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Idea #164: Random for array modifiers

bug This idea is a duplicate of Idea #173: Extend the "Array modifier" with rotation and scale offset.
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Written by manu79 the 10 Sep 10 at 03:35. Category: Mesh Tools. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: New
Rationale
If the array modifier had "random"-fields this would be very usefull, e.g. for creating fields with plants, creating variation in all kind of meshes, like a fence that contains of slightly variing planks, ...

The array modifier has very limited application cause of the missing random, even with an offset object you cant do what a "real random" does.
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emu wrote on the 13 Sep 10 at 06:03
Don't particle systems do a better job in more complicated cases? I thought that Array is mainly aimed to creating one long object (ladder, centipede, tentacle) where all the parts have to be merged.

Particle system with duplications is way more flexible and faster. At render time, it makes use of instancing, which may cause a huge gain of speed.

If Array modifier should have all the flexibility, it might need its own panel in Physics context, because of all the needed options and value sliders.

manu79 wrote on the 13 Sep 10 at 08:28
You're right, but the array modifier is a great tool for >fast< modeling, lets say I wanna create that ladder, but it shouldnt look like brandnew, have some variation. If I use a particle system I have to mess around with lots of things, begining with contemplating how a helper-mesh has to look, on which my ladder will "grow", next problem usually is getting the right rotation of both particles and clone object, mess around with normal speed, ...
Currently you cant >apply< particle instances (also I think you could do that in a past version?), so if you model something for exporting to another application, your mesh is useless.

Dont wanna blame the particle system (recently created a pyramid out of single stones with it) but it always takes time to get it right -
using an array modifier has the advantage of speed in modeling.

I also fave the other idea going round here, to equip the array modifier with rotation etc. to get rid of working with emptys, which can be anoying and is not very intuitiv.

zeauro wrote on the 19 Sep 10 at 07:20
Particle Instance modifier can be applied.

Dupliverts can also do the job.

phoenixart wrote on the 4 Oct 10 at 16:19
I agree, Array with random would be really useful and faster to set up.


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