PaintFX tubes Question.

[yinako]

I remember seeing this vine example in one of maya PFX help files.

you can attach a PFX stroke to a CV curve(your vine) to grow out leaves and thorns along the curve.

[Emergence]

Originally posted by yinako
you can attach a PFX stroke to a CV curve(your vine) to grow out leaves and thorns along the curve.

Yep it will grow the leaves but not the vine itself. I'm greedy I want both.

[yinako]

uhm...you could either model the vine.

Or try using creation along path instead of normals, where the path is the branch(vine in this case), and grow twigs and leaves along side the branch. I'm imagining it would make sense on 2D canvas mode...

[Duncan]

Try the following:
tubesPerStep = 0
startTubes = 1
strokeCompletion = OFF
segments = 200( or any high value )
lengthFlex = 1
pathFollow = 1


This creates a single tube that follows the stroke path. One can still have leaves and branches bud off this central path.

Duncan

[Emergence]

Thanks for that guys, I'll take a look.

[Emergence]

OK, so i finally had a chance to take a look at this and tried the setting that Duncan suggested as follows:

tubesPerStep = 0
startTubes = 1
strokeCompletion = OFF
segments = 200( or any high value )
lengthFlex = 1
pathFollow = 1

and the initial tube does indeed follow the curve, however (you had to know that was coming) I can't find a way of making the tube follow the stroke precisely (there is always a small offset due to the tube not starting at the very beginning of the stroke) nor can I ensure that the tube is exactly the same length as the stroke.

It seems the simplest answer is just to apply 2 brushes to the stroke - one for the vine and one for the branches. Or model the vine.

Thanks for the help guys.

-Richard

[Emergence]

I forgot to mention another question i came up against:

anyone know a way of operating the tube direction in worldspace?
eg painting trees onto hills and making them point up instead of perpendicular from the stroke normal.

Thanks again.

-Richard

[Duncan]

To make the stroke exactly follow make the brushWidth = 0, so the the start tube is at the exact start of the stroke. Combined with the other settings you should be able to create a vine that exactly follows the base stroke, but sprouts leaves and thorns.

To make the trees all emit upward, on the stroke node set the useNormal to true and set the normal to 0 1 0. ( this must be done after painting the stroke )

Duncan

[CGTalk Moderation]

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.