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https://packt.link/weEskIn this book, you’ll learn how to work with Geometry Nodes. You will find basic and intermediate-level information about Geometry Nodes here. This book will help you learn various topics, such as distributing points, modifying meshes, creating meshes, and basic nodes.If you are learning any kind of Blender workflow, Geometry Nodes will surely be a handy tool to know about. They open up new possibilities for procedural modeling and animation.You’ll also get the chance to try your skills with fun exercises throughout this book; these include exercises such as making a procedural plant, a procedural landscape, and a procedural spiderweb generator.In this chapter, we’ll talk about the practicality of Geometry Nodes, why they might be useful for you, and some scenarios in which this tool will be helpful. We will also go over the different node inputs and outputs. Finally, at the end of this chapter, you will learn how...

Technical requirements

In this book, we will use Blender version 4.2, which can be downloaded from this link:https://download.blender.org/release/Blender4.2/If you do not have certain nodes, then you might have an outdated version of Blender. While newer versions of Blender might work with this book, we cannot guarantee that everything will match the explanations we give. For the best experience, we recommend using Blender 4.2.

Understanding the Geometry Nodes system

The Geometry Node editor is a feature in Blender 3.0. Over a period of time, it has evolved into a very useful tool that every CG artist should know. Geometry Nodes is all about procedurally modeling your mesh which can help with big scenes where you need lots of objects to have variation. For example, if you are making a forest, every tree needs to have randomness; otherwise, the scene will look like a render. To add variation to trees, we can utilize Geometry Nodes. Previously, creators would use hair particles to scatter objects along a mesh. With Geometry Nodes, this is no longer needed. Geometry Nodes will help in scattering all objects just the way you want. There are lots of ways to scatter your objects. We will also go over the various nodes to randomize these instances. The idea of Geometry Nodes is to procedurally generate a complex mesh out of a basic and simple input.This is not the only thing that Geometry Nodes can do though, in the...

In what situations are Geometry Nodes applicable?

Many people think that Geometry Nodes is the new way to model in Blender, and for certain scenarios, this is true. But there are times when you’re better off using the normal modeling workflow.Geometry Nodes are usually used to procedurally generate multiple objects at once and to scatter objects around on a mesh. For example, scattering grass onto a field, generating roads procedurally, or generating multiple buildings at once.They can also be used to create mathematically based physics simulations like point simulations with forces like gravity.They are also generally not used to model complex organic structures with lots of features, for example, faces, human figures, clothes, or simulations.While it is certainly possible to model these objects via Geometry Nodes, it’s very impractical to do so because the amount of detail in these objects is near impossible to program mathematically using Geometry Nodes. It’s much...

Understanding the Geometry Node editor

The Geometry Nodes system makes use of the node tree design in Blender, similar to the Material Node editor. Much like the Material Node editor, the node system flows from left to right. Geometry Nodes can modify and create different types of geometry, such as the following:

• Meshes: A mesh is a structural build of a 3D model consisting of faces. 3D meshes make use of the three axis points, x, y, and z. It is made up of vertices, which make up edges, which, in turn, make up faces.
• Curves: A curve is a way to define paths in Blender; this can be used on multiple occasions. For example, if you want a camera to follow a specific path, this can be done with curves. These can also be modified, used, and created in the Geometry Node editor. Curves will be further explained in Chapter 8.
• Point clouds: A point cloud is a selection of scattered points around a mesh. These point clouds are only visible in the viewport and not in the render.
• Volumes: A volume...

The different node inputs and how to use them

Now that we've looked into the group input and group output nodes, let's go over the various node inputs and outputs.Let’s start by explaining the various input and output shapes in the Geometry Node editor.

Exploring different shapes

Let’s take a closer look at the input and output shapes in the Geometry Node editor.

The round node input/output

This is what a round input/output node connection looks like:

This defines a single node value. For example, in geometry nodes, a single node connection can send through multiple values from other locations. With a round connection, this is not the case. This will likely result in the value being rounded to one value or returning an error value.

The diamond input/output node connection

This is what a diamond input/output node connection looks like:

It accepts multivalue...

Exercise – accessing the Geometry Nodes system

Now, you’ll learn how to access the handy Geometry Nodes tool in Blender.Before beginning, make sure you’ve installed Blender 4.2, otherwise exercises may not work correctly.

1. Firstly, let’s start by opening Blender.
2. Then, you can head on to the Geometry Nodes tab in the top section of your screen. Now your journey begins.

When you click on the Geometry Nodes tab at the top of your screen, you’ll see the following:

This might look overwhelming at first sight, but don’t worry, this book will guide you through all the parts of this node editor.There are five parts you’ll need to know about on this screen:

• Spreadsheet: This is a separate window that allows you to see various bits of information about elements of your geometry, such as, for example, the properties of instances.
• Viewport: This is...

Summary

We started this chapter by understanding the Geometry Node connection and its applicability. We also looked at some of the different types of geometry that this node can modify and create. We’ve also covered the various node inputs and outputs present in the Geometry Node editor. This includes the vector, boolean, color, integer, value, string, material, and geometry inputs, along with the different shapes of nodes. We have explained how to access the Geometry Node editor in various ways, how the node system works, how it flows, and everything there is to know about this new system in Blender. Having read this chapter, you will now understand how this Geometry Node system works and what kinds of node connections are available in the Geometry Node editor. In the next chapter, we’ll go over the nodes you’ll be needing the most in your basic projects.