Distribute grouped objects, especially Vray proxies

[247ltd]

Let's say I want to distribute grouped objects (especially some or all objects in the group as vray proxies), i.e. a group of three people, a pot and an arrangement of plants, a table with two chairs, etc.
AND then I want to randomly rotate the instances of these groups around the z-axis - as a whole, not each individual object!
In case of the grouped people for example or the table and chairs it makes much more sense to rotate the whole group as arranged and not each individual, doesn't it?
I can't find any solution that actually works - or I'm just too dumb.
I found a somewhat older forum thread covering grouped objects, the pivot points and the noise mask, which seem to sometimes work as expected, but not with Vray proxies.
I am a bit puzzled that this question hasn't been asked yet, or I just could't find it.

[Paul Roberts]

Hi,

Thanks for the question. Currently, the best way to randomize groups as a single object is still the technique you mention in which you align all the pivots and use a noise map to control the rotation. There are some good instructions for this here.

I just tried this with Vray Proxies and as long as you align their pivots, it appears to work OK. If it's not working in your scene though, if you could upload a simplified file so I can take a look, that'd be really helpful.

Many thanks,
Paul

[247ltd]

Thanks a lot for the answer, Paul.

Now the adjusted pivots and noise map work as expected. I had collisions enabled (incl preview in viewport).    Could not work. Now everything makes sense again. 

[Paul Roberts]

Great! Glad to hear that's all working as expected