southpaw

If you want to use Xpresso, I'd guess that you'd need to use the Hair Points Node, in conjunction with some iteration nodes to loop though each point on each hair guide and set it's Rest State's strength at a curtain frames along the timeline. I don't know enough XPresso togged this to work properly, but it sounds like a lot of work to be honest. But the Hair systems Brush tool does have a vertex paint option, (Options Tab, Mode Drop Down Menu) . You my be able to animate a vertex map and use the pose morph to go between the 2 states of 50% - 0% strength, as in the Pixel lab video above. Hope this helps, I'm out of ideas.

I think it can go anywhere. Though people usually add it to to the object they want the expresso to change, or just on a null at the top of the hierarchy. My personal choice is to place the xpresso on it's own null, unless I'm using something like the Hierarchy Null form the Iterate node group. But I'm no expert, It's best to get options from more experienced xpresso users.

In addition to the above ideas, here is a simple xpresso scene file whereby you would move an null object along it's X Axis and the strength of the Rest Hold is changed too. I've added a comment node so that you can read a little about how it works. (You'll to have the timeline paying for the hair dynamics to update correctly as you drag the null). It's not the most flexible expresso solution, but will get you most of the way. You may find the suggested vertex map options better though depending on your needs. Rest Hold Control.c4d

Some nice shots in there, well done :)

Some great there, keep it up :)

Here's a link to the full Houdini release event.

Nice work, I like the yellow sphere, reminds me a little of the Möbius strip in spherical form.

Thanks for the advice, just checked their site, pretty advanced looking stuff!

@Sigior & @Teknow, Thanks for taking the time to watch, and the kind words :)

Looks very impressive, although some of the interface enhancements shown early on in the video have been in Blender for a while. Still, pretty amazing how much capability they have put into Houdini as a single package. Also making apprentice/indie versions affordable makes it a lot more attractive, despite it's steep leaning curve.

Hey everyone, Here is a link to my latest showreel. Take a look when you have a moment. Thanks.

Teknow to the rescue! I tried the link list node initially, but couldn't get it working properly, (Back to re-reading the expresso help files for me I guess) then I changed to the Object List node because I thought I had the 2 nodes mixed up. Still no success, the logic you used in the Xpresso LinkList file is what i was trying to achieve in the examples I uploaded, but couldn't get the correct set-up. Your first two scene files are fine if you're only using a few objects, your example using the time node was also very helpful, i hadn't considered that approach. But the 3rd scene file is by far the most practical for updating things on a larger scale though, thanks for you input :)

I've reached a block in my xpresso knowledge and can't find a way to loop through the text objects and link them to the last point on each spline. There's a user named teknow that does a lot of expresso, he always has good xpresso solutions, keep an eye out for his posts, and drop him a message.

The attached scene file is as far as I can take it for now. I've managed to get the text to follow the last point on a spline as it grows in height and update the text value to the global position Y of the splines point. I think it needs another iterator node to drive copies of the text spline and set their positions and sting values, I'm stuck at the moment, but this scene file should be enough for someone with more expresso knowledge than I have to pick it up and finish it off. I'll try again tomorrow though. Iterator_0002.c4d

Yeah, just watch the clip on how to use it, looks interesting. I'm trying to learn some Python at the moment, this helps me understand how to integrate Python with c4d a little more, been finding it hard to understand some of the Python api stuff on the MAXON site.

OK, here is a mograph version based on your scene file. It works by using the Random Effector to set a weight of influence on each clone, the Plane Effector then uses that weight information to choose which clones to apply the colour change to. Change the seed in the random effector to influence different clones. Change the fall-off to get a graduation from white to black. I think the expresso approach would need a node from the Iterator group of the xpresso nodes to loop through a list of clones instances, pick random clones and change their colour. Pretty sure it's a Mograph Data Node and and an Effector Node that you need to do it that way. Colours Transition 03.c4d

Here is a simpler version, (no shader effector). To adjust the speed of the colour change, select the Random Effector in the Object Manager, then in the Attributes Manger, select the Effector tab. Within there, change the Animation Speed slider (0% - 100%) Colours Transition-Greyscale 02.c4d

Here's an old mograph scene file which does something similar using the shader and random effectors. The shader effector colours each clone form a gradient in the effectors Shading tab. The Random effector changes the colour of each lone over time. Between Bezo's script and this scene file, you should be able to get close. Colours Transition-Greyscale.c4d

That's a great selection of work there, thanks for sharing :)

Thanks for the tip :)

Nice work, did yo prender this in the standard, physical or an external renderer? I've been playing with hair and physical render with mixed results, I'm finding it difficult to get the softer look that the standard renderer gives. Lighting has gone some way but it always looks more course when rendered in Physical. I found myself adding slight blurs in post.

Thanks nerv, just looked at your Flat'ish stuff, looks great. Keep it up.

Nice work, it's good to see someone taking things in their own direction and just seeing what happens :) Not sure if you've seen them but Universal Everything have some nice work in a similar vein, utilising new technologies for their own artistic purposes, you can see their work here https://vimeo.com/universal I have no affiliation with them, I just like what they do.

Thanks Monstrphil :)

Thanks Slgor :)