Index
Version Requirements
3dsMax 2015 and higher.
RandoMixer – Scatter Tools has been tested succesfully on 3dsMax 2015 to 2023. It should also work properly on future versions. However, if you experience any issue, please report it to contact@splinedynamics.com
License
With every purchase you get a lifetime license. It’s a node-locked license, meaning each license key is tied to a single computer.
The Regular License lets you use the product in 2 different workstations. It comes with 2 license keys (1 domain per key).
The Corporate License allows you to activate the plugin on up to 10 workstations. It comes with 2 license keys (5 domains per key).
You will get free updates for the same major version of the product.
Installation
- Unzip the content of the .zip file and then drag the “.mzp” file onto one of your viewports in 3ds Max . The plugin automatically installs itself.
- A dialog called “Software Activation” pops-up. Enter your license key in the text field. (You received a license key by email when you purchased the product).
- If the license key is correct, RMX Scatter Tools will start.
- To add the plugin to a toolbar, go to the Menu > Customize > Customize user interface…
- Go to the “Toolbars” tab and pick the category “Spline Dynamics”.
- The plugin’s name must be listed there. Just drag it onto a toolbar and you’re done!
Overview
Scatter Tools is a powerful set of tools for scattering, randomizing and rearranging objects in 3dsMax in a very simple and intuitive way.
It brings together the best RandoMixer tools in an independent plugin with a user-friendly interface. Switch places, Scatter objects and Random Transforms.
Scatter Tools can be used in conjunction with RandoMixer (e.g., to edit or create states/variants manually) or totally independently. You don’t need to have RandoMixer installed to run it.
It includes 5 different types of scattering tools with built-in collision detection: entire surface, by face direction, auto-populate furniture, use vertices/spline knots, place at pivots.
Auto-populate Furniture is an exclusive built-in algorithm to automatically scatter small elements like household and decorative objects, books, toys, etc., over your models of tables, desks, shelves, bookcases and such, with no collisions and in a smart organic way!
The Interface (UI)
Scatter Tools rollouts are the following:
Main rollout (at the top)
Here are general controls (Restore and Commit buttons) which affect all operations done with this plugin.
Switch Places rollout
Here are tools to make your selected objects interchange their places and set which ones are affected and how.
Scatter Objects rollout
Define how to distribute your elements onto a surface, along a spline or align them to certain object pivots.
Random Transforms rollout
These are tools for randomizing the position, rotation and scale of you objects.
Help/About rollout
Help links, plugin activation and credits.
General Controls (Restore, Commit)
At the top of the UI, you can see the main rollout titled with the name of the plugin. Here are general controls that affect all operations done with this plugin: switch places, scatter objects, random transforms.
Restore (button).
Restore initial object transforms.
When you perform any of the 3 main actions of this plugin, all the initial object transforms (position, rotation, scale) are saved in memory. With this button you can restore those initial transforms.
Commit (button)
Set current transforms as the initial state.
You use this button when you have changed the transformations of your objects and want to save the changes as the initial state, so that when you press ‘restore’ the objects will return to this state.
Switch Places
These is a powerful function to rearrange the objects in your scene effortlessly. It makes the objects to switch places with each other considering their bounding box, rotation and dimensions.
Imagine you have a scene representing the interior of a store where there are a lot of products on the showcase. You have taken some renders but the client didn’t like them and wants you to try different distributions for the products. Doing that task manually would take a lot of time. With this plugin, it’s a piece of cake.
Or maybe you’re doing a Motion Graphics animation and you want the models on the scene to change places to the beat of the music. You can save a lot of time by first generating a rough animation with this tool and then refine it manually.
Inherit Rotation (checkbox): if checked, every object moved to another object’s place will get its rotation. This works well when you are dealing with objects or models that were initially correctly aligned to 3dsMax world coordinate system.
Similar volume (%): minimum grade of similarity that 2 objects must have in the dimensions of their bounding box to be considered interchangeable. A value of 100% means both objects have identical bounding box size. When Inherit Rotation is off, this option considers dimensions in world coordinates. Otherwise, it takes the local bounding box.
