Smode way to deal with fractured geometry?

[francis]

With the parameter "Sub Geometry To Use", you can reference the FBX file twice and have a different renderer for each FBX sub-tree. Did you tried that solution?

About the group id: for the moment the group id is defined by the data (i.e. the order inside the FBX file). However, you can reach more complex behavior by applying a function mask:

(here I showed with a "custom" function, but you can also do all kind of stuff with parametric functions...)

For sorting along XYZ axis or radially, I see no simple solutions and we can't spend that much time on this for the moment...

[skinnytorus]

With the parameter "Sub Geometry To Use", you can reference the FBX file twice and have a different renderer for each FBX sub-tree. Did you tried that solution?

Not yet, but I think it's gonna work. If the chunks are 20, it's quite ok. But if they are 200? 400? Sounds like a nightmare!

However, you can reach more complex behavior by applying a function mask

I'll try that. Thanks for the tip.

For sorting along XYZ axis or radially, I see no simple solutions and we can't spend that much time on this for the moment...

OK. There's no rush, of course. Maybe you could use the model's world/local bbox as a base?

[francis]

Not yet, but I think it's gonna work. If the chunks are 20, it's quite ok. But if they are 200? 400? Sounds like a nightmare!

I thought you had two parts: the inner part and the outer part. Then it's quite reasonable to make two references....
Indeed, if you want 100 different materials, no other choice than importing the FBX file.

[skinnytorus]

Indeed, if you want 100 different materials, no other choice than importing the FBX file.

But then if I wanna use Group Id, I'll have to use Group generators and be forced to use just 1 renderer for all the chunks which sends me in circles

[lamogui]

In next smode release you will have the possibility to read pc2 animations on obj mesh (it use a blender to smode workflow) like in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVAuMoGVlKA

Read more here
http://smode.fr/doc/ref/3d/3d-animation-cache/pc2-cache-file.htm?Highlight=pc2

[skinnytorus]

Hi, @lamogui.
Glad you're back, man. Thanks for the surprise! I'll definitely try this one! How's your progress with the assimp implementation?

Skinny

[skinnytorus]

Hi, @lamogui.

I've been playing around with the pc2 import for 15 minutes and have a couple of questions already:

1) Do I have to import the .obj as a Reference or as a 3D Group? If I import as a 3D Group, the pc2 cache won't import then. Logically, I use import as Reference. Is that correct?

2) Normals on the imported fractured shards are all smoothed. If I set the Flat shaded (in Surface node) to on. The model turns all dark. Perhaps there's something that needs to be done at the mesh export stage, doesn't it?

3) I'm using the Fracture modifier branch of blender. Were you using it in your examples?

[lamogui]

1) Use a reference, best single object by file, check "triangulate" and keep "vertices order" (note in principle we are capable of triangulate quads but not really tested yet). Note that your face doesn't need to be triangulated on the pc2 because it use vertices index.

2) You need to use sharp edges on flat faces and apply a modifier called "edge split" (using the sharp edge mode). It's a pc2 limitation (it doesn't include the normals so I need to recompute them in realtime and we loose the information of flat in obj). The edge split will duplicate you vertices enforcing the flat in blender.
If all you vertices are flat don't bother with that and just enable flat shading in smode surface renderer

3) Yeah we are using a blender version called blender fracture it's probably the one you are using.

[DanTigrelab]

Hi, this is my first post here. I'm very excited testing Smode for future projects. I'm doing tests with fbx with several objects and it's not working at all. I followed your instructions but group selector is not working for displace. I think it's working for Color. Is Group selector the same than Group ID you have in your screenshots? File is attached.

Thanks!

3dVoronoiFBX.zip (12.9 KB)

[lamogui]

Group Selector is the new name for the previous "Group Id" or "Generation" so yes this is the same.
The problem you have is that the group Id is set reference by reference, and since some improvements all meshes of a reference are actually merged together for best performances.

You need to reference each part independently using a group generator (if you use the same material) to achieve actual effect.

[lamogui]

Note: if you have a fixed animation I highly recommend to use obj + pc2 to achieve those kind of animation
http://smode.fr/doc/ref/3d/3d-Tools/pc2-cache-file.htm