The Leaf Generator is responsible for generating leaf nodes. Leaves can be of two types: leaf cards (billboards) or leaf meshes (arbitrary mesh object).
Generation: Frequency and Steps: Number values are set explicitly.
Generation: Frequency and Steps: Number values are computed based on the length of the parent node.
The lowest point on the parent where nodes can occur.
The highest point on the parent where nodes can occur.
The number of nodes generated.
If Generation: Style is set to relative, this integer becomes a float and the actual number of nodes generated is computed based on the length of the parent.
Removes leaves systematically after generation (post-balance and stepping).
Scales not only the size of the nodes, but also their distance values.
If degradation is enabled, the frequency scalar will only affect this generator if it is the topological end of a generator chain (i.e. it has no children).
If degradation is enabled, the frequency scalar will always affect this generator.
If degradation is enabled, the frequency scalar will never affect this generator (useful for something like roots, which often have no children but do not slow down compute).
Nodes can be balanced radially (equally spaced) by enabling this property.
Changing the Generation: Frequency or Generation: Step: Number properties will result in positional shifting in order to maintain equal spacing.
Nodes have a random orientation.
The first node in each step is centered vertically on its parent.
Each step is re-aligned so the Sweep range is centered vertically on its parent.
If Steps are disabled, the initial generation angle is centered vertically on the parent node instead.
The computed angle for each node is offset [+/-] between 0 and this amount.
The arc around the parent node where nodes are eligible.
Balance is applied after the sweep arc is defined.
Each node is rotated this absolute amount from its computed angle.
When enabled, nodes are grouped into lengthwise "steps" along the parent node. Balance, angle offset, and other properties will be applied per step.
Each step contains approximately (Generation: Frequency ÷ Generation: Step: Number) branches.
The number of steps to distribute the computed frequency among.
If Generation: Style is set to relative, this integer becomes a float and the actual number of steps generated is computed based on the length of the parent node.
The maximum amount of lengthwise node spacing allowed from the center of each step to its extents.
The number of nodes per step is equal to the value for generation:frequency, rather than the frequency value being distributed among all the steps.
When enabled, all forces that are checked will act on the generator.
While all forces in the scene are listed in this group, only enabled forces affect this generator.
Click on the colored square to the right of the force name to edit its properties.
Various seed values are used to procedurally generate nodes. Each random number has been separated out into groups of like properties.
Seeds can be incremented with the spinner or chosen at random via the Randomize button. All seeds can be randomized at once with 'Randomize all'.
The maximum distance from the parent spine where leaf nodes are eligible.
If Generation: Style is set to relative, increasing Max Distance results in higher leaf node frequencies in order to ensure full canopy coverage.
The minimum distance from the parent spine where leaf nodes are eligible.
The angle between the parent spine and the vector used to offset each leaf from the parent spine.
The exponent applied to the computed placement distance. Greater values will pack leaf nodes near the parent spine and vice versa.
Scales the spread factor value set in the leaf collision properties.
Scales the cull tolerance value set in the leaf collision properties.
Multiple leaf types can be defined and applied to nodes at random. Use the button controls to add [+] or remove [-] leaf types.
The size of the leaf nodes.
When enabled, randomly selected leaf nodes are flipped over the X-axis.
camera-facing billboarded planes will be used for this leaf type.
A named mesh from the mesh bank will be used for this leaf type. Meshes are two-sided and do not rotate to face the camera.
Named material from the material bank to be applied to this leaf type.
Probability that any node will receive this leaf type (this weight ÷ sum of all weights).
The aspect ratio of leaf cards (width ÷ height).
The amount of offset for each vertex from its default coplanar position.
The horizontal distance from the center to position the leaf pivot point.
The vertical distance from the center to position the pivot point.
Attempts to align the top of each mesh with the world "up" direction while respecting the existing Up Rotation. Used to eliminate upside-down meshes.
Interpolates mesh orientation between the local Z-axis (0.0) and the world Z-axis (1.0).
Rotates each mesh around the local X-axis.
Rotates each mesh around the local Z-axis.
Rotates each mesh around the local Y-axis.
The position along the assigned parent level used for calculating Global Smoothing.
By enabling Tree Rendering: Style: Show Extras, the global reference points are drawn as orange cross-hairs on the assigned parent level.
Interpolation between globally smoothed (1.0) and locally smoothed (0.0) leaf normals.
Global smoothing aligns leaf normals with the vector drawn from the Global Reference position to the leaf position, resulting in a predictably smooth lighting gradation.
Interpolation between locally smoothed (1.0) and individual node (0.0) leaf normals.
Local smoothing aligns leaf normals with the vector drawn from the percentage along the parent spine where the leaf node occurred to the leaf node position, resulting in a staggered lighting gradation.
Pushes leaf card normals away from the center of each leaf card.
Range controls the maximum range that normals are allowed to span vertically. A linear growth curve uses the entire range from normals pointing completely down to normals pointing completely up. Raise the low end to keep leaves from having normals that point straight down.
Uniformly darkens interior leaf nodes.
Dimming is applied in a cascading manner down to the start node, affecting the interior of major branches the most.
An offset for the calculated amount of ambient occlusion. Increasing this value lessens the affect of ambient occlusion.
The difference in brightness from the heaviest possible ambient occlusion to no ambient occlusion.
This value clamps the darkness of ambient occlusion allowed.
This value clamps the brightness allowed.
Scalar for wind distance from the center of each leaf (profile curve) and for the generator as a whole (green curve).
The amount to increase the size of kept leaves from highest LOD to lowest LOD.
Size increase has no effect on the highest LOD state.
The threshold for leaf node reduction as the LOD state decreases.
The likelihood that a leaf node will survive LOD reduction based on its location in the tree.
An interpolation between Position Influence and the leaf size ratio for determining which leaf nodes survive LOD reduction.
The randomness of the computation used for determining which leaf nodes survive LOD reduction.