I am taking the GeoNodes and Procedural Texturing classes simultaneously. I always knew you were an expert node master, but I am so surprised and delighted at what a great teacher you are! Your theory is clear and the practical examples are spot on. It's unusual to find someone who understands such difficult concepts yet is able to clearly explain it step by step. Thank you! Thank you!
Simon Thommes
21st June 2022 - 00:49
@Benjamin Bass Thanks a lot! :)
Satish Goda
22nd May 2022 - 22:42
BUFT - Blender Unified Field Theory :)
Satish Goda
22nd May 2022 - 22:41
Great explanation!!
Gerald Crome
27th July 2022 - 13:21
What a fantastic explanation!. Thank you so much!
Judah Lynn
25th September 2022 - 17:36
Wow. My brain feels bigger. :)
Johann Leo Linduson Birgirsson
6th November 2022 - 13:32
Great video, thank you. I love that you dig into the how and why of geometry nodes.
Andre Kling David
21st May 2022 - 08:28
Very nice, I will probably need to watch this a few times to have my head wrap it around... So let me see if I understood it a bit, fields are kinda like functions in a program, and the geometry is kinda like the object, the functions can only be performed on data's that the object holds?
Simon Thommes
21st May 2022 - 14:24
@Andre Kling David yes, that's pretty much it :)
Jamison
26th May 2022 - 13:33
can I make water with geometry nodes
Simon Thommes
26th May 2022 - 19:57
@Jamison Simulation is not yet part of what geometry nodes can do. But you can certainly create water-like effects with geometry nodes and some animated noise textures
Jamison
31st May 2022 - 01:02
@Simon Thommes ok thank you
Jamison
31st May 2022 - 17:59
@Simon Thommes do have a video or link that I could go to to find out how
Simon Thommes
1st June 2022 - 11:31
@Jamison It really depends on the effect you are going for, but I don't have any links, sorry
Jamison
1st June 2022 - 16:30
@Simon Thommes ok (:
Yevtushenko Oleksandr
26th May 2022 - 18:16
On 5:00, when there's another Grid geometry - does noise texture base on actual (plane) geometry and then noise offset is calcullated based on it, while in SetPosition node we apply that offset (calculated on Plane geometry) to Grid geometry ?
Yevtushenko Oleksandr
26th May 2022 - 18:43
I'm a dummy, sorry, it's clearly explained later in the video
Simon Thommes
26th May 2022 - 19:55
@Yevtushenko Oleksandr No worries, I’m glad it’s clear now!
Jamison
10th June 2022 - 18:03
hey Simon Thomas I have been working on fluid and I hit a problem do you now any body I can talk to for trouble shooting?
Simon Thommes
21st June 2022 - 00:48
@Jamison You could head to blender.chat . In the #everything-nodes, or the #support channel there are usually people around to help out with questions. However there is also a lot you can do to make your questions easily understood, so others can help out.
Nathan Carter
4th July 2022 - 02:10
At one point you say that the index of the vertex is a derived field, computed from the actual vertex data. That seems quite odd to me...wouldn't the index of a vertex be inherent to the spreadsheet data (i.e., what row we're in) and not need to be computed by any algorithm (like normal vectors or face angles would)?
Simon Thommes
4th July 2022 - 11:44
@Nathan Carter I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say, maybe I didn't make it clear. It is not calculated by an algorithm. My point was just that this data is derived, so not directly stored as an attribute. It is not actual data, stored as an integer, it is just implicit in the data.
John Doe
1st August 2022 - 04:20
What even is a field? A bunch of vector coordinates? Does the noise texture come with vector coordinates or something? Confusing video. I'm just trying to understand how the noise texture is manipulating the geometry at the start of the video. The set position node goes from moving around the entire mesh and then concentrating on each individual vertice, the noise texture somehow giving a list of coordinates for each vertice to move only using the color output.
Simon Thommes
1st August 2022 - 10:53
@John Doe Well that question is exactly what I'm trying to answer with this video. Have you watched the previous videos leading up to this? If not I suggest you do. Understanding the concept of attributes helps a lot with understanding fields.
Fields itself don't contain any actual per-element data on the geometry, they exist without the context of a geometry as references to certain attributes, like e.g. the point position. The values resulting from the field only actually are calculated whenever the field is used/evaluated in the context of a geometry, where the references of attributes are replaced with the actual attributes themselves to result in the vectors that move the points in the example of the set position node.
But a field does not have to even contain a reference to an attribute at all and it can be more than that and even reference further opterations. All of this is only evaluated whenever the field is used. Any it is evaluated for each element of the mesh that the operation which needs to evaluated is affecting.
All of this is also explained in the video in different words, I hope it helps to have it explained slightly differently. It's an abstract concept. I tried to present it in a way that is not confusing.
