Knot generator properties
The Knot generator is used to add surface details to branches. These details include knots, lumps, gashes, and other small details depending on the property settings. Knot geometry is divided into three sections:
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
| Outer | This section is the outermost portion of the knot, is always welded to the branch, and always shares the branch material. |
| Inner | This section represents a thin portion of geometry that creates a bridge between the outside and the bare, inner material. |
| Core | This is the center of the knot, usually represented by a cut branch material. |
Generation
Refer to Generation properties.
Random Seeds
Refer to Random seeds properties.
Outer
The properties in this group govern the shape of the outer geometry. This geometry is always welded to the parent, matches the UV coordinates of the parent exactly, and inherits the parent's branch material.
Size
Controls the overall size of the knot.
Offset
Controls how far the knot extrudes from the parent it is applied to.
Rotation
Uniform roll of the entire knot ("Inner" and "Core" will rotate with it).
Scale
Scales the width of the knot. Use "Scale" and "Rotation" together to get non-circular knots oriented on the model as you see fit.
Lip
The edge where the outer geometry meets the inner geometry can be raised using this value. Use this to create a lip between the outer and inner geometry.
Noise
The properties in this group distort the geometry based on a noise pattern.
Shape
Amount
Use this property to deform the shape of the knot boundary.
Scale
This value sets the tightness of the noise pattern. Higher values result in more deformed knot geometry.
Offset
Amount
Use this property to deform the offset of the knot.
Scale
This value sets the tightness of the noise pattern. Higher values result in more deformed knot geometry.
Seed
Vary this parameter to randomize the noise pattern.
Inner
The properties in this group govern the shape of the piece of geometry that connects the outer section to the core section.
Size %
This property sets the size of both the "Inner" and "Core" sections as a percentage of the total knot size.
Scale
This value scales the width of the "Inner" and "Core" sections.
Curvature
This property controls the roundness of the geometry in this region. Higher values cause this geometry section to "puff out" more.
Overlap
This value controls how much the "Inner" section overlaps the "Core" section. Use this value along with "Curvature" to create a rounded appearance that sits above the "Core" geometry.
UV
The properties in this group govern the UV coordinate generation.
Style
Chooses how UVs are generated from the following options:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Match trunk | UVs match the parent UVs exactly. |
| Ring | UVs are generated so that materials map around the geometry like a torus. |
Scale
This property scales the UV coordinates uniformly. The coordinates will be clamped to ensure tiling matches.
U offset
This property shifts the U coordinates.
V offset
This property shifts the V coordinates.
Noise
The properties in this group distort the geometry based on a noise pattern.
Shape
Amount
Use this property to deform the shape of the geometry.
Scale
This value sets the tightness of the noise pattern. Higher values result in more deformed knot geometry.
Core
The properties in this group govern the behavior of the innermost section of the geometry.
Size %
This property controls the size of the core section. This value is set as a percentage of the "Inner" size.
Offset
This property moves the "Core" section towards or away from the parent.
UV
The properties in this group govern the UV coordinate generation.
Style
Chooses how UVs are generated from the following options:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Match trunk | UVs match the parent UVs exactly. |
| Ring | UVs are generated such that materials are planar mapped onto the geometry. |
Scale
This property scales the UV coordinates uniformly. The coordinates will be clamped to ensure tiling matches.
U offset
This property shifts the U coordinates. This property has no effect if the "Ring" style is selected.
V offset
This property shifts the V coordinates. This property has no effect if the "Ring" style is selected.
Noise
The properties in this group distort the geometry based on a noise pattern.
Shape
Amount
Use this property to deform the shape of the "Core" boundary.
Scale
This value sets the tightness of the noise pattern. Higher values result in more deformed knot geometry.
Offset
Amount
Use this property to deform the offset of the "Core" geometry.
Scale
This value sets the tightness of the noise pattern. Higher values result in more deformed geometry.
Material
The properties in this group control the material assignments. The actual material used is a function of the material weights and season settings.
Note
The "Outer" section automatically inherits the parent branch material.
Inner
The material on the "Inner" portion of the geometry is chosen from the materials in this group.
Material
Specifies a named material or material set.
Weight
Sets the probability that a node will receive this material (this weight ÷ the sum of all weights).
Patch options
Choose how to apply the material. See UV tiling.
| Property | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| UV Area | Choose to apply the full UV map or a UV area. | |
| Whole map | Apply the full UV map. | |
| Any | Apply any UV area. This option is visible only if the material has multiple UV areas. | |
| Custom area name | Apply a specific UV area. Set and name the area with the UV Area Editor. | |
| Placement | This property has no influence on knots but can be used on a Branch generator. | |
Core
The material on the "Core" portion of the geometry is chosen from the materials in this group.
Material
Specifies a named material or material set.
Weight
Sets the probability that a node will receive this material (this weight ÷ the sum of all weights).
Patch options
Choose how to apply the material. See UV tiling.
| Property | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| UV Area | Choose to apply the full UV map or a UV area. | |
| Whole map | Apply the full UV map. | |
| Any | Apply any UV area. This option is visible only if the material has multiple UV areas. | |
| Custom area name | Apply a specific UV area. Set and name the area with the UV Area Editor. | |
| Placement | This property has no influence on knots but can be used on a Branch generator. | |
Segments
The properties in this group control the polygonal resolution of the knot.
Rings
Rings are the connected loops of geometry that comprise each of the three sections. Use the properties in this section to control how many rings each type gets.
Outer
Controls the number of segment rings on the "Outer" geometry.
Inner
Controls the number of segment rings on the "Inner" geometry.
Core
Controls the number of segment rings on the "Core" geometry.
Slices
Slices represent the number of segments "around" the knot and are shared by all three sections.
Resolution
Scales the number of slices and rings for each Resolution.
Dynamic LOD
The Dynamic LOD System automatically creates multiple levels of detail for a model. The purpose is to allow the model to degrade in detail in real-time applications. This should not be confused with Resolution, which is designed to set the polygonal resolution of a model exported for VFX use.
Weight
This value influences how likely nodes in this generator will be kept during LOD computations. The generator with the higher value will have priority over the other generators of the same type. Knots are considered "decorations" in the LOD system.
Ring segments
Scales back the number of ring segments for each successive LOD.
Slice segments
Scales back the number of slices for each successive LOD.
Lightmap
Lightmap UVs are computed for several versions of the Modeler designed for use with game engines. Lightmap UVs are a UV set where no objects overlap and all of them fit in a single space where U and V fit in the range [0.0, 1.0].
Every object's lightmap weight is compared to every other object and then the lightmap packing is determined. This means that your weight value may not be honored exactly or may get so large as to exhibit unexpected results. Use "Tools→Reset lightmap scalars" to go back to default values for the whole model.
The following values control lightmap space allotments:
Outer weight
This value influences how much space in the lightmap the "Outer" knot geometry can have.
Inner weight
This value influences how much space in the lightmap the "Inner" knot geometry can have.
Core weight
This value influences how much space in the lightmap the "Core" knot geometry can have.