So I am using a mask to render lines. Can I change the Z position? It's too far away from my camera and you can barely see the rendered lines. Thanks!
Yes you can, check out the transform menu. You should also check out all the video tutorials to get familiar with all the functions of Plexus. They are all under the VIDEOS tab on the product page.
Hello, I am trying to use plexus on an image file, specifically .png, and whenever I apply plexus to the image in the composition the image seems to disappear from the composition. What am I doing wrong?
Or can it not do what I want it to. I'm trying to create "imploding" text, where plexus starts fragmented, and then comes together to form the image. I have had this work with text layers before but why not an image. Is it possibly because it has "emptiness" in the image?
The Image I'm trying to work with is attached. Thanks for your help!
Hello, I am trying to use plexus on an image file, specifically .png, and whenever I apply plexus to the image in the composition the image seems to disappear from the composition. What am I doing wrong?
Or can it not do what I want it to. I'm trying to create "imploding" text, where plexus starts fragmented, and then comes together to form the image. I have had this work with text layers before but why not an image. Is it possibly because it has "emptiness" in the image?
The Image I'm trying to work with is attached. Thanks for your help!
The layer object requires a mask for the Plexus to be drawn so just having a bitmap image won't work. You will need to trace the logo first. You can use After Effects' Auto Trace function under the Layer menu or of course trace it by hand.
Hi there, I'm having an issue with 3D nulls in Plexus. I'm trying to create a fairly complex shape consisting of about 6 groups of 5-20 3D nulls (all named to identify). However, when I create several 'Plexus layer objects' and target the different nulls by name, After Effects slows down to a halt. I am currently trying this with only 3 groups of 5 nulls all named A, B, and C, and targeting them by name. Can you please shed any light as to why this may be happening?
Hi there, I'm having an issue with 3D nulls in Plexus. I'm trying to create a fairly complex shape consisting of about 6 groups of 5-20 3D nulls (all named to identify). However, when I create several 'Plexus layer objects' and target the different nulls by name, After Effects slows down to a halt. I am currently trying this with only 3 groups of 5 nulls all named A, B, and C, and targeting them by name. Can you please shed any light as to why this may be happening?
Feature request for future release: incorporate a function to collect OJBs when AE collects project files. I just ran into this problem where I had an OBJ that Plexus was using and after I collected the files and backed up the project, I'm now realizing (a few months later now that the client wants to revise some things) the OBJ is no longer. To my misfortune, it's completely gone now, but I can work around that. Having that function built into Plexus would sure save some head-ache.
Unfortunately this is a limitation of After Effects. Only one plug-in can import a file type. It is almost trivial to implement a file importer but that would cause issues with Form plugin. We highly recommend you to file a feature request with the AE team for a permanent better solution.
Hi there, I am experiencing an issue with the triangulation renderer. The faces seem to be abruptly being turned on/off when coming into maximum distance range. I tried calculate the distance "over time interval" or "one frame only" as you showed it in your time smoothing tutorial. Desperately no success. I uploaded the tiny project file here for reference... http://we.tl/Lq6b4iTYCd thanks a lot in advance! Michael
Hello, I am getting artifacts using the Lines Renderer. Large close to camera lines keep hitting and flashing the lens, even though i've made sure my geometry and points are safely away from the front of camera. Have you seen this issue before? Is there a way around it? Thanks so much for the amazing amazing plugin btw!
I’m not entirely clear what the result you’re expecting here. Can you explain it a bit more clearly? Also, I’ve noticed that you applied plexus to a 3D layer and key framing the orientation which is not recommended. Always try using a camera. Please explain a bit more clearly what kind of result are you expecting and how it differs from what it’s rendering now.
Ahh thank you Satya! I thought I had OpenGL checked already. That would explain why sometimes I see the issue and sometimes I don't. I also go back and forth from PC to Mac so another reason why it comes and goes for me.
Is there are a way to connect shapes layers in plexus - just like connect layers script - , what geometry I have to use ?
Yes but Plexus has a different workflow. Please watch the tutorial videos under the VIDEOS tab to familiarize yourself with how to use plexus: https://aescripts.com/plexus
I have a textured sprite which is an hexagone. I use the line render to connect all my hexagons together. The hexagone are slightly transparent. Because of that, we see the line connection behind it. Is there a way to render the line only between the hexagone but being hidden if they are overlapping the hexagon? see screen below
What's the secret sauce to linking 3D layers with the Beam Renderer?
