Houdini 20.5 Nodes Geometry nodes

Labs Tree Branch Generator geometry node

Generates tree branches

This generates tree branches on a trunk created with the Tree Trunk Generator or on other branches created with the Tree Branch Generator or Tree Branch Placer.

Parameters

Global

Tag

Creates an attribute and group for the branches geometry/curve under this name (node name by default)

Branch on Group

Generate branches on a specific curve group. If blank, branches are generated on curves of the previous branch level

Delete Previous Levels

Delete geometry and curves from all previous branch levels

Override Branch Level

Manually set branch level of generated branches

Branch Level

Manually set branch level of generated branches

Randomize

Random seed value

General

Mode

Method of generating branches

  • Place - copies lines onto branch points

  • Grow - uses space colonization to grow lines from branch points

Placement

Placement Mode

Methods of placing branches

  • Scatter - randomly scatter branches on their parent

  • Edge length - place branches on their parent by parent length

Randomize Node Amount

Randomize branch amount per parent within a range

Branch nodes

Number of branches per parent

Min Branch Nodes

Available if randomize branch amount is enabled. Minimum number of random branches per parent

Max Branch Nodes

Available if randomize branch amount is enabled. Maximum number of random branches per parent

Length Scale

Length between branch points on edge length branch mode

Use Distribution Ramp

Available if using edge length branch mode. Distribute points with a ramp based on attributes

Distribute By

Available if using edge length branch mode. Select attribute by which to distribute points if using distribution ramp

  • Length of parent

  • Radius of parent

  • Height of parent

Distribution Ramp

Available if using edge length branch mode. Adjust branch point density based on selected attribute

Up Vector

The vector by which to orient the created branches

  • None - no specific orientation

  • Parent - orient by tangentu of parent

  • Custom - orient by custom vector

Custom Up

Available if using custom up vector. Orient branches by this vector

Branching Pattern

Rotation around parent at which to create new branch points

  • 137.5 degrees

  • 90 degrees

  • 180 degrees Type of branching from branch points

  • Alternate - one branch per branch point

  • Opposite - two branches per branch point (mirrored)

  • Radial - set amount of branches per branch point in radial pattern

Angle Variation

Random angle variation of branch pattern angle

Randomize Branches Per Node

Available if using radial branch pattern. Randomize number of radial branches per node

Branches per node

Available if using radial branch pattern. Number of radial branches per node

Min Branches Per Node

Available if using radial branch pattern and random branches per node. Minimum number of radial branches per node

Max Branches Per Node

Available if using radial branch pattern and random branches per node. Maximum number of radial branches per node

Branching Angle

Angle perpendicular to parent at which the branch is placed

Angle Variation

Random angle variation of branching angle

Roll

Rotate all branches around parent

Randomize Roll

Random roll amount per parent

Use Angle Ramp

Allows use of an angle ramp to adjust branching angle over length of parent

Angle Ramp

Adjust branching angle over length of parent

Remap Angle Ramp

Min

Remap angle ramp minimum (default 0) to new minimum

Max

Remap angle ramp maximum (default 1) to new maximum

Length

Length of branch

Length Variation

Random variation of branch length

Length Ramp

Controls placement and length of branches along parent

Inherit Parent Length

Length of parent influences length of generated branch

Inherited Length Profile

Adjust influence of parent length on generated branches along parent

Growth

Growth Bounds Object

Input an object in which to scatter points that act as attraction points for the growth simulation

Volume Resolution

Voxel Resolution of input object fog volume

Points Density

Density of attraction points in volume

Iterations

Growth simulation iterations

Branch Start

Number of iterations before branching

Search Radius

Distance from branch points to search for attraction points

Node Radius

Distance to grow branch per iteration

Kill Radius

Distance around branch points that attraction points are removed

Normal Strength

Amount of influence the initial branch point direction has on overall growth direction

Noise Strength

Amount of influence curl noise has on overall growth direction

Gravity Strength

Amount of influence gravity direction has on overall growth direction

Gravity Direction

Direction of gravity force

Force Strength

Amount of influence external force direction has on overall growth direction

Force Direction

Direction of external force

Near Branch Tolerance

Threshold of branches in close proximity to remove

Angle Tolerance

Threshold of branches similar to previous angle to remove

Small Branch Tolerance

Threshold of branches to remove based on length

Max Simultaneous Branches

Maximum branches that can branch from a single branch point

Smooth Amount

Amount to smooth grown branches

Smooth Detail

Amount of detail to keep from smoothed branches

Radius

Falloff Ramp

Falloff of radius along generated branch

Radius Adjust

Adjust radius inherited from parent

Override Inherited Radius

Set radius explicitly instead of inheriting along parent

Radius

Available if overriding inherited radius. Set branch radius

Radius Ramp

Available if overriding inherited radius. Adjust branch radius along parent

Prune

Random Threshold

Randomly delete branches

Manual Prune

Manually select branches to remove

By Initial Angle

Upward Facing Angle

Angle from upwards Y axis to start removing branch points (based on initial branch angle)

Downward Facing Angle

Angle from downwards Y axis to start removing branch points (based on initial branch angle)

