Itoo Software Forum

Forest Pack => Forest Pro (*) => Topic started by: cc8boy on August 22, 2014, 10:50:37 PM

Title: How to use a greyscale map control the global scale but keep the random scale ?
Post by: cc8boy on August 22, 2014, 10:50:37 PM

I’m going to use a greyscale map in Scale group in Transform tab to control the animation of my trees. But the result is not what I expected.
1.   I want the scale of the the trees in black area is 0%.
2.   I want the scale of the the trees in white area is MAX.
3.   I want to keep the effect of random scale when the trees become MAX scale. But the effect of random scale was overrided by the greyscale map.
I mean I want to use the greyscale map to control the global scale of the trees but keep the random scale.
4.   I tried to make some MAX transform scale keyframe on the sample tree. But the animation mode of Forest Pro Pack didn’t get the sample when there were only transform keyframes on the sample tree.

Title: Re: How to use a greyscale map control the global scale but keep the random scale ?
Post by: iToo on August 23, 2014, 10:12:33 AM

1,2,3. - Just turn on Scale->Probability Map. When enabled, the map defines the amount of random transform applied to each item, instead an absolute scale value.

4. - Translation/Rotation/Scale keyframes are not recognized by Forest because don't modify the geometry of the object, only it's appearance (it's a issue related with the Max pipeline workflow). Instead, apply a Linked XForm modifier, linked to an animated dummy.

Title: Re: How to use a greyscale map control the global scale but keep the random scale ?
Post by: cc8boy on August 23, 2014, 03:55:57 PM

Thanks for the answers. But I don't want to control the amount of random transform. I don't mean more random or  less random transform.
For example,
The value from grey level of the map is A.  The results of the Random function of Forest Pro Pack is B. The real scale value of the tree is C.
It should be "C=A*B".
such as C=40%*[0.9,0.9,0.9], 40% is from grey level.
The value A should be used as a coefficient to control the global scale of the trees.
I want global control on the scale value of the trees not the amount of random transform.

Title: Re: How to use a greyscale map control the global scale but keep the random scale ?
Post by: Paul Roberts on August 23, 2014, 07:06:24 PM

Hi,

You can achieve a similar effect by using a noise maps instead of pure black and white for the scale map. That way you can animate a the scale growing but maintain randomisation. I've attached a sample scene to illustrate.

(http://lonelymonk.com/forum_images/1ad810a61a0e4e68ae2bb0733f0c1e0d.jpg)

I hope that helps.

Thanks,

Paul

Title: Re: How to use a greyscale map control the global scale but keep the random scale ?
Post by: cc8boy on August 24, 2014, 08:50:04 AM

Thank you , Paul ! This is what I want. I'll try it immediately.