[Beta Update] FoliageMaker plugin (1.1 beta available)

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  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,240
    edited October 2023

    I made a Christmas Wreath. I built the foliage on a primitive torus and then changed the leaf surface materials to a fir twig from an UltraScenery prop. I UltraScattered the ornaments and placed the bow manually.

    FoliageMaker single Fir Torus Wreath US Ornaments_001_Camera.jpg
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    Post edited by barbult on
  • AnEye4ArtAnEye4Art Posts: 766

    Cool. A freebie for Christmas.

  • ArtiniArtini Posts: 9,455

    Very nice, Barbult

     

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,240

    Thank you, Artini.

    No, AnEye4Art, it isn't a freebie for Christmas. There is nothing in the wreath that I can distribute. I don't have a FM MR license. The fir texture belongs to UltraScenery, The bow, pine cones, and ornaments are from other products in my content library. But you can make your own wreath, just like I did.

  • Llola LaneLlola Lane Posts: 9,326

    WOW nice barbult... great to see what everyone is doing.  Stay well everyone.

  • ArtiniArtini Posts: 9,455
    edited October 2023

    Toon Hero at the seaside...

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    Post edited by Artini on
  • ArtiniArtini Posts: 9,455
    edited October 2023

    FoliageMaker inside UltraScenery

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    Post edited by Artini on
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,240
    edited October 2023

    I did this one early in the month, but I don't think I ever posted it. One vine is foliage and the other is mushroom instances.

    Twiggant Bullwarg Skin Geografts Foliage and mushroooms_Default Camera.jpg
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    Post edited by barbult on
  • Great images and projects everyone, I really like how you are using the FoliageMaker. Just so you know I'm at a good point with the development of the 1.1 update. Here is a screenshot showing the "load" and "save" buttons in place, which will allow to load and save presets that you can reuse, and the "surface selection" button which opens a window where you can tag surfaces to be used for the foliage growth. Among with lot of other fixes and improvements under the hood.

     

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  • Llola LaneLlola Lane Posts: 9,326

    Alessandro Mastronardi said:

    Great images and projects everyone, I really like how you are using the FoliageMaker. Just so you know I'm at a good point with the development of the 1.1 update. Here is a screenshot showing the "load" and "save" buttons in place, which will allow to load and save presets that you can reuse, and the "surface selection" button which opens a window where you can tag surfaces to be used for the foliage growth. Among with lot of other fixes and improvements under the hood.

    Woo hoot... looking great!  Thanks Alessandro... you rock!

  • ArtiniArtini Posts: 9,455

    Thanks, Alessandro, looking forward to the update.

     

  • AnEye4ArtAnEye4Art Posts: 766

    Thanks for the update.

  • ArtiniArtini Posts: 9,455
    edited October 2023

    Something...

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    Post edited by Artini on
  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 15,009

    One feature that would be nice is some ability to generate multiple types of leaves (or objects or whatever, for, say, a grape vine).

    Although... is it possible to have multiple foliage generate on the same random values so you essentially have a second copy lining up with the same vines?

     

  • AnEye4ArtAnEye4Art Posts: 766
    edited November 2023

    Can that not be achieved by running the same settings twice (given that another custom null is in the same spot) and only replace the leaves but change the foliage density and variation?

    Post edited by AnEye4Art on
  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 15,009

    ... yeah, I guess so. Nevermind me! Heh

    Shouldn't post after only one cup of coffee..

     

  • Llola LaneLlola Lane Posts: 9,326

    You can also join the leaf and grapes (example) as one object!

  • Oso3D said:

    One feature that would be nice is some ability to generate multiple types of leaves (or objects or whatever, for, say, a grape vine).

    Well that can be quite hard to do procedurally: that's why I gave the possibilty to use instanced objects so one can eventually load and use assets from the content library.

    Although... is it possible to have multiple foliage generate on the same random values so you essentially have a second copy lining up with the same vines?

    Yes you can run the growth with the same exact settings, maybe using another instanced geometry.

  • ArtiniArtini Posts: 9,455
    edited November 2023

    Three layer foliage

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    Post edited by Artini on
  • Now you've done it, Artini. Heavenly!!

  • ArtiniArtini Posts: 9,455

    Thanks a lot, AnEye4Art

     

  • Alessandro Mastronardi said:

    Here is a screenshot showing the "load" and "save" buttons in place, which will allow to load and save presets that you can reuse, and the "surface selection" button which opens a window where you can tag surfaces to be used for the foliage growth. Among with lot of other fixes and improvements under the hood.

