Cineversity

Hello!
I’m struggling with what I thought it would be a simple set-up but is not.
I have a cloner object with a spline effector, and I want to control the distance between nodes with a step effector.
The step effector after the spline effector doesn’t move the nodes along the spline.
Please see attached an example file to make it clear… any ideas?

Hi José,

Please have a look at the file below:

Scene file
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/oXfFQYW4KQCuMIYx2lW4BbhJ1zC8LwGMZqc6NBk2nxN

Screen shot
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/JYn0Jjjtv1bmBzPH7upG0WxZUSiEi0m7gHuSOFWCpIb

The problem would be solved if the Spline Effector would use the results from the Step Effector. But since this Effector overwrites this results, we need to get this information first before it can be applied to the Spline.
To first place the clones on the spline and then use the Step Effector works after the spline was evaluated for position, hence the displace of the clones.

The file above uses the polygons as information source, hence the Polygon Center in the last Cloner setting. Since the Spline Wrap Deforms the objects, the Polygons are the ones that will be not rendered, but the polygon center stays pretty much the same, make them smaller if not. Since they influence the Bounding Box of the Spline Warp, I wouldn’t go larger at all.

A more straightforward method is given with the Matrix object, since it doesn’t share the deformation of the “clone” representations.

Scene file
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/gq11I9kZbgr07X15wCrnnvjSw6yRKackfMz1acGVcoX

Let me know if that works for you.

All the best

Hello Dr.Sassi!
Thank you very much for your reply.
You delivered a very clever solution as usual. Right what I needed. THank you!
Just tried a quick setup for controlling the distance between nodes along the spline. I’m trying to figure out the setup to get more separation in the middle of the spline, and not just over the end points. See attached please.
Thank you very much
Jose

You’re very welcome, José, thanks for the nice feedback.

The fastest way to explain it might be via a short clip: (Please download it for a better viewing experience.)

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/XiaZ55XJ8KWBkPJ8fFm4UkJKkzoSeVHRUnPGHVbB2zo

To get a shorter distance on the start and end, the Step effector has to shorten the distance from the Cloner Object as well as allow for more distance in the middle. Sounds abstract, hence the movie clip.

My best wishes

P.S. a variation screen shot
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/1bUC3TGh9SW8tah3U386trENUx8w0Ex3nBJsH32sUq6

Thank you!
This was a huge help.
Great explanation and solution Dr.Sassi
Cheeers
José

Nice that it works, José.

Here are two files, the one from the clip, just in case, and another one.
The …_31.c4d file follows the idea of that curve, which looked to me like a sine curve, so why not use it that way. It is animated, Formula Effector> Attribute Manager> Parameter> P.X –– that’s all. Just have a look. The lower row, again, just as reference.

Scene file
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/FP2LRct3mMisEZwawF3uuIKXK9nCMGjLIBoZ7TFN4GI

Another way would be to let the Shader Effector take over: Remap. Set the Contrast or Gamma, etc in the filter for quick results.
Scene file: …_41.c4d
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/thgEgQgTzb4uVDq60YnRwpSVTJLe2501Ew8ywqz19TQ
Note that the Cloner has no Step Amount.

Enjoy your weekend.