Spread Lines
Updated: 6 Feb 2025
Generates lines on the parent mesh.
Spread Lines
Method #
This node generates lines on the surface of the parent mesh. The vertices or polygon centres of the parent mesh may be used as starting points for lines, or lines can be distributed randomly over the surface.
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 Spread Mode The method used to distribute lines across the surface.
- Vertex : The vertices of the parent mesh are used as the line starting points, using the vertex normals to define the lines orientation.
- Polygon : The center of each polygon of the parent mesh are used as the line starting points, using the polygon normals to define the lines orientation.
- Spread Over Surface : Lines are spread evenly over the polygons of the parent mesh. The Seed and Num Lines can then be altered for verying results. A weightmap may also be used to influence the distribution across the surface.
Seed The seed used to randomly distribute lines across the surface. Only Functions with Spread Mode set to Spread Over Surface.
Lock Distribution Locks the distribution of the lines over the source mesh, so prior deformations do not affect the distribution. Note that if the topology of the parent mesh is changing, the distribution can’t be locked and will give undefined results. Only Functions with Spread Mode set to Spread Over Surface.
Line Length The length of each line distrubuted on the surface.
Line Length Randomness How much each line is randomly shortened by.
Subdivisions The number of vertex subdivisions generated per line. Higher values can improve smoothness for subsequent deformations, but increase impact on performance.
Num Spread Lines The number of lines to generate over the surface. Only Functions with Spread Mode set to Spread Over Surface.
Curl Curl the lines along there length hto make amount each line should curl along its length.
Curl Randomness Randomises the curl amount of each line.
Orientation Randomness Randomises the rotation of each line.
These properties control where the deformer affects the geometry.
Parameter Details Use Falloff 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 effect to no longer effective.
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 |
|---|---|
| Spread Mode | The method used to distribute lines across the surface.
|
| Seed | The seed used to randomly distribute lines across the surface. Only Functions with Spread Mode set to Spread Over Surface. |
| Lock Distribution | Locks the distribution of the lines over the source mesh, so prior deformations do not affect the distribution. Note that if the topology of the parent mesh is changing, the distribution can’t be locked and will give undefined results. Only Functions with Spread Mode set to Spread Over Surface. |
| Line Length | The length of each line distrubuted on the surface. |
| Line Length Randomness | How much each line is randomly shortened by. |
| Subdivisions | The number of vertex subdivisions generated per line. Higher values can improve smoothness for subsequent deformations, but increase impact on performance. |
| Num Spread Lines | The number of lines to generate over the surface. Only Functions with Spread Mode set to Spread Over Surface. |
| Curl | Curl the lines along there length hto make amount each line should curl along its length. |
| Curl Randomness | Randomises the curl amount of each line. |
| Orientation Randomness | Randomises the rotation of each line. |
These properties control where the deformer affects the geometry.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Use Falloff | Enable falloff from the position of the deformer. |
| Falloff Shape | Select which shape to use to draw falloff from.
|
| 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 effect to no longer effective. |
| Name | Description | Typical Input |
|---|---|---|
| Generated Weightmap | Weightmap to control the density of points in Spread Over Polygons mode. | Generate Weightmap |
| Line Length Weightmap | Weightmap to control the line length. | Generate Weightmap |
| Falloff Node | Use an input node to control the transformation values of the falloff. | Null |
| 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 |