John Doe
1st August 2022 - 17:58
@Simon Thommes Yes, I understand attributes are just bits of data to characterize an element under a domain for a component, like vertices and their positions in the 3D viewer. From what I can understand, the Set Position node is moving each vertice uniformly using the vector coordinate swatches. I understand that using a noise texture will assign random vector coordinates to each position attribute of the elements, overriding the uniformity. However, when plugging in the noise texture using the color output, I'm just confused on how it's moving the vertices in anything but the z direction since those colors are pure black and white (grayscale). I sort of understand what is meant by a field, the noise texture being calculated according to the geometry being used by the current node that it has been plugged into, which is perfectly demonstrated when moving the geometry around in the 3D view while the noise texture updates itself in real time like a tri-planar projection.
Simon Thommes
2nd August 2022 - 10:38
@John Doe I see what the issue is now. The color output of the noise texture is not in fact grayscale, it's a different grayscale noise for each RGB component. And, whenever possible, Blender does implicit conversion between data types. So the RGB vector is directlky used as the offset vector. If you were to use the grayscale Fac output of the noise texture. The implicit conversion would use the same texture for all vector components.
This has nothing to do with fields but with how Blender does implicit conversion for data types in the node editors.
Martynas Narkus
6th March 2023 - 09:21
Thank you for creating this informative video. As a beginner in Blender, I found the theoretical explanations to be useful, but I believe that incorporating more practical examples would be even more helpful. There are still many subjects that I find unknown and complicated to understand by only looking at the spreadsheet. Therefore, I suggest including more real-life tasks in your future tutorials. Thank you again for your effort in providing valuable content.
Simon Thommes
6th March 2023 - 13:50
@Martynas Narkus The idea was to split this up into condensed informative videos and practical examples. Have you checked those out as well? There are two example videos in this chapter. Of course, for practical example it's the more the better, and here I only have a limited amount, but that should give you a good foundation to also experiment yourself and have a better understanding when watching other practical examples on here or for example on youtube.
Martynas Narkus
7th March 2023 - 08:51
@Simon Thommes Hi, thank you for your quick response.
Martynas Narkus
7th March 2023 - 09:01
@Simon Thommes Hi, thank you for your quick response. I did watch all, just what I looking for is to fully understand how to apply all theories into practice and actual examples of nodes roadmap. Follow the tutorial and do what you want it is 2 different skill sets. In my case, I definitely need to see many technically correct different node structures then I definitely will get the pattern and could apply it to my own needs.
30 Comments
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Benjamin Bass
13th June 2022 - 13:00
I am taking the GeoNodes and Procedural Texturing classes simultaneously. I always knew you were an expert node master, but I am so surprised and delighted at what a great teacher you are! Your theory is clear and the practical examples are spot on. It's unusual to find someone who understands such difficult concepts yet is able to clearly explain it step by step. Thank you! Thank you!
Simon Thommes
21st June 2022 - 00:49
@Benjamin Bass Thanks a lot! :)
Satish Goda
22nd May 2022 - 22:42
BUFT - Blender Unified Field Theory :)
Satish Goda
22nd May 2022 - 22:41
Great explanation!!
Gerald Crome
27th July 2022 - 13:21
What a fantastic explanation!. Thank you so much!
Judah Lynn
25th September 2022 - 17:36
Wow. My brain feels bigger. :)
Johann Leo Linduson Birgirsson
6th November 2022 - 13:32
Great video, thank you. I love that you dig into the how and why of geometry nodes.
Andre Kling David
21st May 2022 - 08:28
Very nice, I will probably need to watch this a few times to have my head wrap it around... So let me see if I understood it a bit, fields are kinda like functions in a program, and the geometry is kinda like the object, the functions can only be performed on data's that the object holds?
Simon Thommes
21st May 2022 - 14:24
@Andre Kling David yes, that's pretty much it :)
Jamison
26th May 2022 - 13:33
can I make water with geometry nodes
Simon Thommes
26th May 2022 - 19:57
@Jamison Simulation is not yet part of what geometry nodes can do. But you can certainly create water-like effects with geometry nodes and some animated noise textures
Jamison
31st May 2022 - 01:02
@Simon Thommes ok thank you
Jamison
31st May 2022 - 17:59
@Simon Thommes do have a video or link that I could go to to find out how
Simon Thommes
1st June 2022 - 11:31
@Jamison It really depends on the effect you are going for, but I don't have any links, sorry
Jamison
1st June 2022 - 16:30
@Simon Thommes ok (:
Yevtushenko Oleksandr
26th May 2022 - 18:16
On 5:00, when there's another Grid geometry - does noise texture base on actual (plane) geometry and then noise offset is calcullated based on it, while in SetPosition node we apply that offset (calculated on Plane geometry) to Grid geometry ?
Yevtushenko Oleksandr
26th May 2022 - 18:43
I'm a dummy, sorry, it's clearly explained later in the video
Simon Thommes
26th May 2022 - 19:55
@Yevtushenko Oleksandr No worries, I’m glad it’s clear now!
