Kristinka Hair 3.0 released

Mathaeus · Post by **Mathaeus** » 02 Jul 2011, 23:22

Hi all,

ICE compounds, sample models and docs for version 3.0 are here
Docs for version 3.0 are here

As I've mentioned above, main new feature is completely new method of guides-filler interpolation. Finally there are two master emitter nodes, called kH3 Emit from NurbS and kH3 Emit from PolyMesh. Both are able to switch from one-step random emission, to guides-filler mode. For the rest of how-does-it-works for now, take look at online docs and sample models. Docs are updated for this version, I've added a bunch of pictures too.

My small suggestion is to first take look at "in_between_curves.emdl", there is a new styling operator.
Some other new nodes:
kH3 Grouping by Polygons: creates the groups, following polygons of external geometry ( this is in image bellow)

kH3 Filter by Geometry Volume: similar to factory node, in "in_between_curves.emdl" this one is used to draw a hair parting line.
kH3 Deform Hair: general purpose node, deforms a whole hair by copy of emitter's geometry.

A bit of work went to consolidation, for example all multiple geometry inputs are based only on ICE multiple ports, there is no 'forbidden'

"Repeat" node anywhere (Ok that's not big deal to do with hair...).... and a lot more of min-max-clamp stuff, just to protect users from something unusual. This time I've tried to use as much 'ordinary' constructions. A 'big' kH Follow NURBS is just one, having all methods of interpolation. For those who want to change the stuff, there are basic versions called "kH Follow NURBS Core" and " Follow Curve Core" in 'nested' folder.

However, because of new guides-on-triangle-corners method, still there is a small chance for weirdness in rendering (at start of ICE tree, three or more guides are on top of each other), but I think I'll be able to fix that, following a some nice explanation.
Also, both 'big' and 'lite' kH Follow NURBS has one more user parameter: the end of interpolation along X of NURBS surface (it's called 'AB End') - because automatic method didn't worked well. In docs, there are a few pictures just about kH Follow NURBS.

Tutorial on Autodesk Area is OK for new stuff too.

cheers

Post by **rray** » 03 Jul 2011, 01:50

Hey Mathaeus, thanks for all the effort put into this---KH releases are always a highlight between Softimage releases.
Updates looks real solid and well thought out. Going to try it out tomorrow, exitedly and curious

Ray

izze · Post by **izze** » 11 Jul 2011, 18:27

Best update yet. I keep thinking I am hitting problems here and there, but it is just a different workflow. I'm able to figure things out a lot easier then in previous versions. The tool set is very well rounded. Very simplified. Thanks a ton for this update!

Rork · Post by **Rork** » 11 Jul 2011, 20:19

And I thought the previous version was impressive!!

Kudos for keeping this available to the community!

Will try this asap as well.

caledonian_tartan · Post by **caledonian_tartan** » 12 Jul 2011, 09:02

a great release! love it!
after playing around a bit there's something i could not get rid of.
the strands get regenerated every frame which leads to heavy flickering when rendered.
is there a solution to emit and stick the strands to the emitter just once for a UNsimulated ice tree?

Mathaeus · Post by **Mathaeus** » 12 Jul 2011, 10:21

Thank You guys

For now, there is a new node called 'kH Grouping By Polygons' , which has an obvious error in a way of searching - which definitively can cause a 'random' result. Please avoid to use it, until I'll post a fix ( btw this is just the one from image in few post above).

Everything related to styling *is* supposed to go into un-simulated ICE tree. Geometry used for styling *is not* supposed to be animated directly ( at least as some rule of thumb). I think I've mentioned this in docs.

For anything wrong, please post as much detailed description, a small picture, movie... (instead of your own 'solution'

). Don't post the scenes. I'll take look at all, and I'll try to put the fix into an update.

Cheers

Memag · Post by **Memag** » 12 Jul 2011, 22:16

Thank you Matheaus!

izze · Post by **izze** » 13 Jul 2011, 00:12

I for the life of me, have never been able to get Strand Screen Size In SI Units to work. It seems to work for a little while. Then, a half hour or so down the road, my hair strands get to thick or thin. I tried it again with K3 but still get the same issues. Plus when I undo a camera move, the node goes red. And if I try to select a memo camera position the node goes red. I'm sure my horizontal screen size is always set correctly. I am able to work around this with the old ShapeSizeAbsolute method, which has always been reliable. If I can, I just want to ask that future versions don't do away with the ability to add this feature back into the emit nodes.

One item I miss in K3 was the Randomize compound. Allowing for a percentage of strands to be effected. But again, I was able to modify the Push to get this feature back.