I've distributed a bunch of Nulls in 3D space, into a sphere. I then use Plexus' Layer Geometry to internally link to these Nulls. I then create another Null at the center of the sphere - separate Plexus group.
I then apply the Beams Renderer, to visually link the two groups. All good. I them create a Plexus Transform Effector and link it to the 'sphere group. But I can't link the Transform Effector's props to the 'sphere Nulls'. Well, the link works but there is a huge offset between the Plexus Points and the 'sphere Nulls'.
So, how does one link Plexus' Transform Effector to a 3D layer?
I'm not entirely sure what you're doing here. Are you trying to 'link' the Null object to a Plexus Transform Object? If so, there is a slight trickery involved depending on your other objects. The key is the 'center' of the transform. Have a look at the attached project which will give you a better idea. Also, if you are creating a sphere using Nulls, a much better and fast way is to use the Primitives object.
Hi Satya, thanks for your prompt reply. I did think of using a Primitive Geometry but I thought I could have more control with each point on the sphere by using Nulls.
I did take a look at your AEP and I am familiar with your workflow. Can you please take a look at the AEP packed in the ZIP below?
The reason it wasn't working is because you are creating a feedback loop. The Transform effector is in the same group as the Layers object with which the points are created. Then you are modifying the the Controller 1 properties using the same Transform effector which causes a 'double' transform. Take a look at the attached project file, which solves that issue.
Hi Satya, yup, it's working as expected now. It didn't occur to me that there would be a feedback issue - mindfreak territory! :-)
I thought I did the most obvious thing which was to set the Transform Effector to affect the group I did want to affect. DANG! The solution was to actually link the Transform Effector to any other group. lol
BTW, I solved the y-rotation issue using my feedback method with this Expression - (1/(thisComp.layer("Controller 01").transform.yRotation))*.75
which was placed in the Transform Effector's y-rotation prop.
Also, not sure if you noticed, but in that project file before the yRotation is negated (In the Controller layer), which is necessary if you're linking Plexus Transform effector to Ae layer properties. Plexus has a slightly different internal world space.
I'm using Plexus 2 in After Affects CC2014. I'm using nulls as my geometry and drawing lines between them, with the lines set to "get opacity from vertices". However, when I keyframe the opacity of one of the nulls, it has absolutely no effect on the opacity of the Plexus lines; everyline maintains uniform opacity. However, when I uncheck "get opacity from vertices," all the lines rise uniformly in opacity. Has anyone else encountered this problem? Thanks so much
If you mean control the opacity of vertices using Opacity of the layer, it is supported. To get Layer Opacity you need to check the "Get Opacity from Opacity" checkbox on. Please see the attached screenshot.
One feature I would LOVE to see in a future Plexus update would be support for fading out (or tinting) objects/lines based on depth (in a similar way to Particular and Element3D). Depth of field helps, but it would be so much more effective with fogging support.
Oh - and obligatory mention of Motion blur too. I think everyone's been waiting for that since version 1
I have a web of points that I've created and I've set the points to be represented by a textured sprite. The textured sprite is pulling images from a comp I've created and I have the textured sprite set to "Random Still". So far all of this is working fine and I'm happy with the result. (See attached image for how it looks)
My question is this: Is there a way to one-by-one have each of these sprites animate and be replaced by another still image? So for example, in the attached image, you see the "Arabic" text and the red and green rectangle. I'd want that entire node to flicker and disappear and be replaced by a different colored rectangle and some text that say's something else besides "Arabic". And then all the different nodes behind it would one-by-one flicker and change as well. I want it to animate so that each of the nodes flickers and transition to a new node, and it appears to happen randomly and not all at once, but I can't figure out how to get it to do that. Does that make sense, and does anyone have thoughts on how to accomplish this?
Happy to answer questions and provide more screen shots.
As a follow up to the post above, I want it to look like the below video link, but I want the flicker transition to happen randomly and not have all the nodes flicker and transition at the same time. Hope that clarifies. Is there a way to do that? I'm sure it uses textured sprites but I'm not sure how to do it.
