Extruded Spline
Method #
This node extrudes a polygon along a spline. The spline used to generate the shape must be connected via the Spline Sources input, and can be affected by deformer nodes.
Deformer nodes apply to the vertices of the mesh, not the spline, so heavy deformation might make the polygons push into each other, or vary the thickness of the mesh.
This node outputs the normal transformation and translation values, but it also outputs geometry which can be modified with Deformer nodes, or used as a mesh sources for nodes which accept mesh connections, such as the Field 3D Object Emitter or the Procedural 3D Object.
Parameters
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
Parameter Details
Visible Control whether the node is visible or not to the scene.
Seen By Rays Allow the mesh to be seen by the raytracer. When set to 0, the mesh will still render in camera but will be ignored by any raytracing nodes.
Per Object Composite Alpha Overwrites the alpha channel beneath the object, giving simple effect of transparency. Best used when the mesh won’t overlap with other objects, as other meshes will not be seen through the mesh.
Radius The radius of the shape to be extruded along the spline.
Num Radial Segments How many sides the extruded shape will have.
Num Spline Segments How many sections the extruded shape is broken up into when following the spline.
Use Spline Colours Use the colours from the input spline to
Max Visible Age The maximum length the extruded geometry can get to as a function of age. Only functions with a Node Trail input.
Fade Front Duration How long the front edge fades for as a percentage of the whole spline.
Fade Back Duration How long the back edge fades for as a percentage of the whole spline.
Fade Alpha Fade the alpha values of the generates spline along its length using Fade Front and Back Duration. Requires an alpha supporting blend mode.
Fade Scale Scale the radial size of the spline using the Fade Front and Back Duration.
Draw Triangles Toggle whether the mesh faces are drawn.
Use Control Point Scaling Use the scale values from the control points to scale the extruded spline’s extrusion from the source spline.
Control Point Scaling Mode The method by which the scales from the interpolated control points scale the extruded spline’s extrusion from the spline.
- XYZ : Scale the extrusion in XYZ by the control point’s scale XYZ.
- Radius : Scale the extrusion in radius using the length of the control point’s XY scaling.
- XY : Scale the extrusion using the control point’s XY scaling.
Spline Time Min The minimum start time of the spline.
Spline Time Max The maximum end time of the spline.
See Materials.
These properties add options for drawing all the edges of the mesh as lines. Useful for rendering wireframe effects.
Parameter Details
Lines Visible Control whether lines are rendered to the scene from the geometry.
Lines Alpha Change the alpha transparency value of the lines, making them appear see-through.
Colour Change the colour value of the lines.
Use Vertex Colours Colour lines based on the vertex colours of the geometry.
Blend Mode How the object lines blends with the rest of the content in a 3d scene. See Blend Modes for details.
- Solid : The line rendering is treated as a solid object, and does not blend with anything behind it.
- Blend : The line rendering is blended with the rest of the content in the scene, with a subtle gradient over the line edges.
- Additive : The line rendering adds onto the rest of the content in the scene.
- Subtractive : The line rendering subtracts from the rest of the content in the scene.
- Multiply : The line rendering multiplies with the rest of the content in the scene.
- Max : The max value between the lines and the content behind it is used.
- Min : The min value between the lines and the content behind it is used.
- Light : The line rendering is blended using the light blend mode with the rest of the content in the scene.
- Screen : The line rendering is blended using the screen blend mode with the rest of the content in the scene.
- Pre-Mul Blend : The line rendering mis premultiplied before blending with the rest of the content in the scene.
Thick Lines Allow the lines to rendered with thickness, for line effects which can be accurately anti-aliased.
Hide Back Face Lines Hide the lines generated from polygon faces facing away from the camera, where only the back faces of geometry can be seen.
Lock Width Lock the line width to be a consistent width regardless of distance from the camera. Only functions with Thick Lines enabled.
Thick Line Width Control the thickness of all the lines. Only functions with Thick Lines enabled.
Show Silhouette Lines Draws lines along the edges of the object relative to the camera.
Show Normal Difference Lines Draw a line along the edges of the mesh, depending on the angle difference between their mutual faces.
Show Unshared Lines Draw lines along all edges of the shape.
Show Other Lines Show all the lines for each edge of the mesh.
Unshared Lines Weight Control the strength of the unshared lines.
Silhouette Lines Weight Control the strength of the silhouette lines.
Normal Difference Lines Weight Control the strength of the lines generated along the normal angles.
Other Lines Weight Control the strength of the lines for each edge in the mesh.
Line Normal Difference Angle Change the threshold angle between two face normals that will generate a line along their common edge. Only functions with Show Normal Lines enabled.