Anchor point (dropdown list): choose between pivot, center or base as the object reference point. This is very useful. For example, maybe you have all objects laying on a surface and you need them to keep that way after switching their places. If they don’t have the pivot at the same height, they wont. But if you use the base as anchor point, the result will be successful.
Scatter Objects
RandoMixer allows you to scatter the elements of one set onto to the elements of another set. You can choose between different scatter methods: use entire surface, certain faces by its orientation, auto-populate furniture (special feature), use vertices / spline knots, use object pivot.
All methods have built-in collision detection.
Scatter Types
– Use entire surface
This method spreads the objects randomly over the whole surface of the distribution object/s.
– By faces direction
Distributes the elements over the faces of the object that are oriented in one of these orthogonal directions: X+, X-, Y+, Y-, Z+, Z-. You can set an angle threshold to expand in certain amount the range of orientations allowed.
– Auto-populate furniture
This method uses a dedicated algorithm to scatter objects on the flat horizontal surfaces of larger objects. It was specially thought to quickly fill furniture models like desks, tables, book cases, shelves, etc., with household or decorative objects, books, toys or anything you like, without collisions and in a smart way.
It does not consider face/vertex normal for orientation or anchor point settings because they are automatically calculated.
– Use vertices / spline knots
Disperses objects at the vertices of geometry or the nodes of spline curves.
– Place at pivots
Positions the objects at the pivot of the refence elements.
All methods avoid collisions between the scattered objects. Auto-populate method also prevents collisions between scattered objects and distribution objects.
If the script cannot place objects on the desired locations without causing collisions, then the objects will remain at their original position.
If you need to scatter objects on a specific region of an element’s surface, you can do the following:
1. Clone the distribution element
2. With 3dsMax Edit Poly tools, cut the region you need from the object
3. Load that new object into a new or existing Set in RandoMixer and assign it as a Distribution Set.
4. To make it invisible when generating the collection, open its Element Properties and turn on the Invisible property. That’s all.
Pick Distribution Object (button)
Lets you pick the distribution object from scene. It can be a single object or a group. In the sencond case, all elements of the group will be considered for the scattering (non-supported type of objects will be excluded).
Orient to face/vertex normal (checkbox): If checked, the scattered objects will be oriented aligned to the normal vector of the underlying face, vertex or pivot.
Rot. Z (min./max. values): Add a random rotation in local Z axis to the scattered objects. Set the minimum and maximum values.
Scale (min./max. values): Add a random uniform scale to the scattered objects. Set the minimum and maximum values.
Anchor point (dropdown list): choose between object’s pivot, center or base as its reference point for scattering.
Apply Random Transforms
In this section you define some random transforms to apply to your objects. You set minimum and maximum values to move, rotate or scale them.
Restore / Clear Values / Commit (3 buttons)
Restore and Commit buttons have exactly the same functionality as the ones at the top of the UI, previously explained.
Restore: Restore initial object transforms.
Commit: Set current transforms as the initial state.
Clear Values: sets all spinner values to their defaults.
Move/Rotate/Scale (spinners)
Here you set the minimum and maximum values for every transform in every axis
On the right side there are 2 little checkbuttons labeled with W (world) or L (local). If W state is active, the transforms are applied in world corrdinate system, otherwise it will perform local transforms.
– Anchor point (dropdown list): choose between object’s pivot, center or base as the reference point. For example, if you scale objects that are on the ground, you will need to use the base as the anchor point.
Help / About rollout
This rollout contains:
a) Links to Scatter Tools online tutorials and documentation
b) A button to access the plugin’s License Activation dialog to activate your plugin’s license and turn off the trial version.
c) The plugin’s version number and credits.
Contact / Support
If you experience any issues using this plugin or need help, please check first the F.A.Q. page, the available documentation and tutorials. Maybe you can find the solution there and save precious time.
For custom support or making suggestions or business proposals, please don’t hesitate to contact us through this Contact Form.
You can also write us directly to contact@splinedynamics.com.
All feedback is greatly appreciated. We will try to answer all your inquiries as soon as possible.
Enjoy Scatter Tools!
