Houdini 21.0 Nodes Copernicus nodes

Scatter Shapes Copernicus node

Scatters input stamps across the image using randomization controls.

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Since 21.0

This node generates and scatters stamps (or multiple stamps) across the image. The node provides layers and parameters that let you further configure the randomization. When no stamps input is wired in, the node stamps a star pattern.

For example, use this node to generate stamps in a grid formation or add jitter to create random scattering.

Parameters

Signature

The layer type that the node outputs.

See Signatures for more information.

Link Stamps

Makes the Stamps X and Stamps Y values equal.

Stamps X

The amount of stamps to scatter along the X-axis of the image.

Stamps Y

The amount of stamps to scatter along the Y-axis of the image.

Stamps

The amount of stamps to scatter along both the X and Y-axes of the image.

Scattering

Scatter Seed

The seed value for all randomization that deals with stamp placement. This includes jitter, density, angle and direction, scale, and stretch.

Scale

Stamp Scaling

The way that the stamps scale in respect to the tile.

Image

Makes all stamps conform to their original size relative to the image.

Stretch to Tile

Makes all stamps squish or stretch to fit the tile.

Scale Layer Mask

The amount of the scale input’s mono value to mix in with the Image Scale or Tile Scale value, which impacts the stamps' scale. Higher values mix in more of the input’s value. Lower values mix in less of the input’s value.

Scale Mode

The method of post-processing to apply to the scale of stamps.

Uniform

No post-processing.

Percent Variance

Apply random variance to the scale.

Min/Max

The minimum and maximum range of values that each stamp randomly picks from, and then multiplies against the original Image Scale or Tile Scale.

Image Scale

Sets the scale of the stamps in image space.

Tile Scale

Sets the scale of the stamps in tile space, where a value of 1 is one tile space and a value of 2 is two times a tile space.

Percent Variance

The amount of random variance to apply to the scale. This is applied as a post-process.

If Tile Scale is 1 and Percent Variance 1 for example, this represents a 100% range in sizes. This means the output stamps have a random scale from 0.5 * Scale to 2.0 * Scale.

Min Value

The minimum value that the stamps can randomly select, and then multiply against the original Image Scale or Tile Scale. This is applied as a post-process.

Max Value

The maximum value that the stamps can randomly select, and then multiply against the original Image Scale or Tile Scale. This is applied as a post-process.

Jitter

Jitter Layer Mask

The amount of the jitter input’s UV value to mix in with the Jitter value, which impacts the random position offset. Higher values mix in more of the input’s value. Lower values mix in less of the input’s value.

Jitter Layer Strength

The amount by which to multiply the jitter input’s UV value.

Jitter

The amount of random position offset to add to each point’s position on the grid.

Jitter Scale

When the Per-Component Controls button is on, this is the per-axis scaling of the random position offset for the created stamps.

Angle

Angle Layer Mask

The amount of the angle input’s mono value to mix in with the Angle value, which impacts the degree of the stamps' angles. Higher values mix in more of the input’s value. Lower values mix in less of the input’s value.

Direction Layer Mask

The amount of the direction input’s UV value to mix in with the Angle value, which impacts the direction of the stamps' angles. Higher values mix in more of the input’s value. Lower values mix in less of the input’s value.

Angle

The angle in degrees to rotate each stamp. Use the dropdown menu to set the method of post-processing that applies to the angle of the stamps.

Uniform

No post-processing.

Variance

Apply random variance to the angles.

Min/Max

The minimum and maximum range of values in degrees that each stamp randomly picks from, and then multiplies against the original angle.

Angle Variance

The amount of random variance to apply to the angles. This is applied as a post-process.

For example, a value of 30 makes each stamp have a random offset between -30 degrees and 30 degrees.

Min Value

The minimum degree that the stamps can randomly select, and then multiply against the original Angle. This is applied as a post-process.

Max Value

The maximum degree that the stamps can randomly select, and then multiply against the original Angle. This is applied as a post-process.

Round to Multiples

Snaps all stamps to a specified angle. This is applied as a post-process.

Stretch

Stretch Layer Mask

The amount of the stretch input’s UV value to mix in with the Stretch X and Stretch Y values, which impacts the XY scale. Higher values mix in more of the input’s value. Lower values mix in less of the input’s value.

Stretch Mode

The method of post-processing to apply to the non-uniform scale (stretch) of stamps.

Uniform

No post-processing.

Percent Variance

Apply random variance to the scale of the X and Y-axes.

Min/Max

The minimum and maximum range of values that each stamp randomly picks from, and then multiplies against the original Stretch X and Stretch Y.

Stretch X

The scale of the stamps along the X-axis that multiplies to the uniform scale.

Stretch Y

The scale of the stamps along the Y-axis that multiplies to the uniform scale.

Percent Variance

The amount of random variance to apply to the scale of the X and Y-axes. This is applied as a post-process.

If Stretch X is 1 and Percent Variance is 1, 0 for example, this represents a 100% range in sizes. This means the output stamps have a random scale from 0.5 * Stretch X to 2.0 * Stretch X.

Min Value

The minimum value that the stamps can randomly select, and then multiply against the original Stretch X and Stretch Y. This is applied as a post-process.

Max Value

The maximum value that the stamps can randomly select, and then multiply against the original Stretch X and Stretch Y. This is applied as a post-process.

