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 the falloff of the node. Falloff controls how much influence the node has on anything it affects.
Parameter Details Falloff Mode
Which mode to use to calculate the falloff.
- Off : No falloff is used. Everything will be affected equally.
- Spherical : Falloff is drawn outward from a central point, forming a spherical falloff.
- Cylindrical : Falloff is drawn outward from a line, forming a cylindrical falloff.
- Planar : Falloff is drawn outwards in one or more directions from a plane, forming a planar falloff.
- Procedural : Uses a connected procedural system to describe the falloff area. A procedural node must be input for this property to function.
- Cubic : Falloff is calculated from within a cube.
Falloff Axis
Which axis the falloff should be oriented on.
Falloff Direction
When using “Planar” mode, which direction to use to calculate the falloff.
- Bidirectional : The node’s effect will be the most along the plane. It will then falloff in both directions.
- Negative : The node’s effect will be the most along the plane and in the positive direction. It will then falloff in the negative direction.
- Positive : The node’s effect will be the most along the plane and in the negative direction. It will then falloff in the positive direction.
Falloff Easing Mode
Interpolation method used to calculate the falloff within its range of influence.
- Linear : Falloff will be calculated linearly across the falloff range.
- Sine : Falloff will be calculated using a sine function across the falloff range.
- Quadratic : Falloff will be calculated using a quadratic function across the falloff range.
- Cubic : Falloff will be calculated using a cubic function across the falloff range.
- Circular : Falloff will be calculated using a circular function across the falloff range.
- Bounce Back : Falloff uses a function which as values reach the edge of the falloff range, they will overshoot and bounce back.
- Elastic : Falloff uses a function similar to bounce back, but the value will initially move in the opposite direction, creating a “pull and release” effect.
Falloff Size X
Size of the falloff range along the X axis.
Falloff Size Y
Size of the falloff range along the Y axis.
Falloff Size Z
Size of the falloff range along the Z axis.
Outer Range
Outer range of the falloff.
Inner Range
Inner range of the falloff.
Curve Power
Controls the rate of change of the falloff between the inner and outer range.
Invert
Inverts the effect of the falloff.
The properties control the time at which the node is active. See Timeline for editing time segments.
Parameter Details Duration
Control the duration of the node’s time segment.
- Composition Duration : Use the length of the composition for the node’s time segment duration.
- Custom : Set a custom duration for the node’s time segment.
Node Time
The custom start and end time for the node.
Duration (Timecode)
The length of the node’s time segment (in time).
Duration (Frames)
The length of the node’s time segment (in frames).
Time Segment Enabled
Set whether the node’s time segment is enabled or not in the Timeline.
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 the falloff of the node. Falloff controls how much influence the node has on anything it affects.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Falloff Mode |
Which mode to use to calculate the falloff.
|
| Falloff Axis | Which axis the falloff should be oriented on. |
| Falloff Direction |
When using “Planar” mode, which direction to use to calculate the falloff.
|
| Falloff Easing Mode |
Interpolation method used to calculate the falloff within its range of influence.
|
| Falloff Size X | Size of the falloff range along the X axis. |
| Falloff Size Y | Size of the falloff range along the Y axis. |
| Falloff Size Z | Size of the falloff range along the Z axis. |
| Outer Range | Outer range of the falloff. |
| Inner Range | Inner range of the falloff. |
| Curve Power | Controls the rate of change of the falloff between the inner and outer range. |
| Invert | Inverts the effect of the falloff. |
The properties control the time at which the node is active. See Timeline for editing time segments.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Duration |
Control the duration of the node’s time segment.
|
| Node Time | The custom start and end time for the node. |
| Duration (Timecode) | The length of the node’s time segment (in time). |
| Duration (Frames) | The length of the node’s time segment (in frames). |
| Time Segment Enabled | Set whether the node’s time segment is enabled or not in the Timeline. |
| Name | Description | Typical Input |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Generated Weightmap | Weightmap to control the density of points in Spread Over Polygons mode. | Generate Weightmap |
| 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 |