Geometry nodes – tiling instances on the faces of a mesh

[erikitect]

What I want to do is make a model of a skyscraper under construction, where window panels are tiled all over the wall, in varying degrees of completeness.

I have figured out how to tile them on a plane, and arrange four planes in a box shape, but when I try to tile them on the faces of a mesh, I don’t know how to set up the rotation right, so the panel instance is lined up with the face. The “normal” node does not work the way I expect it to. What should I do?

[Martin Bergwerf]

Hi @erikitect ,

If I understand correctly, you might be missing this highlighted Node:

[erikitect]

Well, I knew I needed to use Euler-to-vector but possibly had its settings wrong. I will try again when I have time.

[erikitect]

Thank you again, Martin Bergwerf. 

I have re-created your node setup, but substituted a monkey-head for the instanced cube so it is possible to see the rotation. 

But now, although it is a step in the right direction but I really am wondering what it takes to make the monkey face out rather than face to the side.

[erikitect]

And now I have solved that problem. Change the axis of the Euler-to-Vector to Y, then they will face in. Scalar multiply the normal by -1 and they face out.

Thank you for your help.

[Martin Bergwerf]

Glad you figured that out @erikitect !

Alternatively (with even more control), you could simply Transform Suzanne:

And there will probably be quite a few other ways to do it.

[erikitect]

This is closer to what I want but not quite. I want all instances on a face to face the same way, but only the middle ones do.

[Martin Bergwerf]

Hey Erik,

this is because your Dual Mesh looks something like this:

and the Normals of the Points near the Edges are ‘wrong’ (for your purpose).

One way to solve this would be:

to use the Normals of the original Cube.

[Omar Domenech]

Spikey, remember I want your brain data when the I know Kung-Fu Matrix tech is available.

[erikitect]

Thank you again. I also tried it without the “Dual Mesh” node and got wrong-facing monkeys on the edges and corners, and the monkeys near the edges were not close enough as I recall. 

So now this is the main piece of my puzzle solved, I just need to understand “capture attribute” node better.

[Martin Bergwerf]

@dostovel

Blender has the technology:

[Author]

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