RandomCloner 1.5
user's manual

1. Installation

Copy the plugin and its key file wherever you need (for instance into LightWave plugins directory).
Importatnt for Mac users: copy your key file into the Current Project directory, as defined by the Content Directory. You need to copy it to each project directory you want to use RC.
Start Modeler. Use Modeler->Plugins->Add Plugins or Edit Plugins (Alt+F11) and select cloner.p file. You will be told that 1plug-in have been successfully added. You will find this plugin in Construct->Additional menu.

Keep your key file in a save place. Updates will not work without it. Free future updates will be available in download section at www.polas.net

2. Usage

RandomCloner allow you to clone any geometry on any surface.
- Put the object you want to clone in background layer(s). Note that this object can be anything. It may be made with nurbs patches, may have multiple morphs, UV maps, Weight Maps etc. All information will be copied to clones.
- In foreground layer put the object you want the clones be cloned on. This object must be polygonal (nurbs patches are not supported). Use only triangles and quads.
- Run RandomCloner, change your settings and that is all - you will get multiple clones on your object.
3. Interface
Number of Clones - this setting needs no comments :-)
Independent Sizes - you may need your clones have different size variations on different axes. When you enable this option size variations will be applied to X axe of the clone, next (Y,Z) to other axes.
Size Variations - percentage value or random changes of clone's size. Clones may be larger or smaller within this range.
Y, Z - if you enable independent Sizes you can set different size variations for different axes.
Size WeightMap - you can change clone's size depending on weight map values. From 0 to +100% clones will be accordingly larger, below 0 will be smaller than original.

Size WeightMap Influence - 100% means that where weightmap value is
+100% clones will be 2 times larger,
+50% - 1,5 times larger, etc.
It is a multiplier for weight map value.
50% 80%
Size Depends on Poly Area - you can select it if you want to get bigger clones on larger polygons.

Dependence Power - you can specify how much polygon size should affect a clone size.
Density WeightMap - You can use weight map to control clones density. On areas where weight map value is +100% will pe plenty of clones and where its value is below 0 there will be hardly no clones.
Random Rotation - you can set limits to random rotations of cloned items. Set it to 0 for no rotation.
Zero Angles - this button is for your convenience only. You can quick reset angle values to 0 if you don't want to add random rotations.
Aligh with Normals - if enabled clones will be aligned with poligon's normals on which they are cloned.
don't align align
Jitter Cloned points - you can add extra point displacement to your clones to get more natural look of your cloned stones, leaves, plants etc.
Slope Angle Limits - you can exclude polys that are sloping to much or to less. For instance if you need to clone trees on your terrain and don't want trees grow on a scarp or on a mountain.
0 - 180 0-45 45-90

Distribution power - values 80% to 100% forces similar distances between clones - it may be called: even distribution. Values < 80% allow to vary those distances.

Iterations - Number of tries in getting proper position of item. Value 1 is equal to use very small 'distribution power'.
4. Miscellaneous

Modelling - object on surface you will be cloning should have no non-planar polygons. For the best results use quads and triangles only.
Selection - if you make selection on an object before starting the RandomCloner plugin, clones will be created only on selected polygons.
5. Contact

If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, problems, etc. feel free to contact me:

e-mail: olo@polas.net
ICQ: 81081247
IRC (ircnet): channel #idreams