Blender Market: Random Object Array
Artunchained’s ‘Random Object Array’ add-on allows easy randomization of scenes without endless tweaking of particle systems.
Years ago I proposed on Blenderstorm to add random values to the array modifier. It never happened. I was tired of tweaking a particle system for an hour, just to realise that the desired result cannot be made that way. That’s the reason I created the Random Object Array add-on. Random Object Array allows you to create all kinds of object arrays that need some randomization like plants, roof tiles, cobblestone, walls, etc. using a very quick workflow without having to use a particle system. And there’s even more.
Random Object Array sells for $9.95 on the Blender Market
While the advanced array modifier work appears to have been killed off there is still a randomisation patch that adjusts the displace modifier (started as a new modifier) that is still waiting to be accepted or shutdown. https://developer.blender.org/D320
yep and now that this addon is out, it will be an excuse I guess to let it completely die? I like the market, but not when it replace what the C core of blender can and should have. Python is really slow, Assetsketcher on modern 2014 PC is slower than the particle paint of 2.49 on 7 years old PC!
Great you did something to solve a real problem, but it’s just not a solution for professional work. Python slowness and Blender not liking 1000+ objects will make it like asset sketcher. I won’t throw my money again.
I think you’re making some needless assumptions here.
a) Why do you assume that the market is meant to replace what the C core of Blender can and should have? Perhaps it’s just a place for some solutions that one can use for now, until further core development arises.
b) While Python is in ways similar to C, and the Python probably not a super-complex script in itself, dealing with the core programming of Blender is a good deal more complicated than a Python addon. Chances are, this developer isn’t a C-language developer, but perhaps they know enough Python to propose a working solution.
With a few core C-language developers on-board for improving Blender’s core, the market
provides a place where freelancing developers can offer some on-going focus on solutions.
Some solutions will be sufficient enough to remain as Python scripts,
while others will rather serve as a sort of prototype (placeholder)
development that eventually inspires core implementation within Blender.
c) Some of these addons can serve and are serving as inspiration for the C coders to implement into Blender. If anything, we can well consider many of these addons as prototypes, as proof of concepts that can and may be further implemented later. But for now, we’ve got these working solutions.
d) If you haven’t tried this addon for yourself, how do you well know whether this is “not a solution for professional work? I know that Python simply isn’t going to be as fast as the C language, and Blender itself does suffer performance in terms of massive number of objects, but if there aren’t even any reviews claiming issues of this addon’s performance yet, you’re jumping to conclusions here.
Maybe this addon won’t solve the problem for someone working in a big studio, needing big assets, but maybe for the smaller business, it’s just what they need until Blender begins its rounds of improved core development. And at least with a Python addon, you have some solution
while waiting for core Blender development than no
solution while waiting.
As I said, I like the market and I know how much work goes in an addon so I meant no offense to the dev. I like Blender and that’s why I warn from such things. Problem is:
– as pointed by shane, we have a C variant of that addon that work (I compiled a custom versions of 2.73 with it.), it’s damn fast, also on huge meshes. It just needs to be accepted into the core.
– For Asset Sketcher, you wasn’t maybe here in the pre 2.5x times, but download a 2.49 version and you will see that the particle paint mode there was much better than in 2.73, it showed the meshes instances in real time as you painted and worked smoothly on a Pentium 4 with 2GB memory and thousands of instances.
– Those addons are in no way a good place-holder because the C solutions are already there, just not put in Master and the market with CGCookie is a very good income source and partner of the BF. The BF will take incomes from a programmer on this market too avoid them go away. They are already having problem having as much pay-for addons as they wanted. So even if something was planned or even near ready like it’s the case here, It will just make sure those functions will not make their way into master for at least one year, in which people rely on self-compiling or restrain their work on small scale projects.
I am not even close to writing some addons ( or any programming staff ). But hey this can’t be real hard. I am really pissed off by those paid addons or any other paid staff made for Blender. It is an open-source program yet you charge for addons and things.
wonder how many of the people complaining about payed addons use blender to make a living…because if u do……………………