Directional Angle

Angle from specified axis to start removing branch points (based on initial branch angle)

Direction

Axis for directional angle

By End Angle

Upward Facing Angle

Angle from upwards Y axis to start removing branch points (based on final branch direction)

Downward Facing Angle

Angle from downwards Y axis to start removing branch points (based on final branch direction)

Directional Angle

Angle from specified axis to start removing branch points (based on final branch direction)

Direction

Axis for directional angle

Advanced

Detangle

Detangle branches to minimize collisions

Grid Behavior

Options for how branches intersecting with the grid plane will be handled

  • Constrain - snap branches along grid

  • Clip - delete branch sections beneath grid

  • None - do nothing when branches intersect with grid

Ray Points to Surface

Snap branch points to the edge of their parent rather than the center

Tropism

Override Tropism

Override tropism parameters from control node

Bend Along Parent

Bends the branch along the axis of its parent branch Enable

Enable bend along parent

Strength

Amount to bend the branch along its parent

Falloff

Adjusts the bend amount along the length of the branch

Gravitropism

Bends the branch along the axis of the specified direction to simulate gravity Enable

Enable gravitropism

Direction

Direction of gravity

Strength

Amount to bend the branch by gravity

Falloff

Adjusts the bend amount along the length of the branch

Phototropism

Bends the branch along the axis of the specified direction to simulate growth towards light Enable

Enable phototropism

Direction

Direction of light

Strength

Amount to bend the branch towards light

Falloff

Adjusts the bend amount along the length of the branch

Thigmotropism

Bends and moves the branch to avoid and/or wrap around the input object Enable

Enable thigmotropism

Object

Input object for the branch to react to

Strength

Amount to bend the branch around the input object

Falloff

Adjusts the bend amount along the length of the branch

Noise

Line Noise

Override Line Noise

Override line noise parameters from control node

Enable

Enable line noise

Intensity Ramp

Adjusts noise amplitude along the length of the branch

Primary

“”“ Curl Noise ”“” Noise Type

Type of curl noise

Intensity

Noise amplitude

Frequency

Amount of noise repetitions

Roughness

Amount of jitter in noise

Step Size

Noise resolution

Randomize Offset

Randomly generate an offset number based on random seed

Offset

Amount to move noise through space

Secondary

“”“ Anti-Aliased Noise ”“” Intensity

Noise amplitude

Frequency

Amount of noise repetitions

Roughness

Amount of jitter in noise

Randomize Offset

Randomly generate an offset number based on random seed

Offset

Amount to move noise through space

Mesh Noise

“”“ Turbulent Noise ”“” Override Mesh Noise

Override mesh noise parameters from control node

Enable

Enable mesh noise

Type

Type of turbulent noise

Frequency

Amount of noise repetitions

Randomize Offset

Randomly generate an offset number based on random seed

Offset

Amount to move noise through space

Intensity

Noise amplitude

Multiply Intensity by Radius

Multiplies the noise amplitude by the branch radius

Intensity Ramp

Adjusts noise amplitude along the length of the branch

Meshing

Override Meshing

Override meshing parameters from control node

Custom Branch Profile

Input a profile or flat geometry to sweep along branch instead of the default tube. Please center and orient to the XY plane

Intersections

Intersection Behavior

Options for how branch intersections are handled

  • None - branch is stuck in parent with no intersection handling

  • Boolean + Normal Blending - parent is subtracted from branch creating a flush intersection and the normals around the intersection are blended creating a seamless transition

  • Normal Blending - the normals around the intersection are blended creating a seamless transition

Smooth Amount

Available when using Boolean + Normal Blending. Amount to smooth the intersection geometry

Blend Falloff

Available when using Normal Blending. Falloff of the normal blend

UV Blending

Creates a second UV set that inherits the UVs from the parent and adds vertex color around branch intersections to use to blend the UV sets Watch this tutorial by Simon Verstraete for more information about this workflow Enable UV Blending

Enable UV Blending

Blend Distance

Distance along branch to stretch vertex color

Blend Falloff

Amount to blur vertex color

End Caps

End Cap Type

Type of end cap geometry

Cap Divisions

Amount of divisions around end cap

Triangular Poles

If enabled, connects all points at end cap pole

End Cap Scale

Amount of end cap bulge: 0 = flat, 1 = half sphere

End Cap Roundness

Amount of round or linear falloff to end cap bulge

Resolution

Override Resolution

Override resolution parameters from control node

Resolution

Density of horizontal cross sections on geometry

Refinement Amount

Threshold to reduce amount of resolution on straight geometry

Divisions

Density of vertical cross sections on geometry

Displacement

Override Displacement

Override displacement parameters from control node

Enable Displacement

Enable displacement

Displacement Texture

Displacement map

Displacement Intensity

Displacement amplitude

Subdivision Amount

Amount to subdivide geometry before displacement

Reduce Resolution

Enable poly reduction after displacement

Polygon Count

Polygon target for poly reduction

Tolerance

Poly reduction tolerance to further reduce poly count

Visualization

Override visualization

Override visualization parameters from control node

Enable Visualization Color

Enable color visualization

Color

Set visualization color

Geometry nodes