Mesh Cloner
Updated: 31 Jan 2025
Generates Clones from an input geometry
Mesh Cloner
Method #
This node creates clones at positions defined by another 3D object. The connected node must generate a mesh, such as a 3D Object, a 3D Primitive or a Text node.
Nodes that are to be cloned should be connected to the output of this node. Any geometry node including 3D Objects, Lights, and Other Cloners. Clone Effectors may be connected, these nodes arent cloned but will act offset and transform all the clones within their area of effect.
Parameters
These properties control the 3D transforms of the node. Transforms will generally be inherited by child nodes, although they can be ignored through the Inherit Transform Channels attributes.
Parameter Details Position X The objects position along the local x-axis.
Position Y The objects position along the local y-axis.
Position Z The objects position along the local z-axis.
Rotation Heading The objects rotation around the local y-axis.
Rotation Pitch The objects rotation around the local x-axis.
Rotation Bank The objects rotation around the local z-axis.
Scale X The objects scale along the local x-axis.
Scale Y The objects scale along the local y-axis.
Scale Z The objects scale along the local z-axis.
Control the inheritance of the transforms from the parent.
Parameter Details Position Toggle inheritance of the Position from the parent.
Rotation Toggle inheritance of the Rotation from the parent.
Scale Toggle inheritance of the Scale from the parent.
World Position Only Inherit the world position from the parent only, rotation and scale will be ignored. Overrides above properties.
Inherit Time Toggle inheritance of time from the parent.
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
Parameter Details Mode Select how the cloner clones from the source object.
- Vertex : Clone the object to the source objects vertexes.
- Polygon Centre : Clone the object to the centre of the polygons in the source object.
- Edge Centre : Clone objects to the centre of the edges in the source object.
- Spread Over Surface : Clones are spawned randomly on the surface of the object.
- Spread Over UV Map : Spreads the clones across the UV map of the object.
Node Spawn Mode Change the order in which the cloned objects are assigned to clone instances.
- All : All of the connected objects are generate at every clone position.
- Iterate : The objects are generated sequentially per clone position, based on their heriarchy. For example, the first clone renders the first object, the second clone renders the second object and so on.
- Random : The objects are randomly selected to generate at clone positions.
Num Clones Number of copies of the input object created by the node.
Randomise Mesh Order Use a random seed to dictate the order in which clones are spawned.
Randomise Order Seed Select a random seed to drive the effect,
Num UV Clones X/Y Set the number of clones to spawn on the UV map and how many should spawn along the x and y axis.
Num UV Clones X Set the number of clones to spawn on the UV map and how many should spawn along the x axis.
First Clone Chooses which clone is the first clone generated.
Rotation Mode How the clones should be oriented once spawned.
- None : Spawned objects ignore the rotation of the source object.
- Object : Spawned objects use the rotation of the source object.
- Align To Normals : Spawned objects align their rotations with the normals of the object.
Rotation - Use Heading/Pitch/Bank Enable or disable rotation for clones by their heading, rotation or bank.
Scale Clones By Poly/Edge Size Toggle whether to scale the clones by the size of their poly/edge size (depending on which mode is selected in the “Mode” attribute).
Clone Scale Scale the size of all the clones uniformally.
Clone Offset From Surface How far the clones are spawned from the surface of the source object.
Use Undeformed Positions Generates the clones before the shape is deformed, so the clones will animate correctly but may not be spread out as nicely after deformation.
Colour Clones Allow the clones to be coloured at generation.
Use Vertex Colours Use the colours of the nearest vertex to dictate colour of the clone.
Use Texture Colours Use the colours of the texture at the clones generated location to dictate colour.
Colour Cutoff Mode Change how the mesh texture cuts off certain clones.
- Luminance : The luminance values of the mesh texture are used.
- Alpha : The alpha values of the mesh texture are used.
- Luminance * Alpha : Luminance values multiplied by the alpha values are used.
Colour Cutoff Limit how bright regions of the image must be for the clones to be spawned.
Surface Spread Mode How the clones are spread to the surface of the source object. Only functions when “Spread Over Surface” is selected in the “Mode” attribute.
- Normalised : Clones are spread out to fill the source object.
- Fixed : Clones are spawned at the density set by the “Surface Spread Density Attribute”.
Surface Spread Density How dense the clones are once spawned. Only functions with “Normalised” chosen in the “Surface Spread Mode” attribute.
These properties apply iterative offsets to the UV Offset, UV Scale, and Crop parameters of the materials for each rendered clone. Typically used with a tile sheet so that each clone picks up a different texture.
Parameter Details UV Scale X Delta Relative change to the uv scale along the x of the clone’s material, per clone.
UV Scale Y Delta Relative change to the uv scale along the y of the clone’s material, per clone.
