Notch Reference Manual

Generate Weightmap Deformer

Method

This deformer node generates per-vertex weight values which can be used by other nodes – particularly other deformers – as part of their processing.

Deformers such as the 3D Plasma Deformer have an input called “Generated Weightmap” which takes a Generate Weightmap Deformer as input; the per-vertex weight is then used to scale the deformation.

Example
Example Bin Example Project

Transform

Name Description
Position X Move its position along the x-axis in local space.
Position Y Move its position along the y-axis in local space.
Position Z Move its position along the z-axis in local space.
Rotation Heading Rotate the object about the x-axis.
Rotation Pitch Rotate the object about the y-axis.
Rotation Bank Rotate the object about the z-axis.
Scale X Scale along the x-axis.
Scale Y Scale along the y-axis.
Scale Z Scale along the z-axis.

Inherit Transform Channels

Toggle which transform channels should be inherited. By default, all are on.

Attributes

Name Description
Blend Amount How much the deformer affects the mesh.
Subdivision Order Toggle whether the deformer is added before or after the object is subdivided.
Subdivision Level The subdivision level at which the deformer is applied.
Weightmap Use a weight map to determine where the deformer is more or less effective.
Vertex Source Mode How vertexes are selected to be used by the deformer.
  • Vertex Positions, Vertexes are chosen based on their positions in the scene.
  • Chunks, Vertexes are chosen based on the enclosed section of the mesh they are used.
Deformer Transform Space Select which transform space should be used to calculate the deformations.
  • Local, Deformations are calculated in the Local Space of the object.
  • World, Deformations are calculated in the World Space of the scene.
Update Time Mode How the deformer updates with relation to the timecode.
  • Locked To Timecode, The deformer deformations are locked to the timecode and the same time will always yield the same deformations.
  • Running / Looping, The deformer deformations are disconnected from the time code and will loop seamlessly at the end of the layer.
Mode The mode by which the value is generated.
  • Falloff Only, the deformer’s falloff parameters are used to calculate the weight.
  • Texture Coordinate – X, the X component of the geometry’s texture coordinate is scaled by the falloff and used as the weight.
  • Texture Coordinate – Y, the Y component of the geometry’s texture coordinate is scaled by the falloff and used as the weight.
  • Texture, a texture is sampled using the geometry’s texture coordinates and the luminance of the sampled pixel is scaled by the falloff and used as the weight.
Gain Scale the generated value.
Offset Offset the generated value.
Min Value Limit the minimum value generated.
Max Value Limit the maximum value generated.
Invert Invert the generated weightmap values.
UV Scale X Scale the UV texture along the X axis.
UV Scale Y Scale the UV texture along the Y axis.
UV Offset X Offset the UV texture along the X axis.
UV Offset Y Offset the UV texture along the Y axis.
Texture Wrap Mode U Controls how textures used by Weightmap are wrapped when the U value range exceeds 0 to 1.
Texture Wrap Mode V Controls how textures used by Weightmap are wrapped when the V value range exceeds 0 to 1.
Show Weightmap Visualise the weightmap as vertex colours on the source geometry.

Falloff

Name Description
Falloff Enabled Enable falloff from the position of the deformer.
Falloff Shape Select which shape to use to draw falloff from.
  • Sphere, Falloff is drawn outward from a central point, forming a spherical falloff.
  • Cylinder – X/Y/Z, Falloff is drawn outward from a line, forming a cylindrical falloff.
  • Plane – X/Y/Z, Falloff is drawn outward from a plane.
Falloff Range Limits the range the deformer is effective at.
Falloff Inner Range The inner range from which the falloff is calculated from.
Falloff Curve Power How quickly the falloff drops to 0 at the outer falloff.
Invert Falloff Invert the direction of the falloff.
Falloff Curve Visualises the falloff curve, from being completely in effective to not at all.

Inputs

Name Description Typical Node Input
Image The image that is sampled when the mode is set to “Texture”. Video Loader
Falloff Node Use an input object to control the transformation values of the falloff. Null
Generated Weightmap Add a weightmap to control the strength of the deformer depending on the weightmaps vertex data. Generate Weightmap Deformer
Transform Modifier Links all transform properties to the input node. Null
Target Node Always faces the x-axis towards the inputs anchor point. Null
Local Transform Override Override the transformation values of the node, relative to its parent. Null

Outputs

Outputs a weightmap image that can be used to control where on a surface a Deformer node is allowed to modify the parent mesh.