Sorry for posting "my solutions" but I want to give feedback, and also let you know that your tool is flexible enough for us to get what we need from it in production.

Cheers!

Mathaeus · Post by **Mathaeus** » 13 Jul 2011, 02:00

izze wrote:I for the life of me, have never been able to get Strand Screen Size In SI Units to work. It seems to work for a little while. Then, a half hour or so down the road, my hair strands get to thick or thin. I tried it again with K3 but still get the same issues. Plus when I undo a camera move, the node goes red. And if I try to select a memo camera position the node goes red. I'm sure my horizontal screen size is always set correctly. I am able to work around this with the old ShapeSizeAbsolute method, which has always been reliable.
One item I miss in K3 was the Randomize compound. Allowing for a percentage of strands to be effected. But again, I was able to modify the Push to get this feature back.

- Strand Screen Size In SI Units, looks like something with a way how SI takes data from camera, probably something with FOV. But this one is for older SI versions, without ability to set the absolute size. If ShapeSizeAbsolute works, use ShapeSizeAbsolute.
- percent of points was the same as factory 'test random probability'. You just set 'every nth' to 1 in kH Randomize, plug 'test random probability' into 'enable' of kH Randomize.

izze · Post by **izze** » 13 Jul 2011, 02:08

ShapeSizeAbsolute works and I will continue to use it. I was just asking if we can keep this option in future releases? Strand Fcurve does not work with the Size input on emitter from nurbs, Without that Shapesizeabsolute does not work. and I was worried that you were going to eliminate the possibility of using shapesizeabsolute.

I totally missed Randomize! I thought it was missing from K3. Glad it is there. Again, big thanks for this release. It is very nice to work with. And I appreciate all your hard work on this.

Mathaeus · Post by **Mathaeus** » 13 Jul 2011, 04:13

izze wrote:Strand Fcurve does not work with the Size input on emitter from nurbs,

There is a special 'Strand Size' compound, you put it at the end of ICE tree. 'Size' in emitters is just a point size, shouldn't work as a strand size anymore. Didn't worked well, btw...

As for future versions, this one and small update, probably this weekend, should serve for a very long time...

cheers

Mathaeus · Post by **Mathaeus** » 16 Jul 2011, 01:00

Hi all,

Izze, I think you founded a bug in Softimage. I've tried memo-camera together with factory nodes which deals with camera position, got crash in my own 7.01. Let's say, un-simulated ICE tree, standard Emit From Surface, Align Particles To Camera node, store a few memo-cameras, try to call them... crash. Honestly I forgot memo-cameras, as I didn't used them since XSI 4 (they are lost in crash-backup).
Another possible problem with kH Strand Screen Size In SI Units, could be a reference to camera FOV after the GetData - if anyone still needs this node, I would suggest exposing the FOV as a separate reference. Compound itself is really simple, distance from camera to strand position, tangens from FOV, plus some basic math.

There is a small 'hotfix'

downloadable at same links from first post:

"kH Grouping by Polygons" should work nicely for now. Just for info, problem was caused by a new method of emitting from triangle corners. In 'guides and filler' mode, some points are initially on the same position. This is 'melted' later with hair filler, but if something tries to find the closest point before, ICE gets confused, being unable to sort the points. So for now, this node randomizes the positions before searching stage, and moves them back after getting the attributes.

The rest of changes are small improvements here and there: paint density in kH Hair Filler is now 'exact rate', always close to initial rate in emitters. kH Grouping has a few options more, internal nodes for sorting are based on nicer (a bit faster) methods, so on.

In docs, there is a short list of 'form' nodes (basic styling nodes) which rely on distance to point/hair root ( and which part of geometry is considered) - so it's not good idea to animate these parts. Btw, no big deal to add inputs for 'reference geometry' for animation, but this will add even more inputs and parameters. Imho, there is already too much.

good luck !

izze · Post by **izze** » 19 Jul 2011, 19:59

Right on. Thanks for updating!

dmetren · Post by **dmetren** » 20 Jul 2011, 13:04

tell please, how to use weight map for tweaking some kristinka node parameters

Mathaeus · Post by **Mathaeus** » 20 Jul 2011, 13:50

dmetren wrote:tell please, how to use weight map for tweaking some kristinka node parameters

1. apply weight map property to emitter (mesh or NurbS)
2. bring 'Get Weightmap Value' factory node to ICE tree (in my XSI, this node is somewhere under particles/getters)

Take look at sample called 'in_between_curves.emdl', as it already has connection to weight map.

cheers

dmetren · Post by **dmetren** » 20 Jul 2011, 17:55

oh, thank you