[Bf-funboard] Curve Taper Refinement

Joel Leineweber jleineweber at answersingenesis.org
Thu Oct 21 22:45:12 CEST 2004


I just downloaded the latest build for OS X 10.3, and I love the new
additions. Great new modelling tools, and the curve taper option really
excites me. I¹ve started work on a new tree generator (better than L-system)
based on research by Jason Weber (Teletronics International) and Joseph Penn
(Army Research). I started out approaching it with polys which can get
complex and slow very quickly. When I saw the new curve taper features I got
excited about the control offered where it was lacking before. Unfortunately
the new features bring it so close it¹s painful, but still just out of
reach. First the api needs to be extended to include the new options (don¹t
know if that¹s in place or not). My problem is that when I make a separate
curve for the trunk, and several branches, each of the branches start with
the initial diameter of the base of the trunk. This is a major problem
because the only solution I can figure out is to make many branch groups
each with different taper curves...this is incredibly inefficient. Is there
another way with python I can influence the skinning of the curves, or would
this require a new feature. Curves would be so much more powerful for
tree/plant generation, but unless there¹s a workaround, I¹ll have to go back
to scripting with polys which offer less control, slower, and more work.
Perhaps the ability to assign tapers according to curve segments instead of
objects, or letting curve length influence the diameter, or something
similar would give that control.

You guys are awesome,
Bydesign
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://projects.blender.org/pipermail/bf-funboard/attachments/20041021/beb9d2cf/attachment.html


More information about the Bf-funboard mailing list