"sumdumguy" <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> Leroy <lrw### [at] joplincom> wrote:
> > sumdumguy wrote:
> > > I am looking to create an effect where I have a tube and there is algae
> > > growing
> > > off of it. The rough shape is similar to this image:
> > > http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/hawks/191/ChekJawa/chek3.jpg
> > > That seems to be a real thing so no pov model is available :).
> > > I am wondering whether there is a tool which generates such things. It is
> > > not
> > > quite landscape or tree generator (needs to be semitransparent and no
> > > branching
> > > and does not grow on a plane but on a tube, also needs to "wiggle").
> > >
> > >
> > How about using 'sphere sweep' and make it by hand!?
>
> This is a chore. I would need to ensure that paths are
> a. Starting from the defined shape (here - cylinder)
> b. Wiggle randomly
> c. Do not self intersect
> d. Do not intersect other wiggly shapes
> The "no intersections" condition means that wiggles will be more constrained
> close to the base shape (cylinder) and grow in amplitude away from it.
> This is a chore to code by hand. You could also make trees by hand but it is
> painful enough that people have specialized software for the purpose. I have
> done a few sphere sweeps by hand and it took time. Doing a few thousand
> needed
> for this effect by hand would take an incredible amount of time.

I just did a rough calculation and I need about 200 of these "tentacles".
So it's not as bad as I thought but still very painful. Any automation tool
would be good to know about.

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