 

[KenH]

Leaves are eluding me. But here's one of my better attempts...

[steve392]

I done another one ,I'm getting better hmmm

[JohnArtbox]

Marcel, You just made my landscaping a stack easier.

Very very very cool

[jfirestine]

This is cool! I have created a couple, but v11beta3 always crashes on final render.

Other than that, its fun, and hopefully the render problem will be fixed in a newer revision. I will post some pics when I am able to render.

 

thanks for this cool tool!

 

Keep HASHing!

[Rodney]

Steve(392-type),

 

Care to share how you got the painted look for your leaves.

Your answer might help with another project I'm working on.

 

Back a bit On Topic:

I answered my own question concerning the base group. Yep, just be careful.

but...

Now I've lost my bark textures dingdratit!

I'm making this a LOT harder than it is.

[stephen]

Holy cow! This is a great plugin! I downloaded the project file and the plugin to test try out. I didn't think it'd work, because I have an older version of A:M, but I thought I'd try it anyway. Well, it worked. It worked like a charm! I was surprised how good my first attempt turned out! I added some basic materials for flavour, and presto!

 

Also, good news, the plugin seems to work fine in A:M v9.0q (I'm not sure if it has been already established that it works on older versions, so, if it has, sorry )

 

Anyway, here's my first attempt...

 

Cheers!

[stephen]

And here it is again, this time with a toon render (line thickness 0.5) just to emphasise some detail on the tree.

[JackMcRip]

Zuper ;-)

 

Big Thanks to Marcel.

 

 

It's very easy to use and fast to make iregulary trees !!!

 

 

[zacktaich]

Come on Everyone 20 Images!!!!!!!!!

I want this thing free!!!!!!!

I'll post at least 5 (lol)

 

Marcel, great plugin. Maybe you can make it 15 pictures?

[johnl3d]

I have to get my update now for sure..nice looking trees ...more stuff to fool witth

 

 

johnl3d

[pleavens]

Ok, I had to get in on the fun too.

 

Thanks again for the plugin, love it.

 

Phil

[Rodney]

He did qualify his statement with the word "COOOL":

 

if there are at least 20 COOOL pics posted, the full version will be freely available as soon as done (as "FellowWare"  )

 

So we need to up the ante and make sure we hit him from EVERY possible angle boys and girls!

 

In addition to some fine initial renders we've also established:

 

- The plugin works in earlier versions (v9.0 confirmed)

- The base CPs can be added to (with care) as long as they are part of the "base" group

- V11 hair images make COOL leaves!!!

 

What have I missed thus far...

 

Someone hit him with a Toon Render from the right.

You... hit him with a jab with A:M enhanced!

There... hit him there again with the massive forest via flocking...

Try another angle... no not there... nothing below the belt dude!!!

Now... prepare for the knockout!

 

(Need coffee or sleep here, guys... you can decide)

 

*Added: Nice one, Phillip!

[zacktaich]

I love it. I haven't tried leaves yet. But I think it's more fun without!

[zacktaich]

And putting it under pressure...

[NancyGormezano]

me too, me too! (not able to render in chor unfortunately - go boom)

 

Wisteria type

wisteria.tga