This tool allows you to paint an objects geometry onto another objects surface.
For example, you could paint trees, rocks and bushes onto a landscape, or stubbles into a face.
It's possible to use a scale and rotation variation, and normals are supported.
This tool is also available as a standalone modifier named "Paint Scatter".
Pick Src:Choose your source object here (the object you want to paint)
"Instance" Combobox: Here you can choose the way the painted objects to be created. The different options
have different advantages and disadvantages:
Copy: and
Instance: Create painted objects as copys or instances of the source object. This is quick, if
you paint only few objects. The objects stay editable and keep their own transforms. But the more objects you paint,
the slower max will become. Max (as any other 3d software too) is much slower displaying many objects with
few polys than displaying a few objects with many polys. Additionally, the newly created objects currently
can't be taken into account for collision when painting.
Attach (instant): and
Attach (after brush): Attach painted objects to the mesh, which Mesh AK lies on. This can be quicker
than copy or instance, if you use many objects. But it's generally slower, because attaching the objects needs
computing time. As the created objects become part of the mesh, they lose their transforms and pivots. But
they can be taken into account for collision.
Attach (instant) attaches the new objects instantly, while you paint. This can make the painting a bit slow and sluggish on large meshes.
Attach (after brush) lets you paint smooth and quickly, but as the objects are all attached when you release
the mouse button, an annoying computing break after each stroke can appear.
Collision Checkbox: (only available if new objects are attached, see "Instance" combobox). This
checkbox lets you choose if the attached objects shall be considered for collision. Please note that this collision
is always updated after the stroke and not instantly; otherwise painting would become too slow. Also note that this
is a temporarily setting; if you stop painting by pressing the paint button, closing the modifier or anything else,
the attached objects always will be considered for collision if you paint again, regardless if the checkbox is checked or not.
Sca pts: Lets you choose the amount of objects you create each stroke. "0" paints
a single object in the brush center. "1" up to "20" creates objects, which are scattered around in the range
of the cursor (but always touching the base mesh).
Clone tree checkbox: When selected, also the children of the scattered object are cloned.
Norm% This lets you set how much in percent the face normal is used, when painting in local space.
UScale Variation: Lets you choose an uniform variation for each created object.
NUScale Variation: Lets you choose a non-uniform variation (x,y,z axis independently) for each created object.
Rot Variation: Lets you choose a rotation variation in degrees (x,y,z axis independently, in the objects' space) for each created object.
The "Bend" Options
Paint scatter allows you bending while painting. This means, if you paint in local mode, the object is automatically bent, so
that the bottom of the objects fit to the normal, and the top of the object points upwards - like mushrooms on a
trunk, which come out of the trunk horizontally and grow vertically up to the cap.
If you use the bend, Paint Scatter will place an XForm and a Bend modifier onto the stack of each painted object.
The XForm is needed to store the random transformation (it must be applied below the bend). The bend holds the
bend settings and can be changed afterwards (if it is not attached).
This simple mushroom...
...is automatically bent while painting, to let the mushrooms organically "grow"
out of the trunk
Schematic view of applied bend
Use Bend: Check to use bend.
Limit: Like "Limit Effect" in bend modifier
Bend%: This sets (in percent) how strong the bend effect is.
Lower: Like "Lower Limit" in bend modifier
Upper: Like "Upper Limit" in bend modifier
The "Existing Noise Modifier" Options
As scattering means painting many objects, you may probably want to look these objects slightly different.
For this reason, Paint Scatter can automatically set the seed of a Noise modifier, if you place one on
your source object before painting. (Paint scatter doesn't apply a Noise modifier itself, because
I otherwise would have to integrate the complete Noise UI into Paint Scatter's UI, which would make it too
big)