Line Normal Fade Sharpness How much the drawn normal lines will fade away the closer the edge angle is to the Line Normal Difference Angle.
Line Depth Bias Exaggerate the width of the lines based on the distance to the camera. not functional with Lock Width enabled.
Line Silhouette Fade Sharpness How much the drawn silhouette lines will fade away based on the size of the edge angle to the camera.
Inputs
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Visible | Control whether the node is visible or not to the scene. |
| Seen By Rays | Allow the mesh to be seen by the raytracer. When set to 0, the mesh will still render in camera but will be ignored by any raytracing nodes. |
| Per Object Composite Alpha | Overwrites the alpha channel beneath the object, giving simple effect of transparency. Best used when the mesh won’t overlap with other objects, as other meshes will not be seen through the mesh. |
| Radius | The radius of the shape to be extruded along the spline. |
| Num Radial Segments | How many sides the extruded shape will have. |
| Num Spline Segments | How many sections the extruded shape is broken up into when following the spline. |
| Use Spline Colours | Use the colours from the input spline to |
| Max Visible Age | The maximum length the extruded geometry can get to as a function of age. Only functions with a Node Trail input. |
| Fade Front Duration | How long the front edge fades for as a percentage of the whole spline. |
| Fade Back Duration | How long the back edge fades for as a percentage of the whole spline. |
| Fade Alpha | Fade the alpha values of the generates spline along its length using Fade Front and Back Duration. Requires an alpha supporting blend mode. |
| Fade Scale | Scale the radial size of the spline using the Fade Front and Back Duration. |
| Draw Triangles | Toggle whether the mesh faces are drawn. |
| Use Control Point Scaling | Use the scale values from the control points to scale the extruded spline’s extrusion from the source spline. |
| Control Point Scaling Mode | The method by which the scales from the interpolated control points scale the extruded spline’s extrusion from the spline.
|
| Spline Time Min | The minimum start time of the spline. |
| Spline Time Max | The maximum end time of the spline. |
See Materials.
These properties add options for drawing all the edges of the mesh as lines. Useful for rendering wireframe effects.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Lines Visible | Control whether lines are rendered to the scene from the geometry. |
| Lines Alpha | Change the alpha transparency value of the lines, making them appear see-through. |
| Colour | Change the colour value of the lines. |
| Use Vertex Colours | Colour lines based on the vertex colours of the geometry. |
| Blend Mode | How the object lines blends with the rest of the content in a 3d scene. See Blend Modes for details.
|
| Thick Lines | Allow the lines to rendered with thickness, for line effects which can be accurately anti-aliased. |
| Hide Back Face Lines | Hide the lines generated from polygon faces facing away from the camera, where only the back faces of geometry can be seen. |
| Lock Width | Lock the line width to be a consistent width regardless of distance from the camera. Only functions with Thick Lines enabled. |
| Thick Line Width | Control the thickness of all the lines. Only functions with Thick Lines enabled. |
| Show Silhouette Lines | Draws lines along the edges of the object relative to the camera. |
| Show Normal Difference Lines | Draw a line along the edges of the mesh, depending on the angle difference between their mutual faces. |
| Show Unshared Lines | Draw lines along all edges of the shape. |
| Show Other Lines | Show all the lines for each edge of the mesh. |
| Unshared Lines Weight | Control the strength of the unshared lines. |
| Silhouette Lines Weight | Control the strength of the silhouette lines. |
| Normal Difference Lines Weight | Control the strength of the lines generated along the normal angles. |
| Other Lines Weight | Control the strength of the lines for each edge in the mesh. |
| Line Normal Difference Angle | Change the threshold angle between two face normals that will generate a line along their common edge. Only functions with Show Normal Lines enabled. |
| Line Normal Fade Sharpness | How much the drawn normal lines will fade away the closer the edge angle is to the Line Normal Difference Angle. |
| Line Depth Bias | Exaggerate the width of the lines based on the distance to the camera. not functional with Lock Width enabled. |
| Line Silhouette Fade Sharpness | How much the drawn silhouette lines will fade away based on the size of the edge angle to the camera. |
| Name | Description | Typical Input |
|---|---|---|
| Spline Sources | Spline nodes used to draw the extrusion along. | Spline |
| Material | Override the default material with a material node. | Materials |
| Transform Modifiers | Apply the transforms of another node to this node. | Null |
| Target Node | Modifiy the rotations of the node to always direct the z axis towards the input. | Null |
| Local Transform Override | Apply the transforms of another node to this node, relative to its parent. | Null |