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RELEASED The "Scatter Tool" plugin for Poser

seachnasaigh

Energetic
P.P.S. Obviously, I never had the chance to use the script (due to not having Terradome 2), but from scanning the ReadMe, I'd say it painted objects onto the surface, rather than being driven by a map. The one considerable limitation was that it would only paint objects onto Terradome 2.
 

DanaTA

Distinguished
I think you can still get Terradome 2 at DAZ. They have a version 3 out, now. It's for DS and Iray. I got that, but haven't tried it out, yet.

Dana
 

Ken1171

Esteemed
Contributing Artist
I have seen people using the Scatter Tool with Terradome, but the original version could only scatter over the whole area. I made a video showing a workaround for that, but the new version 2 offers precise control over placement, and it works with anything. Maybe I can consider placement maps for later. There are always more things that can be added. :)
 

seachnasaigh

Energetic
Thank you, @DanaTA for that info. For my purposes, because the Ecosystem script won't work in P12 (different Python version), and especially because the script will only work on that one flat circle terrain (Terradome 2), I think its usefulness has passed. Yes, I know that there are lots of morphs for Terradome 2, but morphing a flat disc distorts the UVs. If I can't scatter onto my own sculpted UV-unwrapped terrain, it's not of much use. It might be possible, if I bought Terradome 2, to figure out what the Ecosystem script looks for to verify the presence of Terradome 2, and replace that OBJ, e.g., with my own. To use that method, I would have to run the scatter script in P9-P10 (Pro2012-Pro2014), save the result, then re-open in P12 to finish the scene. I've done that with Particles 3. Set up and run the particles sim in P7, save the scene, then re-open the scene in P11. The animated particles were intact. You couldn't re-sim them, but you could use the P7 sim in P11.
If you find that Terradome 3 has the poly group AZone or Azone, please post to let us know.

@Ken1171 My workaround would have been to copy the terrain mesh in Silo, then delete polys where I didn't want the props scattered. After scattering, I'd delete the temporary cut-up terrain prop.
For your new Scatter Tool, I'd be quite happy with the "paint" method. I can think of situations wherein being able to use a image mask would be handy, so that would be a nice option, though certainly not necessary.
 

Ken1171

Esteemed
Contributing Artist
There was an easier workaround using the Grouping Tool that can be done entirely without leaving Poser. You paint the areas you want to scatter over, and then press the Spawn Prop button to create a new prop that only contains the polys you have painted. We scatter over these polys, and then make them invisible by hiding the prop. I made a video showing the process, but with the new version, that won't be necessary. :)
 

RAMWolff

Wolff Playing with Beez!
Contributing Artist
Hey Ken,

This is about your Lock Master set up. Using the internal Poser 12 install doesn't seem to work. I've looked at both the Python folders in the Poser 12 Runtime directories under both Program files and the Content Runtime and none of these areas have no folders with LockMaster so not sure how to unpack this by hand as I just want this to be done so I can move forward. I don't think you mention how to do it by hand in the ReadMe, just the two automated install methods.

Thank you
Richard
 

Ken1171

Esteemed
Contributing Artist
Hey Ken,

This is about your Lock Master set up. Using the internal Poser 12 install doesn't seem to work. I've looked at both the Python folders in the Poser 12 Runtime directories under both Program files and the Content Runtime and none of these areas have no folders with LockMaster so not sure how to unpack this by hand as I just want this to be done so I can move forward. I don't think you mention how to do it by hand in the ReadMe, just the two automated install methods.

Thank you
Richard

Hi Rich, this installation process and packaging is all brand new. Rendo and I have spend some time testing this, and it requires a specific minimum Poser version 12.0.396 to work due to the changes in both Poser and the store backend. So first of all, check if the version is good, and let me know how you are installing it.

The way I did in my tests was to use the main menu "File > Install From ZIP Archive", and point to the ZIP file. There might be a way to do it straight from the Poser 12 library store, but I couldn't test it because it only went to the store after testing was finished. so it was kind of a paradox. Let me know how it goes.

PS: I forgot to mention - scripts are no longer placed at the Poser root folder once installed. Rendo is moving away from that. If you have installed from "File > Install From ZIP Archive" and chose the defaults ("Downloads" folder), it will be located there instead. Another big difference is that once installed this way, it will automatically show in the Scripts menu, we no longer need to restart Poser. It will show at the bottom of the menu, like "Downloads > Ken1171 > LockMaster". This is all different from how it used to be until now.
 

RAMWolff

Wolff Playing with Beez!
Contributing Artist
Poser 12 is up to date since I'm part of the beta team so that's not the issue!
 

RAMWolff

Wolff Playing with Beez!
Contributing Artist
This is how I installed it...

image_2021-02-26_101433.png
 

Ken1171

Esteemed
Contributing Artist
We have posted at the same time. ^__^

I haven't tested through the embedded store because I cannot buy my own products. Try from File menu. You have to download the ZIP first.
 

RAMWolff

Wolff Playing with Beez!
Contributing Artist
Yes, I have the zip here as well. So not sure how to install it! I usually just unzip ALL my purchases in a temp "Install" folder and then just drag and drop all of it into the Poser 12 Runtime.
 

Ken1171

Esteemed
Contributing Artist
Go to "File > Install From ZIP Archive" and choose the defaults ("Downloads" folder). If installed this way, it will automatically show in the Scripts menu, we no longer need to restart Poser. It will show at the bottom of the menu, like "Downloads > Ken1171 > LockMaster". This is all different from how it used to be until now.
 

Ken1171

Esteemed
Contributing Artist
Cool. Works! Thank you!

If installation from the embedded store is not working, please notify Jenn about it so they can assist. If it doesn't work for you, it won't work for anyone, and we need to give Rendo a chance to fix it ASAP.
 

Ken1171

Esteemed
Contributing Artist
@RAMWolff I have informed Jenn that Python product installations are failing from the embedded store. She said devs cannot look into this until Monday, but they will have it fixed.
 

Ken1171

Esteemed
Contributing Artist
Interesting experiment with the Scatter Tool for Poser 12. I have painted 2 separate areas to scatter over, where they overlap in the middle. Automatic object tracking prevents objects from being placed on top of others, so only empty locations are used in the middle. I had doubts if separate areas we paint could overlap, but YES, they can, and this is what happens. The blue cubes have filled out the empty spaces in the overlapping area in the middle. If no empty spaces were available, they would not overlap at all. We also have the option to enable "Overlap" in the variation options, so tracking will be ignored and things can be placed on top of others if that's what we want.

Overlapping.png

However, object tracking happens per individual scatter region. So if we delete objects from a region, everything in the overlap will be included, assuming we have used the same object with the same name - which is what I did in this example. I have just changed the cube color and scattered it again on the other region. If we delete objects from the blue cubes area, the purple cubes in the overlapping area will be included, which makes sense if you think about it. If I had used a cube with a different name, they wouldn't be affected by the overlap, because object removal is based on both painted areas and object names.

Overlapping2.png
 
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