Cineversity

Hello,

In this tutorial, the instructor uses a clone object and sets it to “cluster.”  I’m not familiar with this setting and can’t seem to find it in my copy of C4D R16.  Has this feature been replaced with something else?

Many thanks!

Jerome

Hi Jerome,

The setting “Cluster” was taken out a while ago. Its function was to take all child-objects under a “Cloner Object” and handle it as one object. You could do this today with a simple Null object as Parent on top of them (Some people suggest a short cut to Group Objects, I avoid it, as it takes the average position of all objects and places the Null there. Not a good idea in most cases. On the other hand, any object that was animated before, might destroy the animation information as it was based on a different origin point (e.g., World) for example. So a fresh Null manually created and attached is the better way. If you get used to the short cut, it will bite you soon or later. A reason why I have given up on it a long time ago. It just pays off.

Another way is to use the Fracture Object as Parent object, as it might leave more options later on. It creates internally one copy of everything, there is the disadvantage to the Null parent (If recourses are limited).

BTW, if you have R16, you might take a lot of information in that have no need anymore for that. Which is perhaps true for anything MoDynamic before R12. have a look to the comparison of the “Shape” options. To work-a-round ;o) the old limitations is interesting, but not needed anymore.

All the best

Sassi

Image: Dark GUI = R16, Light GUI = R11.5

Wow, that’s a substantial change.  Will have to hit the help files and learn how all of those shapes work.

Thank you for the explanation, Sassi.

All the best,

Jerome

You’re welcome, Jerome.

These shapes are there to get as close and simplified to the shape in question. The more the shape follows a simple geometrically description, the faster everything will be. Especially with “mass-motion” set ups and a lot of motion blur, the fastest way might be preferable, but as always: it is an artist decision.

Have a nice evening

Sassi