true instancing in array and mirror if merge is not selected.
To save memory and get true instancing, currently I have to parent an object/group to a plane, and then set the plane to duplicate via faces.
It would be amazing if I the array and mirror could behave similarly. Saves a ton of VRAM.
3 Comments
Adding to this it would also be nice to have an "Apply as Instances" button in the modifiers.
Then at any point you could apply and individually offset or replace some instances without it all becoming one merged mesh.
Bonus points for empties working with the array modifier not just meshes but I imagine that falls under everything nodes.
From what I understand of the way the modifier stack works, this would require some substantial development. Basically, the way things work now, each modifier creates a procedural "derivative mesh" that subsequent modifiers work upon. There's real mesh geometry there so the other modifiers have something to actually modify. Arbitrarily mixing instances in this is not a trivial thing to do.
@Jason van Gumster:
Perhaps have a true instances checkbox which is only available if the array modifier is at the end of the modifier stack. Like with the adaptive subdivision option in the subdivision surface modifier.