Exploring Geometry Nodes in Blender 3.4 with iRender

The Blender Foundation has released Blender 3.4, the latest version of this fantastic open-source 3D software. This version comes with many new features. In today’s article, iRender will explore Geometry Nodes in Blender.

1.1 What are Geometry Nodes in Blender?

System of geometry nodes for node-based procedures to change an object’s geometry The Geometry Nodes Modifier can be used to access it. The geometry node tree connected to a modifier is a Node Group. The Group Input node will receive the geometry from the state before the modifier (the original geometry or the outcome of the prior modifier). Then the node group can operate on the geometry and pass an output to the Group Output node, where it will be passed to the next modifier.

Image Source: Blender.doc

The various forms of geometry that geometry nodes can modify: Meshes, Curves, Point Clouds, Volumes, Instances.

1.2 More updates to Geometry Nodes in Blender 3.4

Image Source: CG Channel

The “major” change to Geometry Nodes won’t come in Blender 3.4; instead, it will come in Blender 3.5. When the node system will transition from being a set of tools for procedural modeling and object scattering to a procedural simulation framework However, there are still a lot of significant modifications, such as the choice to use the Viewer node to preview the output of a node tree in the viewport as opposed to simply the Spreadsheet.

Other key changes include the option to retrieve the capability to extract the properties of instances produced by geometry node, enabling the use of instances in more inventive ways, like this sprite-based real-time fire effect.

Along with Distribute Points in Volume, which adds points inside volume grids, there are new sets of nodes for accessing topological information for meshes and curves.

2.1. How to get started

Image Source: All 3DP

You first need to add a separate workspace:

• On the Topbar, select the plus (‘+’) sign.
• Choose “General” and then “Geometry Nodes.”

In addition to the 3D Viewport, you’ll see that the workspace now also has the Spreadsheet editor on the left and the Geometry Nodes editor on the bottom. To examine and alter geometry data, utilize the spreadsheet editor.

Image Source: All 3DP

You’ll see that the Geometry Nodes modifier is automatically added to the Modifier Properties tab in the Properties editor on the lower right (the wrench icon). Simply click the “+ New” button at the top of the Geometry Nodes editor to add it if it hasn’t already been there.

2.2. Adding Nodes

Image Source: All 3DP

The Group Input and Group Output nodes are the first two to display in the Geometry Node editor after adding a new geometry node group. Following that, we’ll explore some fundamental transformations, including translation, rotation, and scaling. To do this, we’ll need to add the Transform node:

• On the Geometry Nodes editor’s header, select Add from the menu.
• Select “Transform” from the Geometry submenu. Alternatively, you could just type “Transform” into the Add menu’s search field at the bottom.
• Between the Group Input and Group Output nodes, add the Transform node. The necessary sockets will be automatically connected via the links.

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Source: Blender.doc, CG channel