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DLG

simulations/dlg·v1.3.0

IN:3 OUT:1

SUMMARY

DLG (Differential Line Growth) is a GPU-accelerated simulation that creates organic branching line patterns through iterative edge subdivision based on neighbor proximity. This operator generates complex, brain coral-like structures by splitting edges when vertices become too crowded, allowing the line to grow and fold upon itself in intricate ways. The algorithm checks each vertex against its neighbors within a maximum distance, and subdivides edges when density thresholds are exceeded, creating natural-looking growth patterns.

The simulation operates on line strips (open or closed loops) and can optionally use curvature information to influence growth direction, creating more varied branching behavior. You control growth characteristics through parameters like growth strength (subdivision rate), max distance (neighbor search radius), max neighbors (crowding threshold), and vertex limits to cap complexity. The line is smoothed each iteration using gaussian or other filter types to maintain organic curves, with adjustable edge distance and smoothing effect controlling the final aesthetic.

DLG supports constraint systems to guide growth within specific regions: geometry constraints project vertices onto surfaces (creating growth confined to objects), while volume constraints use 2D/3D textures to define allowed growth spaces with force-based repulsion. Optional noise can replace the Mass attribute to create more varied growth patterns, with full control over perlin noise parameters including harmonics, amplitude, and animation. Bounding limits allow clamping growth to specific XYZ ranges, making DLG ideal for organic decoration, procedural lace patterns, coral structures, brain-like forms, and abstract linear art.

PARAMETERS

PAGEDLG

Target Line Update POP	Lineupdatepop	Reference to a POP node downstream in the network. This reference will cause a feedback loop and re-injects the line geometry next frame.
Max Number of Vertices	Maxverts	Vertex limit to prevent infinite growth and control complexity.
Growth Strength	Growthstrength	Rate of edge subdivision and line growth per iteration.
Mass	Mass	Per-vertex mass controlling resistance to growth forces.
Max Distance	Maxdistance	Search radius for neighbor proximity checks (smaller = denser growth).
Distribution	Distribution	Distribution method for neighbor search queries.
Num Hash Buckets	Numhashbuckets	Number of hash buckets for spatial neighbor lookups.
Max Neighbors	Maxneighbors	Maximum neighbor count before edge subdivision triggers.
[+]Line Strips	Linestrips	Close (connected loops) or Open (line segments with endpoints).
Filter Type	Filtertype	Smoothing filter algorithm (gaussian, box, etc.) for line curves.
Edge Distance	Filterdist	Smoothing kernel size along edges (larger = smoother curves).
Smooth Effect	Effect	Blend amount between original and smoothed positions (0-1).
Initialize	Initializepulse	Pulse to reset simulation with initial line geometry.
Start	Startpulse	Pulse to begin simulation from initialized state.
Play	Play	Toggle continuous simulation playback.
Step	Steppulse	Pulse to advance simulation by one iteration while paused.

PAGECollisions

[+]Limit Type Minimum	Mintype	Method for enforcing the minimum position limit per axis.
[+]Limit Type Maximum	Maxtype	Method for enforcing the maximum position limit per axis.
[+]Minimum Value	Min	Lower bound for XYZ position limits.
[+]Maximum Value	Max	Upper bound for XYZ position limits.
[+]Collision Type	Collisiontype	Selects the collision geometry type for constraining line growth.
Collision Damping	Collisiondamping	Amount of velocity dampening applied when vertices collide with the collision geometry.
Solid	Solid	Treats the collision geometry as a solid volume, preventing vertices from passing through.
Project	Project	Projects vertices onto the surface of the collision geometry.
Collision POP	Collisionpop	Reference to a POP containing the collision geometry when using POP collision type.
Collision Offset	Collisionoffset	Offset distance from the collision surface to prevent z-fighting artifacts.
[+]Size	Size	Size of the box collision geometry.
[+]Radius	Radius	Radius of the collision geometry per axis.
Corner Radius	Cornerradius	Radius of rounded corners on the box collision geometry.
Collison TOP	Collisontop	Reference to a TOP texture used as the collision field for SDF and texture collision types.
Use Custom Bounds	Usecustombounds	Enables custom bounding box for the collision texture instead of using the texture's native bounds.
[+]Lower Bounds	Lowerbounds	Lower bounds of the collision volume in world space.
[+]Upper Bounds	Upperbounds	Upper bounds of the collision volume in world space.
[+]Transform Order	Xord	Sets the order of scale, rotate, and translate operations for the collision geometry transform.
[+]Rotate Order	Rord	Sets the order of rotation operations for the collision geometry transform.
[+]Translate	T	Translation of the collision geometry in world space.
[+]Rotate	R	Rotation of the collision geometry in degrees.
[+]Scale	S	Scale of the collision geometry per axis.
[+]Pivot	P	Pivot point for the collision geometry transform.
Uniform Scale	Scale	Uniform scale factor applied to the collision geometry.
Display Geometry	Displaygeo	Shows the collision geometry in the viewport for visualization.
[+]Display Color	Displaycolor	Display color for the collision geometry visualization.

PAGENoise

Apply Noise	Applynoise	Replaces the Mass attribute with noise to create varied growth patterns.
[+]Type	Type	Noise algorithm type and dimensionality.
Seed	Seed	Numerical value that initializes the randomization.
Period	Period	Period (scale) of the noise field.
Harmonics	Harmon	The number of higher frequency components to layer on top of the base frequency. 0 harmonics give the base shape.
Harmonic Spread	Spread	The factor by which the frequency of a harmonic increases relative to the previous harmonic.
Harmonic Gain	Gain	Amplitude of the Harmonics layered on top of the base frequency.
Amplitude	Amp	The noise values amplitude (a scale on the values output).
Exponent	Exp	Sets the exponent. The internal value is raised by the power of the exponent.
Offset	Offset	Constant added to noise output for bias adjustment.
Animate	Animate	Time-based noise evolution speed for animated variation.

PAGECommon

Free Extra GPU Memory

Freeextragpumem

Free memory that has accumulated when output memory has grown and shrunk.

INPUTS

Input 0 POP – LineStrip In

Input 1 POP – Constraint Geometry

Input 2 TOP – Constraint Volume

OUTPUTS

Output 0 POP – LineStrip Out