so what I was thinking, was to generate a full tree in arbaro, then chop off the limbs manually. Still wouldn’t look that good. Maybe shape keys? but that wouldn’t randomize the locations of the branches, so that doesn’t work alone.
Blue things are vertices, its a section of the tree, a couple of vertices and array to z-direction. Use merge in Array modifier. And stack order is Array modifier first then Skin modifier.
Later you can duplicate linked those trees and empties, then select all empties and then Object > Transform> Randomize transform > Rotation Z.
And if you scale those empties in X and Y axis then branches are smaller on the top.
If you make cylinder and cut in some loops where the branches need to be, Liero’s MExtrude Plus script on some 2% Random selection of faces (deselect manually some) makes nice actual branches. A bit of proportional bending might be needed; if you’re brave - displacement and remesh/decimate. Variety guaranteed.
For some reason there is registration part commented out of this script and probably some partly unrelated to this task things do not show up.
Try to run it from Text block and look for ‘mex’ on Spacebar search.
Great, I could use that script with the array above. I’ve figured it out all the way up to the random rotation: it says object > transform > and then the only option is rotation mod? And skin still splits the tree into 4 pieces XD
Those are bombed out tree without almost any branches at all. Geometry is simple. You can easily bang those out quickly. Simple tube sections extruded with Ctrl + RMS. Add limb or two by extrusion. Give it a little texture by using Displacement modifier:
Yeah I downloaded the most recent version and the tab isn’t there? Tabs under the object include Transform and Delta Transform, and neither has the option to randomize stuff.
It’s in the Object Mode (and it’s available in the old “stable” 2.69 too, not only recent builds) in the bottom header "Object -> Transform -> Randomize transform… " menu, then press F6 to edit the setting once you have enabled the Randomize transform
I don’t think it’s available yet in Edit Mode (though you can use it with the Spacebar -> Search and type randomise but multiple mesh aren’t individually transformed they all do the same random transformation unfortunately, while in object mode multiple object are affected individually)
Of course you have it, but i guess you’re not looking where we told you.
Look where you have the “Object Mode” drop down menu in which you can change the mode on the lower part of your screenshot, just to its left there’s the Object menu, click on it and from there select Transform and you’ll see the “Randomize transform”
Once you clicked on it, a random transformation will be done to the object(s) you have selected, from there you press F6 and tweak the settings to what you need.
Neat, worked out really well. One problem I had, was when I applied the skin, the trunk was as thick as the branches, because each had the same width of only one vertice. How can I make the trunk thicker when using just vertices and a skin modifier?
When you’re using the skin modifier (while it’s still active, once applied you’re out of luck), you can select a vertice and press CTRL+A , you’ll be able to inflate/deflate the skin controlled by that vertice (you can press CTRL+A and then X or Y to constraint on an axis, sadly there’s no possibility to constraint on the Z one)
To see the vertice under the generated skin be sure to turn off the Limit Selection to Visible button :
