3d:geo-nodes [mh8 Wiki]

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
====== Geometry Nodes ======

====== Setup =====

Enable **Node Wrangler** add-on.

Set **Spacebar** to search.

Set the maximum **Undo steps** to 256.

It can be useful to have a large graph section in the middle and the Viewport and Spreadsheet in a column on the left.


===== Fundamentals =====

Selecting an object and clicking on ''New'' in the Geometry Node Editor will add a Geometry node modifier to that object.

The **Spreadsheet** panel displays information on the way the geometry is being evaluated with information on (for example) the position of Vertices, Edges, Faces and Face Corners. These Face corners are for each vertex the way it unwraps on the UV (on a cube, each vertex will have 3 face corners attached).

Inputs and Outputs are color-coded by type (hover over to know the type) and they have a shape : circles are expecting or emitting a single value where diamonds are expecting or emitting field values.

Click and drag and input or output to create a + noodle that will propose a shortlist of nodes that can be connected to this input/output. This is useful when creating **Selections** to have access to nodes that can compute a Selection.

==== Positionning / Joining ====

**Set Position** lets you handle selection of vertices whereas **Transform Geometry** lets you Position/Rotate/Scale the entire geometry.

Use **''CTRL'' + ''SHIFT'' + ''RIGHT CLICK & DRAG''** to join geometries together.

The order in which the nodes plug into the Join Geometry input capsule matters. Top / Bottom will be treated differently.


==== Materials ====

Materials can be added to any Geometry wit the **Set Material** node.

Applying shade smooth for version 4 and above is explained in [[https://www.gamedev.tv/courses/blender-geometry-nodes/adding-materials-and-smooth-shading/5506|video 3.3 of Gamedev's tutorial.]]

==== Distributing points ====

When distributing points, it is important to understand that the **vertices** are the elements that are going to be used to calculate the texture so a high number of vertices is required on a grid for example to create the textures. 

A **viewer node** can be used to visualize the pattern to align the number of points to a sufficient amount to properly see the patterns. 

**Color ramps** may be used to further augment the contrast and distribute points finely on a given texture.

{{:3d:geo-node-textures.png?direct&400|}}

To distribute points but avoid proximity to geometry use a setup including **Geometry Proximity** similar to this : 

{{:3d:geo-node-distribute-points-distanced.png?direct&400|}}


==== Instancing Collections ====

To instance collections use the Collection Info node.

{{:3d:geo-node-instancing-collection.png?direct&400|}}
===== Keyboard Shortcuts =====

  * **''SHIFT'' + ''ALT'' + ''LEFT CLICK'' :** Automatically connect target node to Group Output.

  * **''SHIFT'' + ''CTRL'' + ''LEFT CLICK'' :** Connect a viewer node to the target node. //Useful to preview data from textures for ex. Requires hooking up geometry as well.//

  * **''BACKSPACE'' :** Reset target node to default values.

  * **''SHIFT'' + ''RIGHT CLICK'' :** Drag a knife tool on noodles to create intersections.

  * **''LEFT CLICK'' + ''DRAG'' :** On an output pin opens a pop-up with all the nodes that can be connected to this node.

  * **''M'' :** Mute selected node in the chain.

  * **''CTRL'' + ''J'' :** Join nodes together. Useful for color coding and naming important blocks.
===== Fields =====

Noodles with dotted lines are actually field values and can be thought of as lists or arrays in programming. They contain a value for a select number of items.

===== Examples =====

==== City Grid ====

{{:3d:geo-node-city-grid.png?direct&400|}}