You can use a Spherical Field effector and use lights to animate such kind of effect.
Good idea with the sphere effector. I'm not exactly sure how you would use lights to do this. Is there a tutorial or link to an example showing how I could do it with lights?
Hi all, I have a big AE world of many picture card precomps in 3d space and linking them with plexus beams. But they want to connect to the bottom right of the layers. Any way to have it snap to the center of a layer instead?
Hi all, I have a big AE world of many picture card precomps in 3d space and linking them with plexus beams. But they want to connect to the bottom right of the layers. Any way to have it snap to the center of a layer instead?
Hi, There's isuss with version 2.0.12 in CC2015(Mac pro D500), the camera can not move smooth and it's normal in CC2014.
Thanks
Can you please open a support ticket and submit a movie showing the problem as well as the project file? (Just the .aep no footage) https://aescripts.com/contact/?direct=1
Hi, There's isuss with version 2.0.12 in CC2015(Mac pro D500), the camera can not move smooth and it's normal in CC2014.
Thanks
Can you please open a support ticket and submit a movie showing the problem as well as the project file? (Just the .aep no footage) https://aescripts.com/contact/?direct=1
Remove both the versions and re-install Plexus using the installer. Looks like the plug-in files are manually put in the plugins folder, hence you're getting errors. The installer installs to the appropriate location depending on the version of AE.
Hey, absolutely love this plugin. But a quick question - is it possible to insert (or mask out) a 3D layer inside a Plexus setup (a bit like 3D visibility layers in Particular)? I have a corporate video, with the main presenter keyed out, and I want the plexus elements to wrap around her. I would insert her as a single particle, but I don't think there's a single instance generator in plexus as far as I can tell. I guess I could do a workaround and import a single point OBJ. But it would be neat if there was a more elegant, integrated solution. Especially if you had a "stencil alpha" type blend mode to mask out all particles/lines further back in Z-space from that layer
I have a textured sprite which is an hexagone.
I use the line render to connect all my hexagons together.
The hexagone are slightly transparent.
Because of that, we see the line connection behind it.
Is there a way to render the line only between the hexagone but being hidden if they are overlapping the hexagon?
see screen below
Many thanks
Nico
Oh - and obligatory mention of Motion blur too. I think everyone's been waiting for that since version 1
represented by a textured sprite. The textured sprite is pulling images
from a comp I've created and I have the textured sprite set to "Random
Still". So far all of this is working fine and I'm happy with the
result. (See attached image for how it looks)
My question is
this: Is there a way to one-by-one have each of these sprites animate
and be replaced by another still image? So for example, in the attached
image, you see the "Arabic" text and the red and green rectangle. I'd
want that entire node to flicker and disappear and be replaced by a
different colored rectangle and some text that say's something else
besides "Arabic". And then all the different nodes behind it would
one-by-one flicker and change as well. I want it to animate so that each
of the nodes flickers and transition to a new node, and it appears to
happen randomly and not all at once, but I can't figure out how to get
it to do that. Does that make sense, and does anyone have thoughts on
how to accomplish this?
Happy to answer questions and provide more screen shots.
Link to short video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9qxakme6f9ysus8/Sample Comp.mp4?dl=0
Thoughts?
Any way to have it snap to the center of a layer instead?
There's isuss with version 2.0.12 in CC2015(Mac pro D500), the camera can not move smooth and it's normal in CC2014.
Thanks
https://www.dropbox.com/s/diqv2bqv7exj1uh/cc2015-plexus2.0.12.mov?dl=0
/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Common/Plug-ins/7.0/MediaCore/Rowbyte/Plexus/Plexus64.plugin
Once I manually remove the copy on Library both error messages vanish, but Plexus becomes very unstable.
How can I uninstall it properly so I can test different Plexus versions?
I also got CS6 & CC2014 on the same computer
Thanks for your help.
I would insert her as a single particle, but I don't think there's a single instance generator in plexus as far as I can tell. I guess I could do a workaround and import a single point OBJ. But it would be neat if there was a more elegant, integrated solution. Especially if you had a "stencil alpha" type blend mode to mask out all particles/lines further back in Z-space from that layer