Simple, Random, Step, Time, Push Apart, Target, Shader, Spline, Surface, Inheritance, Delay.
Constructors move, rotate, scale and color pieces. Each needs pieces above it and, optionally, a Falloff above it.
Panels every constructor shares #
| Panel | What it does |
|---|---|
| Falloff Mode / Falloff / Strength | Mode: None (default, full effect), Stagger, Falloff or Both. Falloff: pick a Falloff by name. Strength scales the whole effect |
| Stagger | A built-in staggered build, no Falloff needed. Stagger From, Spread, Ease, Mode (In or Out). Keyframe Animate from 0 to 1 to run it |
| Transform (Simple, Random, Step, Time, Shader) | Position, Rotation, Scale, Space (Object, Piece, Radial). Scale has Uniform Scale or per-axis |
| Color | Color Mode: Off, Custom, Falloff Color. Random adds Random, Shader adds Shader. Plus Color and Blend |
| Visibility | Deletes pieces once the weight reaches the Threshold. Invert flips it. Runs after Color |
Exceptions: Push Apart has no Visibility panel. Surface has neither Color nor Visibility. Delay has no Falloff.
The eleven constructors #
| Constructor | What it does |
|---|---|
| Simple | Moves, rotates and scales pieces. Use Scene Distance takes the length of Position from the scene’s Text Travel Distance custom property, so several objects can travel together |
| Random | Random, Noise or Wave offsets per piece. Seed, Range (Both Ways, Positive Only), Uniform Random |
| Step | Ramps the effect across pieces in order. Step From (First, Last, Left, Right, Bottom, Top, Back, Front), Profile (Linear, Ease In, Ease Out, Ease In-Out) |
| Time | Continuous motion per second: Position (m/s), Rotation (deg/s), Scale (value after one second). Speed, Offset, Start Frame, or Use Custom Time. Scrubbing is exact |
| Push Apart | Relaxes overlapping pieces. Use Piece Size, Piece Fit (Bounds, Width), Radius, Iterations, Axes, Solid (never overlap; Strength is ignored) |
| Target | Aims pieces at a point or object. Aim Axis, Up Direction, Pull (toward the target; negative pushes away), Show Target |
| Shader | Drives the effect from an image or a pattern. Source: Image, Blender Noise, Voronoi, Wave, Gradient, Checker, Ordimus Noise. Time panel (Speed, Loop Period). Flow makes pieces travel along the pattern |
| Spline | Lays pieces along a curve. Segment Mode, Offset, Start, End, Align, Banking |
| Surface | Keeps pieces on a surface. UV slides along the UVs. Nearest Point pulls pieces to the closest point on any mesh. Align, Normal Offset |
| Inheritance | Takes transforms from another object’s pieces. Absolute morphs onto the source’s layout. Relative inherits only its motion. 0-1 factors for Position, Rotation, Scale and Color |
| Delay | Lags and overshoots everything above it. Blend or Spring (Stiffness, Damping). Always last. A simulation: play from the start, or bake |
Shader details #
- Procedurals are sampled in 3D at each piece’s rest position: no seam, no pole pinching.
- The Ordimus Noise types are Ridged, Grooved, Blocky, Marble, Billow and Veins.
- Flow is a displacement, not travel. Pieces sit a fixed distance from home and wander as the pattern animates.
- Flow samples the pattern six more times per piece: the most expensive Shader control.
Order matters for five constructors #
Push Apart, Target, Spline, Surface and Inheritance (Absolute) read the live position. Put them below the constructors whose result they should react to. The others read the rest position and simply add, so their order does not matter.
| Goal | Stack |
|---|---|
| Hide pieces inside a Push Apart | A Simple with Visibility above Push Apart |
| Keep a Time constructor’s motion from unwinding | Freeze above it, or Delay below |
| Flow pieces across a curved surface | Shader (Flow + Project to Surface), then Surface in Nearest Point mode below it, with its Align at 0 |
| Keep clones out of the surface they sit on | Cloner Align 1, constructor Space: Piece, Random Range: Positive Only |
| A Falloff that leaves a trail | Freeze below the Falloff, same name |
Remember
Surface at Strength 0 still pins pieces to the surface. Use the modifier toggle to turn it off.