PySwarm for PyCarrara 0.6 was recently released (01-25-2014), among the many new functions and fixes, is the addition of several demo scenes to experiment with and learn from.
FractalDimensia also recently revealed the future plans for PySwarm at the DAZ 3D forum thread:
So here is the current order of future MAJOR enhancements (I’m leaving out other improvements): 1) Revised containment algorithm (V0.6.1) 2) Basic motion animation (V0.6.2) 3) Terrain following (V0.7) 4) More motion animation (V0.7.1) 5) Predator-Prey rule (V0.8) With that said, I am willing to consider shifting priorities based on user needs. “First come, first serve.” If you have a need for a feature, and no one else is requesting something else, just let me know. I’ll consider changing the order!
PySwarm for Carrara is a Python script by fractaldimensia specifically designed and written to use with DAZ 3D Carrara’s plug-in PyCarrara to manipulate and render realistic swarming object and other similar forms of group behavior in Carrara.
Historically, anyone who wanted to create an animation sequence that simulated flocking, herding, schooling, swarming, or other group behaviors had two options.
1) Create flight paths for each individual in the group. This can be very time consuming and prone to difficulties if you want to change any of the paths.
2) Use a replicator to create groups of animals. This can lead to animations that are not realistic enough because replicators require animals move in unison.
PySwarm offers a third and more flexible choice. Realistic swarming animation can be achieved by loading the PySwarm script into a text editor, selecting the behaviors you wish to simulate, tweaking a few parameters, importing the script into your scene, and rendering the resulting keyframe-based simulation.
An essential feature of PySwarm is that users of the script do NOT have to know how to program in Python to use it. The PySwarm script was engineered in a way that anyone who has Python and the PyCarrara plug-in installed on their computer can, with minimal effort, render complex-looking animation sequences.
Here are just a few examples of the kinds of animation sequences the PySwarm script is being designed to support.
Bees swarming around a beehive
Butterflies flying in an open field
A herd of horses running through a valley
An army of soldiers marching, but not in precise formation
Mechanical spiders swarming a futuristic fort
Predators moving through a large flock of prey (wolves and sheep, barracudas and fish, “bad guy”
moving through a crowd of people)
Two groups of fighter aircraft in close “fur ball” combat
download the latest PySwarm script (V.0.3.1) along with a Users Guide and two .CAR starter files to use with the script here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8V9-txK8F4Mb0JBZ0tQVndmRkU/edit?usp=sharing
The PyCarrara plugin can be downloaded here:
http://pycarrara.sourceforge.net
The challenge this month is to create an image Based on Music
– The intent is to make a image representing music for you.It could be an image of a band like Black Sabath, The Clash, Men With Out Hats, Josie and the Pussy Cats, It could be and individual playing in a Bar such a local talent or someone like Lenard Cohen. How about Boy Goerge or any of the newer performers. It could also be a portrait of them performing.
The intent is to allow some of the newer users to Carrara to create and display thier artwork from Carrara
– Feel free to interpret the theme broadly.
Basic rules will be:
1. – Participants must use the Carrara to set up and render the Image.
2.- Must be Musically based.
3 – Modeling an object is not required but if you have ths skills or desire give it a whirl.
4.- Postwork is allowed, but must not be the highlight of the image.
5.- Images must be new (previously unpublished).
6 – Images must be rendered in Carrara or in an external renderer for which there is a Carrara plug-in (e.g. LuxRenderer, Octane).
7 – At least one WIP (work in progress) image must be posted to the WIP thread.
8 – Screen shot of the scene in Carrara to be included in WIP
9 – Each participant may submit up to 3 images into the Challenge.
Please note, there is no requirement for the winner to host the next challenge, unless they want to.
We love our wonderful sponsors heartheartsmiley
Once again Daz will generously sponsor the monthly challenge with the following prizes:
1st Place: $100.00 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s)
2nd Place: $ 50.00 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s)
3rd Place: $ 25.00 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s)
Honorable Mention (4th place): $10.00 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s) ( may be used for best new comers).
Dates to Remember:
WIP Thread Opens: Tuesday 7 Feb 2017
Entry Thread Opens: Sunday 5 March 2017
Entry Thread Closes/Voting Begins: 12.00 Midnight Eastern Sunday 12 March 2017
Voting Ends: Sunday 19 March 2017
As with the last challenge because we are having up to three images an entrant we WILL judge the winner by their scores combined. ie if their image 1 gets 24 votes, their image 2 gets 12 votes, and their image 3 gets 12 votes then they score 48.
2nd and third and HM would be as per usual – ie based on votes for one image.
Carrara user Joe Pingleton combined a looping NLA walkcycle with Fractal Dimensia’s PySwarm script, the PyCarrara plugin, and Sparrowhawke3D’s Follow Terrain plugin to create this animation test of multiple figures finding their way across a varied terrain.
He explains the process:
This is another experiment with the PySwarm plug in for Carrara 8.5 Pro and NLA Clips. This time the figures follow the terrain object using Sparrowhawke3d’s Follow Terrain Plug In for Carrara.
I created a “Boid” group that was a figure with a looping walk cycle NLA clip with a duration of 2 minutes. Then I replicated that “Boid” 10 times and numbered the “Boid” groups. Then I used PySwarm to generate a movement script with 10 boids and 1 attractor object. Then I imported the PySwarm script into Carrara. Then I applied Sparrowhawke3d’s Follow Terrain Plug In to make each “boid” drop to the surface of the terrain object. One walk NLA clip and the Pyswarm script control all movement, no key frame editing.
3drendero is fast as lightning, here is what he spotted:
The free Carrara plugin PyCloid for particle simulation has been
updated to version 0.2 beta and now supports fluid simulation.
Frederic “f1oat” Rible has also included support for multicore CPUs
and a lot more:
Many new features :
– particles collision with scene objects
– tube geometry along particle path
– fluid simulation
– isosurface geometry
– new sample files
– multi-core CPU support
I am a hobbyist user of CG applications for several years, mostly because I am fascinated by Pixar’s films ! After watching many films, I wanted to understand what was under the hood. As I love to learn by the practice, I started to use Blender and some other CG applications. I discovered Carrara in 2008 : I am still impressed by its power, performance and very efficient user interface. I work in the field of software engineering. I have started to write software in 1981 with a ZX81. Few years later, I got and Atari-ST and
learned C language. Since I am more comfortable with a C++ compiler than with a graphic tablet, I have decided to write tools to help me for Carrara animations. PyCarrara was my first plugin dedicated to procedural animations with Python language. By end of 2010, I have launched the PyCloid project: a particle system plugin with many innovative features. I am not an artist, but I love the idea that my C++ lines and mathematics will help artists to produce good looking and magic pictures. Â Â
PyCarrara is a free scripting plugin for Carrara. CG artists can write scripts in Python language to achieve various effects on scene objects, such as:
Scripted animation
Procedural scene construction
Drive motion with audio files
… and many other exciting applicationsThe project is currently in apha stage with a very first plugin release providing basic features:
PyCloid is an enhanced particle emitter.
Two modes :
– standard mode : particle emission from a point or an object surface
– deformer mode : the facets of a mesh are converted to particles to simulate object destruction
Emission can be controlled by a shader to have variable particle density over the surface or achieve partial mesh destruction.
When using destruction mode, the particles initial velocities are initialized with the mesh facets motion for realistic effect.
[youtube width=”265″ height=”214″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJQGdBYLMHo&feature=related
[youtube width=”265″ height=”214″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0tCrR23f10&feature=related
[youtube width=”265″ height=”214″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQBQR9FP__s&feature=player_embedded
More about PyCloid
