Ultimate Scatter for Maya - Pro
Introduction:
Created by Ryan Nolan (RyanNolanVFX)
Ultimate Scatter for Maya is an attempt to be an easily portable, advanced scattering tool. It effectively populates your environments while giving you powerful visual features to control where those objects appear.
Installation:
When you download you'll receive at least two files: Changelog.txt and UTS_Dist.py. Only UTS_Dist.py is required.
Step 1. Copy the "UTS_Dist.py" file to wherever you'd like.
Step 2. Copy the following command below to a Python Tab or shelf button. Replace <Install Path> with the directory where you installed the script. Please note: The install path name requires that you use forward slashes " / " to separate directories:
execfile("<Install Path>/UTS_Dist.py")
step 3. Run the command/shelf button
USAGE Notes (Please keep in mind these few things when using the tool):
Do not rename or otherwise modify any of the objects this tool creates
In your maya scene, ensure your objects that you intend to use with the tool have unique names. There is currently a bug where the script can get confused with names like "temp:pCube1" and "pCube1". So for now, please try to stay as unique as possible with naming.
When using objects masks, it is better to use simple geo.
Using the same surface/ground geo as object masks may yield unexpected results
Tips:
Rather than using multiple 'mesh' object masks, the algorithm may run faster if you combine all those meshes in to one object, and use only one 'mesh' mask.
The tool will never scatter more than your max object count. But it may scatter fewer objects. You can repeatedly press the scatter button to add more objects.
Update(1.2.2):
Using a value of 0 for avoidance radius now gives a much denser result.
Updated method for 'reset system' function, should now work with pre Maya 2016
'Apply All Active Masks to System' working when current frame not set to 1
Attempt to fix a rare runtime/math error that occurs when scattering on 90 degree slopes
Made changes to code to start integrating the paint scatter features
Tutorials:
You may view an early demonstration video of the script here. Note: This video is using outdated algorithms and does not accurately reflect the current performance of the tool (it is now much faster)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld_rdY7Cn0c
New! Tutorial Playlist found here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt5913jsurlYmEBv1svF_tbWLhwlZddWv
This tool was developed in Maya 2016 on windows. I can confirm it also works in Maya 2015. Besides that though, I cannot confirm further compatibility. If you're on a different OS/Maya version and the tool works for you (or doesn't), I would much appreciate it if you could let me and/or everyone else know :).
Fine print: Source code has been Obfuscated by Oxyry Python Obfuscator (https://pyob.oxyry.com).