UV Offset X Delta Relative change to the uv offset along the x axis of the clone’s material, per clone.
UV Offset Y Delta Relative change to the uv offset along the y axis of the clone’s material, per clone.
Crop Left Relative change to the crop on the left of the clone’s uvs, per clone.
Crop Right Delta Relative change to the crop on the right of the clone’s uvs, per clone.
Crop Top Delta Relative change to the crop on the top of the clone’s uvs, per clone.
Crop Bottom Delta Relative change to the crop on the bottom of the clone’s uvs, per clone.
Inputs
These properties control the 3D transforms of the node. Transforms will generally be inherited by child nodes, although they can be ignored through the Inherit Transform Channels attributes.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Position X | The objects position along the local x-axis. |
| Position Y | The objects position along the local y-axis. |
| Position Z | The objects position along the local z-axis. |
| Rotation Heading | The objects rotation around the local y-axis. |
| Rotation Pitch | The objects rotation around the local x-axis. |
| Rotation Bank | The objects rotation around the local z-axis. |
| Scale X | The objects scale along the local x-axis. |
| Scale Y | The objects scale along the local y-axis. |
| Scale Z | The objects scale along the local z-axis. |
Control the inheritance of the transforms from the parent.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Position | Toggle inheritance of the Position from the parent. |
| Rotation | Toggle inheritance of the Rotation from the parent. |
| Scale | Toggle inheritance of the Scale from the parent. |
| World Position Only | Inherit the world position from the parent only, rotation and scale will be ignored. Overrides above properties. |
| Inherit Time | Toggle inheritance of time from the parent. |
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode | Select how the cloner clones from the source object.
|
| Node Spawn Mode | Change the order in which the cloned objects are assigned to clone instances.
|
| Num Clones | Number of copies of the input object created by the node. |
| Randomise Mesh Order | Use a random seed to dictate the order in which clones are spawned. |
| Randomise Order Seed | Select a random seed to drive the effect, |
| Num UV Clones X/Y | Set the number of clones to spawn on the UV map and how many should spawn along the x and y axis. |
| Num UV Clones X | Set the number of clones to spawn on the UV map and how many should spawn along the x axis. |
| First Clone | Chooses which clone is the first clone generated. |
| Rotation Mode | How the clones should be oriented once spawned.
|
| Rotation - Use Heading/Pitch/Bank | Enable or disable rotation for clones by their heading, rotation or bank. |
| Scale Clones By Poly/Edge Size | Toggle whether to scale the clones by the size of their poly/edge size (depending on which mode is selected in the “Mode” attribute). |
| Clone Scale | Scale the size of all the clones uniformally. |
| Clone Offset From Surface | How far the clones are spawned from the surface of the source object. |
| Use Undeformed Positions | Generates the clones before the shape is deformed, so the clones will animate correctly but may not be spread out as nicely after deformation. |
| Colour Clones | Allow the clones to be coloured at generation. |
| Use Vertex Colours | Use the colours of the nearest vertex to dictate colour of the clone. |
| Use Texture Colours | Use the colours of the texture at the clones generated location to dictate colour. |
| Colour Cutoff Mode | Change how the mesh texture cuts off certain clones.
|
| Colour Cutoff | Limit how bright regions of the image must be for the clones to be spawned. |
| Surface Spread Mode | How the clones are spread to the surface of the source object. Only functions when “Spread Over Surface” is selected in the “Mode” attribute.
|
| Surface Spread Density | How dense the clones are once spawned. Only functions with “Normalised” chosen in the “Surface Spread Mode” attribute. |
These properties apply iterative offsets to the UV Offset, UV Scale, and Crop parameters of the materials for each rendered clone. Typically used with a tile sheet so that each clone picks up a different texture.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| UV Scale X Delta | Relative change to the uv scale along the x of the clone’s material, per clone. |
| UV Scale Y Delta | Relative change to the uv scale along the y of the clone’s material, per clone. |
| UV Offset X Delta | Relative change to the uv offset along the x axis of the clone’s material, per clone. |
| UV Offset Y Delta | Relative change to the uv offset along the y axis of the clone’s material, per clone. |
| Crop Left | Relative change to the crop on the left of the clone’s uvs, per clone. |
| Crop Right Delta | Relative change to the crop on the right of the clone’s uvs, per clone. |
| Crop Top Delta | Relative change to the crop on the top of the clone’s uvs, per clone. |
| Crop Bottom Delta | Relative change to the crop on the bottom of the clone’s uvs, per clone. |
| Name | Description | Typical Input |
|---|---|---|
| Source Objects | Source mesh to generate clones from. A mesh must be connected for the cloner to generate clones. | 3D Object |
| Effectors | Control how the clones behave once spawned. See Effectors. | Plain Effector |
| 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 |
