Hello,
Here's version 3.2. As I mentioned, it's collection of already posted stuff, plus new things.
First of all, there are small workflow helpers, like switches for all node types, in root node. For now, it's possible to separately enable form nodes, enable modifiers, and hair filler. 'Point Color' node is able to assign the random color to components, according to form node ID, chunk or guide.
From improvements, there's option in 'stick to mesh extrusion', to override the local twist of mesh stripe, in favor of 'by walk' defined orientation. That's in case if Syflex simulation creates too wild twisting of mesh stripes.'Deform hair' has both options built in, 'faceted' by polygon orientation, and 'interpolated' which is a mix of polygon orientation and point normal.For now, suggested method for all nodes related to static-deformed pair of something, it is what seems to works in SI 2015 (and everything bellow). Deformed copy has to be connected into ICE tree on emitter mesh, or Nurbs surface. Appropriate nodes have suffix '2'. Like 'deform hair 2'.Everything is supposed to work flawlessly with v3.1 stuff - except the functionality of new nodes, of course.
New nodes:
'Fit Nurbs' 'form' node, as an general styling operator. Opposite to 'follow nurbs', it is for hair that grows perpendicularly to emitter. It's filtered by plain distance to red boundary of Nurbs shaping surface, angle to normal of shaper as well. Should be much easier to figure out the behavior, than with 'follow nurbs'. However, by nature of searching from single line, single node can not cover properly the entire surface of human head, except maybe in layout like in picture. Node has internal trickery, to do proper filtering against self, similar to big 'follow nurbs' (should be visible in pic).'Fit Nurbs One' is a lite version, it takes only one, closest chunk, also it allows multiple NURBS inputs. This one is for individual stripes of hair.
Curls Adv(anced) is supposed to do what ordinary Curls can't - exact 'to angle' blending from root, additional twist of hair stripe, also, what I call 'inverse tip', typical unfinished bending, at tip of curled hair. I've created first version for
this pic. Node under the hood, is about ten times more complex than ordinary 'Curls' node. It works in different way, turns are defined by segments, in order to be able to use as much less segments per one turn. It's tied to 'chunk' in kH - one chunk, one curled hair stripe.
More new modifiers, like 'Curvature Amplifier', which exaggerates the hair curvature, by testing the distance between strand segment and midpoint of two neighboring segments.'Bridge strands' which interpolates strand position, to randomly chosen another strand. Finally,'Skip strand', used for detailing in pic in previous post. At some strand position, it draws extensions according to tangents, then it blends the extensions. On flat portion of hair, it does nothing, on curved portion it does deviation, still relative to strand shape.
These three modifiers does not rely on predefined kH orientation vectors, should be easy to adapt them to some other ICE hair system. Also they are based on relative cheap computations, no big deal to use them repeatedly.
There are other news, for example, there's new 'grouping in form' node, allowing to define the group IDs into individual 'follow nurbs' or 'fit nurbs' node. Should be a cleaner solution in case of many 'form' nodes in ICE tree. 'Follow CuveList', is version of 'follow curve', which rely on sub curves into curvelist.'Stretch Hair', more an utility for local re-scaling along strand.'Hair Filler Rounded' distributes strands in one chunk, more in circle like shape, instead plain triangle - it's for use after 'curls advanced' or 'clumps and locks'.
As usual, there are samples for almost all mentioned, docs are updated. This time, there is much more of compounds in pack - for 'just in case' reason, I put the older versions, too. Download ICE compounds, samples, docs..
here..
Good luck !
P.S. From my tests, it seems everything worked smoothly. Anyway don't hesitate to report possible problem - as now we have whole eternity
for fixes.