Chaos Scatter Details

Chaos Scatter is a powerful instancing and distribution tool that allows you to easily populate scenes with selected objects. This is especially useful for outdoor scenes that need to be filled with greenery, rocks, grass, etc.

Chaos Scatter parameters are grouped into Common settings, Surface scattering, Volume scattering, Translation, Rotation, Scale, and Areas tabs.

– Common settings tab.

– Surface scattering tab.

– Volume scattering tab.

– Translate settings tab.

– Rotation settings tab.

– Scale settings tab.

– Areas settings tab.

Scattering mode – Specifies the scattering mode:

2D – Scattering mode where objects are scattered on surfaces. It doesn't matter if the surface is horizontal, vertical, or if it is part of a complex 3D object.
3D – Scattering mode where objects are scattered inside the object's bounding box. Keep in mind that bounding boxes are cube-shaped, therefore using this mode on a round object scatters instances in a cube around it. This mode is useful when scattering dust particles inside a room, fish in an aquarium, books on a bookshelf and similar.

Max. instances – Limits the maximum number of instances. Note that this option does not determine how many instances are created. Instead it serves as a measure to avoid scattering too many instances and causing a crash.

Random seed – Determines the random distribution used. Changing this value causes random permutations of the scattered object(s).

Avoid collisions – When enabled, instances that would collide with each other get discarded. This results in no overlaps between instances. Note that enabling this option might lower the number of instances.

Spacing [%] – Controls the size of the bounding boxes used to detect collisions. Smaller values result in denser instances with some collision, higher values result in larger distances between instances. Values above 100% mean that the distance between objects is larger than their bounding boxes.

Distribute-on target objects – Specifies the object(s), on which the instances will be scattered.

Instanced model objects – Specifies the objects which will be scattered on the distribute on-target object(s).

The following parameters are available when Scattering mode is 2D.

Distribution mode – Specifies the scattering method:

Random – Scatters instances randomly on all mesh distribution objects. It is enabled by default.
UV – Uses UVW mapping to scatter instances in regular patterns.

Instance count – Determines the exact number of instances to scatter. If the Use area density option is enabled, the scattering is defined by the density.

Use area density – When enabled, the Instance count amount is multiplied by the specified Square area.

Square area – Specifies a multiplier for the Instance count when Use area density is enabled.

Distr. normal alignment – Specifies between the Local up or the World up vector and the surface normal at which the scattered objects are distributed.

Local – When enabled, the slope limitation is measured according to the up vector of each individual Distribute-on target object.
World – When enabled, the slope limitation is measured according to the world Z-axis up vector for all Distribute-on target objects in the scene.

Min / Max slope angle – Defines a range of angles to which the scattering is limited. Instances outside of this range get filtered out.

The following parameters are available when Scattering mode is 3D.

Instance count – Determines the exact number of instances to scatter. If the Use volume density option is enabled, the scattering is defined by the density (Cube volume).

Use volume density – When enable, the scattering is defined by the density (Cube vol.)

Cube vol. – Multiplies the Instance count value when Use volume density is enabled.

Min X /Max X – Moves the instances from the given minimum distance to the given maximum distance on the X axis.

Min Y /Max Y – Moves the instances from the given minimum distance to the given maximum distance on the Y axis.

Min Z /Max Z – Moves the instances from the given minimum distance to the given maximum distance on the Z axis.

Stepping distance – Determines a distinct distance between all instances in the enabled axes. If the values is left at zero, instances are translated continuously.

Apply stepping distance for X / Y / Z – Enables X / Y / Z axes when a value for the Stepping distance is specified.

Normal alignment – When a value different than 0 is entered, the instances are aligned according to the world Z axis. This is useful when the Distribute-on target object is curved and the scattered objects need to remain vertical, not follow the curve of the surface. Positive values mean that the instances are aligned to the +Z axis (vertical up) and negative values mean that the instances are aligned to the -Z axis (vertical down).

Min X / Max X – Rotates the instances from the given minimum degrees up to the given maximum degrees continuously on the X axis.

Min Y / Max Y – Rotates the instances from the given minimum degrees up to the given maximum degrees continuously on the Y axis.

Min Z / Max Z – Rotates the instances from the given minimum degrees up to the given maximum degrees continuously on the Z axis.

Stepping angle – Determines a fixed degree by which all instances rotate for the enabled axes.

Apply stepping angle for X / Y / Z – Enables X / Y / Z axes when a value for the Stepping angle is specified.

Uniform – When enabled, all instances in all axes are scaled according to the values of the X axis.

Min X / Max X – Scales the instances from the given minimum value to the given maximum value continuously.

Min Y / Max Y – Scales the instances from the given minimum value to the given maximum value continuously. When Uniform is enabled, the X axis values are applied to the whole distribute-on target object.

Min Z / Max Z – Scales the instances from the given minimum value to the given maximum value continuously. When Uniform is enabled, the X axis values are applied to the whole distribute-on target object.

Stepping – Determines a percentage of scaling to be applied to all instances. Otherwise, scaling is continuous.

Apply stepping percentage for X / Y / Z – Enables X / Y / Z axes when a value for the Stepping is specified.

Include – Scatters the models only inside the bounding boxes of the objects included in this list. The objects cannot be the same as the distribute-on target objects.

Exclude – Scatters the models everywhere on the distribute-on target objects, except in the areas where the objects from the list are located. The objects cannot be the same as the distribute-on target objects. This option is useful, for instance, for removing instances of grass/trees from areas where a house needs to be located.

Near / Far – Determines the falloff distance from the selected object to the selected axis plane (Projection). If the selected object is from the Include list, instances within the falloff distance are included. If the selected object is from the Exclude list, instances within the falloff distance are excluded.

Scale – Scale factor further affecting the instances between the near and far falloff.

Density – Density factor further affecting the instances between the near and far falloff.

Projection – Specifies the axis plane.