southpaw

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 :)

Thanks Teknow, it's been a long time since I actually uploaded any commercial work. Hoping to release some personal projects in the near future, along with some project files for anyone that's interested in them.

Hi everyone, Here is a link to some recent freelance projects i've worked on. www.vimeo.com/fugidesign

Thats a clever and useful example of showing python expresso integration. Thanks fir sharing :)

Try searching for this ... SplineObject.SetTangent(id,vl,vr) in the python API on MAXON's website. I think this is how spline points direction are controlled.

You can control the spline points position using the Point Operator node, but it doesn't give you an input option to control tangents. It does offer a "Normal" option as an output only, but that only works if dealing with a polygon surface. In the Python API the was an option under hair for both getting and setting the tangents of hair object. It may well be the same for the spline object.

I looked into this recently too while try to problem solve how to control vertex points on a hair object (See the post on Hair Objects by "teknow"). I think you'll need to use some Python scripting. Not sure about about splines, but I'm pretty sure it's the only way to control tangents on Hair vertices, so maybe the same for splines. If it's possible in expresso, it will probably be part of the Spline node's properties.

Again thanks for a very detailed explanation. It's much appreciated, have a good trip :)

Clever stuff, thanks for sharing. the Xpresso is a little over my head, but still very helpful. I have a few questions though. Does the compare node check the y position of a given point on the plane against the user data null, and fire particles from that point if the condition is true? Is the weight map driven by the Y position of the points on the plane object? Thanks again,