Jamison
10th June 2022 - 18:03
hey Simon Thomas I have been working on fluid and I hit a problem do you now any body I can talk to for trouble shooting?
Simon Thommes
21st June 2022 - 00:48
@Jamison You could head to blender.chat . In the #everything-nodes, or the #support channel there are usually people around to help out with questions. However there is also a lot you can do to make your questions easily understood, so others can help out.
Nathan Carter
4th July 2022 - 02:10
At one point you say that the index of the vertex is a derived field, computed from the actual vertex data. That seems quite odd to me...wouldn't the index of a vertex be inherent to the spreadsheet data (i.e., what row we're in) and not need to be computed by any algorithm (like normal vectors or face angles would)?
Simon Thommes
4th July 2022 - 11:44
@Nathan Carter I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say, maybe I didn't make it clear. It is not calculated by an algorithm. My point was just that this data is derived, so not directly stored as an attribute. It is not actual data, stored as an integer, it is just implicit in the data.
John Doe
1st August 2022 - 04:20
What even is a field? A bunch of vector coordinates? Does the noise texture come with vector coordinates or something? Confusing video. I'm just trying to understand how the noise texture is manipulating the geometry at the start of the video. The set position node goes from moving around the entire mesh and then concentrating on each individual vertice, the noise texture somehow giving a list of coordinates for each vertice to move only using the color output.
Simon Thommes
1st August 2022 - 10:53
@John Doe Well that question is exactly what I'm trying to answer with this video. Have you watched the previous videos leading up to this? If not I suggest you do. Understanding the concept of attributes helps a lot with understanding fields. Fields itself don't contain any actual per-element data on the geometry, they exist without the context of a geometry as references to certain attributes, like e.g. the point position. The values resulting from the field only actually are calculated whenever the field is used/evaluated in the context of a geometry, where the references of attributes are replaced with the actual attributes themselves to result in the vectors that move the points in the example of the set position node.
But a field does not have to even contain a reference to an attribute at all and it can be more than that and even reference further opterations. All of this is only evaluated whenever the field is used. Any it is evaluated for each element of the mesh that the operation which needs to evaluated is affecting.
All of this is also explained in the video in different words, I hope it helps to have it explained slightly differently. It's an abstract concept. I tried to present it in a way that is not confusing.
John Doe
1st August 2022 - 17:58
@Simon Thommes Yes, I understand attributes are just bits of data to characterize an element under a domain for a component, like vertices and their positions in the 3D viewer. From what I can understand, the Set Position node is moving each vertice uniformly using the vector coordinate swatches. I understand that using a noise texture will assign random vector coordinates to each position attribute of the elements, overriding the uniformity. However, when plugging in the noise texture using the color output, I'm just confused on how it's moving the vertices in anything but the z direction since those colors are pure black and white (grayscale). I sort of understand what is meant by a field, the noise texture being calculated according to the geometry being used by the current node that it has been plugged into, which is perfectly demonstrated when moving the geometry around in the 3D view while the noise texture updates itself in real time like a tri-planar projection.
Simon Thommes
2nd August 2022 - 10:38
@John Doe I see what the issue is now. The color output of the noise texture is not in fact grayscale, it's a different grayscale noise for each RGB component. And, whenever possible, Blender does implicit conversion between data types. So the RGB vector is directlky used as the offset vector. If you were to use the grayscale
Fac
output of the noise texture. The implicit conversion would use the same texture for all vector components. This has nothing to do with fields but with how Blender does implicit conversion for data types in the node editors.Martynas Narkus
6th March 2023 - 09:21
Thank you for creating this informative video. As a beginner in Blender, I found the theoretical explanations to be useful, but I believe that incorporating more practical examples would be even more helpful. There are still many subjects that I find unknown and complicated to understand by only looking at the spreadsheet. Therefore, I suggest including more real-life tasks in your future tutorials. Thank you again for your effort in providing valuable content.
Simon Thommes
6th March 2023 - 13:50
@Martynas Narkus The idea was to split this up into condensed informative videos and practical examples. Have you checked those out as well? There are two example videos in this chapter. Of course, for practical example it's the more the better, and here I only have a limited amount, but that should give you a good foundation to also experiment yourself and have a better understanding when watching other practical examples on here or for example on youtube.
Martynas Narkus
7th March 2023 - 08:51
@Simon Thommes Hi, thank you for your quick response.
Martynas Narkus
7th March 2023 - 09:01
@Simon Thommes Hi, thank you for your quick response. I did watch all, just what I looking for is to fully understand how to apply all theories into practice and actual examples of nodes roadmap. Follow the tutorial and do what you want it is 2 different skill sets. In my case, I definitely need to see many technically correct different node structures then I definitely will get the pattern and could apply it to my own needs.