Density

Density Layer Mask

The amount of the density input’s mono value to mix in with the Density value, which impacts the rejection sampling. Higher values mix in more of the input’s value. Lower values mix in less of the input’s value.

Density

The amount of rejection sampling to apply to the created stamps.

For example, a value of 0.8 means that each stamp has a 20% chance to disappear.

Color and Blending

Blend Method

When mulitple stamps overlap, this controls how they blend together.

Depth-Sorted Over

Post-sort the points by their depth. The farthest points are rendered first, so closer points paint over them. Since this has expensive internal operations, there’s a performance loss. This is also unforgiving to partially transparent stamps.

Note

When you wire in a sort input, that value is used instead.

Unsorted Depth-Weighted Over

Apply a non-linear weighting that approximates depth-sorting without the need for sorting.

Note

When you wire in a sort input, that value is used instead.

Add

Add the overlapping pixel values of the stamps together.

Subtract

Subtract the original pixel value from the new overlapping stamp’s pixel value. This method works better when you're not subtracting from zero.

Multiply

Multiply the overlapping pixel values of the stamps together. This method works better when the background starts at a non-zero value.

Maximum

Compare the stamps along with the background color and use the maximum value.

Minimum

Compare the stamps along with the background color and use the minimum value.

Use Sort Layer

Multiplies the Depth-Sorted Over or Unsorted Depth-Weighted Over sort values by the sort input’s value.

Color

Color Seed

The seed value for randomization that deals with stamp color and alpha.

Color Layer Mask

The amount of the color input’s RGB value to mix in with the Stamp Color value, which impacts the stamps' tint. Higher values mix in more of the input’s value. Lower values mix in less of the input’s value.

Stamp Color

A tint for the stamp. Use the dropdown menu to set how the color applies to the stamps.

Uniform

Apply the same color to each stamp.

Variance

Apply random variance to the hue, saturation, and value of the stamps.

Random from Ramp

Pick randomly from a color ramp.

See Ramp parameters for more information.

Hue

The amount of random variance to apply to the hue. This is applied as a post-process.

If set to 30 for example, the stamps randomly pick a hue offset from the range of 0 to 30.

Saturation

The amount of random variance to apply to the saturation. This is applied as a post-process.

If set to 0.5 for example, the stamps randomly pick a saturation from the range of 0 to 0.5.

Value

The amount of random variance to apply to the value. This is applied as a post-process.

If set to 0.5 for example, the stamps randomly pick a value from the range of 0 to 0.5.

Alpha

Alpha Layer Mask

The amount of the alpha input’s mono value to mix in with the Stamp Alpha value, which impacts the stamps' alpha. Higher values mix in more of the input’s value. Lower values mix in less of the input’s value.

Stamp Alpha

The amount of black (0) and white (1) by which to multiply the stamp’s alpha. Use the dropdown menu to set how the alpha applies to the stamps.

Uniform

Apply the same amount of alpha to each stamp.

Variance

Apply random variance to the alpha of the stamps.

Random from Ramp

Pick randomly from a mono ramp.

See Ramp parameters for more information.

Alpha Variance

The amount of random variance to apply to the alpha. This is applied as a post-process.

Background

Background Color

The initial background color of the space around the stamps.

Background Alpha

The initial background alpha of the space around the stamps.

Stamp Selection

Mode

The stamps to place in the image. When no stamps input is wired in, this parameter applies to the default star pattern.

Cycle

Loop through all stamps in a repetitive cycle.

Random

Randomly choose stamps based on the Select Seed.

Layer Select

Use the select input to choose stamps. The parameter uses the first stamp when a pixel value is 0.0 and the last stamp when a pixel value is 1.0.

Limit Selection

Limits the maximum number of stamps that the node uses.

Select Seed

The seed value for random stamp selection.

Inputs

size_ref

A representative layer that determines the size of the output image and controls the metadata.

density

An optional layer that’s scaled by the Density Layer Mask parameter and performs rejection sampling on the created stamps.

jitter

An optional layer that’s scaled by the Jitter Layer Mask parameter and adds jitter offset to the created stamps.

direction

An optional layer that’s scaled by the Direction Layer Mask parameter and controls the direction of the created stamps' angles. For example, wire the Slope Direction COP into this input.

angle

An optional layer that’s scaled by the Angle Layer Mask parameter and rotates the stamps. A pixel value of 0 is 0 degrees and a pixel value of 1 is 360 degrees.

scale

An optional layer that’s scaled by the Scale Layer Mask parameter and multiplies the uniform scale of the stamps.

stretch

An optional layer that’s scaled by the Stretch Layer Mask parameter and multiplies the non-uniform scale of the stamps.

color

An optional layer that’s scaled by the Color Layer Mask parameter and multiplies the color of the stamps.

alpha

An optional layer that’s scaled by the Alpha Layer Mask parameter and multiplies the alpha of the stamps.

sort

An optional layer that controls depth-based sorting.

select

An optional layer that, when Mode is set to Layer Sort, chooses which stamps to use. This chooses from either the stamps input or the default star pattern when there’s no stamps input.

stamps

An optional layer that provides stamps. Wire in a cable to use up to 8 stamps.

Outputs

result

The layer with the stamping applied.

id

The ID attribute of the stamp that contributed the most to this pixel or, if that attribute isn’t present, the point number.

uv

The UV coordinates of the stamp that contributed the most to this pixel. This is in image space.

See also

Copernicus nodes