Flowfields

Commands based off the concept of "Flow Fields", often seen in generative art.

Conceptually they use some function (noise in our case), to generate a set of vectors along a grid, or field, which will dictate how particles flow through that field.

//ezflowfield

Flow Field

//ezflowfield <palette> <lines> <iterations> <velocity> <paletteScalar> <noise> [-m <source>] [-h <distributionMode>] [-i <inertia>] [-g <gravity>] [-j <jitter>] [-b <boundary>] [-x <xMod>] [-y <yMod>] [-z <zMod>] [-p <progression>] [-s <seed>] [-c] [-f] [-t]

Alias: //flow

Generates a flow field within a selection, creating dynamic pattern based on the many available parameters.

• Palette: Specifies the palette of blocks to be used in generating the flowfield.

• Lines: Defines the number of lines or a percentage distribution to determine how densely the flowfield is populated within the selection. e.g 100 will generate 100 lines, 100% will generate 1 line for every block in the region.

• Iterations (Default: 32): The number of iterations or steps per line controlling how long they will be.

• Velocity (Default: 1): The speed at which points move across the surface.

• PaletteScalar (Default: 1.0): Scales the value used to select a palette block.

• Noise (Default: Perlin()): The type of noise used to generate the flowfield.

• -m: Applies a mask to limit the flow's start points, focusing the effect on specific areas.

• -h: Enables heightmap mode for creating 2D flowfields, with optional block distribution modes.

• -i (Default: 0.0): Sets the inertia weighting of the flow, controlling how much previous movement directions influence the next.

• -g (Default: (0,0,0) ): Applies gravity to points, pulling them in the specified direction.

• -j (Default: (0,0,0) ): Adds jitter to the start points of lines. Useful with -m flag.

• -b (Default: 0): Expands the calculation boundary without placing blocks outside the original selection. Does not place blocks outside the selection.

• -x, -y, -z: Modify the coordinates of the flow, allowing for transformations like scaling or rotation. Takes in a WorldEdit expression, e.g -x *10 to multiply the x axis by 10.

• -p (Default: 1:1): Adjusts the strength of the line as it progresses, accepts negative values to either start or end on a point strength that subtracts from the flow field.

• -s (Default: -1): Overrides the default noise seed.

• -c: Returns the curl of the field.

• -f: Fills gaps with the lowest block in the palette.

• -t: Generates a 3D flowfield instead. May require a lot of time to generate.

//ezflowline

Flow Line

/ezflowline <pattern> <length> <gravity> <noise> [-i <inertia>] [-c <convexSelPoints>] [-s]

Alias: //flowline

Generates a single flow-line based on the actor's position and viewing direction. The same fundamental premise as a Flow Field, but only generating 1 line.

• Pattern: Determines the pattern of blocks to place.

• Length: Sets the length of the flowline in blocks. This defines how far the flowline will extend from the starting point.

• Gravity (Default: -1): Applies gravity to points, pulling them in the specified direction.

• Noise (Default: Perlin()): The type of noise used to generate the flowfield.

• -i (Default: 0.0): Adjusts the point inertia weighting, controlling how much previous movement directions influence future directions. A value between 0.0 and 1.0.

• -c (Default: 0): If greater than 0, creates a convex selection out of the flowline, using the specified number of points to define the selection's shape.

• -s: Enables snapping of the flowline to surfaces, making the line adhere to the contours of the landscape or structures it intersects.