Greebler Library Management : Custom Shapes

Although there are a number of shape choices already provided as Stock Greebles, it is expected that users would want the option to use other shapes. Custom Greebles support and Custom Shape libraries have been provided for this.

In Greebler, a greeble starts as a set of flat 2D shapes which are then extruded and possibly beveled to populate the surface with various protrusions. This set of shapes created is used for optimal representations under different usages. The reason for this approach is because the built-in Cinema 4D Extrude and Bevel structure modifications are not usable during multi-processor parallel work (that is, these functions cannot be called simultaneously and had to be recreated from scratch). A generalized algorithm like the one used in Cinema 4D could not be acquired so some of the work is preprocessed into the construction of the shapes from the original provided by the user and then finished during the greebling. With this in mind, a custom shape must be added to the library before it can then be added to the scene for greebling. The input shape object must have these characteristics:

  • Polygon object
  • Polygon normals facing up (in the +Y direction)
  • Planar with respect to the X-Z plane (floor)

You are at liberty to use whatever process that achieves the input shape you desire. For shapes utilizing splines, put the spline under an Extrude NURBS offset along the Y axis, make editable ('C' key), and retain only Cap 2 (or whichever has its normal facing up).

Tutorial

This is a quick tutorial that shows how to take a spline object and turn it into a Greebler shape for reuse from the library and use it in a scene.

Start by adding a Flower spline primitive to a new scene. In its Object properties, set Plane to XZ.

Add an Extrude NURBS. In its Object properties, set Movement to 0-1-0. Child the Flower spline to this object.

Select the Extrude NURBS and Make Editable (C key or right click for menu). Move the Cap 2 object to the root. Rename Cap 2 to Flower. You can now delete the remaining objects.

From the main menus, launch the Greebler Library Manager from Plugins>>KuoryumeDZ>>Greebler. Go to the Custom Shapes tab.

In the Object Manager, click on Flower, drag it over the Shapes list box in the Greebler Library Management window, and let go. Note the hand cursor signifies that you can drop the object. Give the process a few seconds as the shape set is being created and an icon rendered, all saved to disk.

You should now have a Flower shape added to your Greebler library, ready for use. In the Object Manager, delete the Flower object.

With the Greebler Library Management window still open, select the Flower shape and click Add To Document. Note that when a collection is added to the scene, the name will reflect this, e.g.: Shapes_Library_Collection1. You can add as many collections as you like or add to the miscellaneous library from the Shapes item list.

From the main menus, add a Greebler Object by selecting Plugins>>KuroyumeDZ>>Greebler>>Greebler.

Add a Cube primitive and set Segments X, Segments Y, Segments Z each to 4. Child to the Greebler object. Select the Greebler object. Select the Stock Greebles tab in the Attributes Manager and disable Generate Greebles. Select the Custom Greebles tab and enable Generate Greebles.

Drag-and-drop the Shapes_Library_Misc Null object into the Library linkbox under the Custom Greebles tab. Note that two things occur. First, all of the shapes under the Null object are displayed under the Shapes area of the Greebler Object or Tag. Second, Grouping options are enabled and set to the first shape.

This process is a bit convoluted but it only has to be done once for each shape you want to create and add to the library. They are stored permanently on disk for later use.