More options at the array modifier (circular array, cube array, object array)
One of the most irritating thing to do at blender is a simple circular array, there is many variables to account for a simple effect.
Maybe having a option that already put a empty in place and do all the apply transformations without changing the properties of the main object will be a game changer for motion designers.
This would help alot creating a smoother workflow of creating shapes and objects that need circular arrays.
5 Comments
I already suggested a circular array: blender.community/c/rightclickselect/Gdbbbc/
In fact, a patch was already made! developer.blender.org/D3206 The devs also already said no to it, because they want to do arrays via instancing instead first, IE when modifier nodes start popping up...
Rawalanche brings some good counter-arguments IMO, but he didn't get any response.
Also, what do you mean object array? Dupliverts? Or filling the volume of an object with duplicates? The second one seems interesting but also very situational.
When the circle or path array is part of a more complex construction, Animation Nodes can be a convenient solution.
Hopefully as modifiers become "nodified" we'll be able to author node modifer setups similar to the way Animation Nodes works and wrap them up in a reusable "modifier node".
Duplicate of this proposal .
Also... Don't underestimate the power of Dipliverts for oddly shaped arrays!
The cube array is easy enough to implement by simply using 2 arrays, but I definitely agree with the circular array.
Technically you can achieve the same thing by using an array and a rotated offset object, but it's a major PITA to adjust, and wrapping it to a curve distorts the objects.