    Will it be possible to select surfaces across multiple geometries, or just a single object as it is currently? My solution at present is to export an obj of all the elements I want a single vine to grow across, and then import it back in as a base on which to grow the foliage. I then re-parent the grown foliage to the intended collection of objects and delete the merged obj. It's a workaround, but it requires several extra steps.

  • The Alchemist said:

    Alessandro Mastronardi said:

    Here is a screenshot showing the "load" and "save" buttons in place, which will allow to load and save presets that you can reuse, and the "surface selection" button which opens a window where you can tag surfaces to be used for the foliage growth. Among with lot of other fixes and improvements under the hood.

    Will it be possible to select surfaces across multiple geometries, or just a single object as it is currently? My solution at present is to export an obj of all the elements I want a single vine to grow across, and then import it back in as a base on which to grow the foliage. I then re-parent the grown foliage to the intended collection of objects and delete the merged obj. It's a workaround, but it requires several extra steps.

    Only on the selected object. Cheers.

  • Alessandro MastronardiAlessandro Mastronardi Posts: 2,619
    edited December 2023

    Hello, for the folks interested FoliageMaker 1.1 beta is available for testing here: www.alessandromastronardi.com/FM/foliageMakerAM_1.1B.zip
    To install it, simply unzip the contents, overwriting, into your /Program Files/DAZ 3D/DAZStudio4/plugins/ folder
    As you run the 1.1B version you will notice a slightly different panel with a big "surface management" button, and a few more.
    Here is the list of changes:

    /// + handling of surfaces, so that some can be excluded from the foliage generation (accessible from the "surface management" button)
    /// + interface values are now saved within the scene .DUF. When you reopen the scene file all the settings used on each object are properly reassigned. See how the panel data is updated automatically as you select different objects that have a FoliageMaker system. This is very convenient so that you can inspect the settings, change them and eventually build a new FoliageMaker system
    /// + possibility to load / save presets. Alternatively, it is also possible to just load/save/share preset files with others, or just store them for a later use
    /// + interface values remembered through sessions. When you close the app, values are store and retrieved next time you open the program. Handy, right?
    /// + reset interface values. You can reset interface settings to default values
    /// + instances are now generated and can be managed correctly. In the initial 1.0 release, instance groups would cause the program to freeze or crash. Now this doesn't happen anymore: instances are generated correctly and can be managed properly and as expected

    Note: you can always revert to the initial 1.0 version just using DIM.

    If you like to help with testing, rather than posting on the forum please send me reports at my email: info@alessandromastronardi.com
    Thanks a lot and Happy Holidays everybody!

    Post edited by Alessandro Mastronardi on
  • Happy Holidays to you too, Sir!

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,240

    I'm eager to try it. I've been traveling a lot this fall/winter and must have missed this update message.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,240

    There is a problem with multiple props and surface management. If I select the first prop in my scene and use surface management to select only some of those surfaces, when I select the second prop and select surface management, it does not default to all surfaces selected, it has unchecked some of the surfaces, corresponding to the order of surfaces unchecked in the first prop.

    I've had a lot of DS crashes when using this FM beta. I'm not sure what activity is triggering the crash. Sometimes it crashes not while generating foliage, but closing DS. Instead of closing cleanly, the app crashes.

  • AnEye4ArtAnEye4Art Posts: 766
    edited January 18

    barbult said:

    There is a problem with multiple props and surface management. If I select the first prop in my scene and use surface management to select only some of those surfaces, when I select the second prop and select surface management, it does not default to all surfaces selected, it has unchecked some of the surfaces, corresponding to the order of surfaces unchecked in the first prop.

    I've had a lot of DS crashes when using this FM beta. I'm not sure what activity is triggering the crash. Sometimes it crashes not while generating foliage, but closing DS. Instead of closing cleanly, the app crashes.

    I know that we can email him directly about the bugs but I just did not had the time to play too much with the new beta.  But, I too, had the same issue with the crashing.

    Post edited by AnEye4Art on
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,240

    I've run into an issue I can't live with. When the 1.1 beta FoliageMaler plugin is installed, my selected Scene item keeps getting unselected everytime I apply a material or shader to it or load a wardrobe item onto it (for people). This happens not when using FoliageMaker, but just from having the plugin installed. When I deleted the .dll, the problem went away thank goodness.

  • Ok, then we shall see with the new beta version. I'm noting down the issues to be fixed. Besides the negativities, did you find any improvements like with the new instancing feature? Did you try how the surface selection works?

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