Multiple instances of the same object without using a population

[FrankThomas]

If I want to add, say, a clump of 7 or 8 trees.  Do I have to load 7 or 8 instances of the object or can I copy objects so I could load 1 tree then copy it 7 or 8 times ?

(I have an awful lot of questions don't I )

[FrankThomas]

Never mind - I figured it out.  Just set the area smaller

D'Oh *slaps forehead*

[FrankThomas]

Errr . . . me again *ahem*

Can you copy populations ? or do you have to load one for each instance you are planning on placing ?  So if I want 15 clumps of trees, I need 15 populations loaded ? (please tell me I don't - my computer will melt if I try that)

[nikita]

You could connect a fractal to the density shader port of the population node. 
But if you really want to place these tree groups yourself you will have to create some more populations  And I believe the number of population isn't important but the total amaount of instances.

btw I wonder if you can make populations of populations? That would really melt melt your cpu 

[FrankThomas]

btw I wonder if you can make populations of populations? That would really melt melt your cpu 

Ooo makes my head ache just thinking about it.

I might try that fractal thingie - just finishing off a render even as we type.  All I need to do now is figure out a quick way of selecting all the nodes to save 'em

[manleystanley]

You could just use a modeling program to copy your tree to make say a grove; also use the scale and rotate so you don't end up with a grove of clone trees. Then save as a single file and import that as the population model. This would give you several sets of groves. just be sure to set your object spacing up a bit. I did a single object import of a city scape with 18 seperate building models, loaded and rendered, but I haven't tried it as a population. The only real problem may be that most trees, no matter how you try, are going to be high poly, so a single grove could be quite large; as in poly count, and could be too much to populate.

[FrankThomas]

That would probably work apart from I have no clue how to use 3D modeling software

I'll probably try the fractal connected to the density shader first I think

[Oshyan]

The other problem with setting up a "grove" as a single object set is it will be difficult or impossible to get them all to "sit" on the terrain unless it is very flat wherever you put them. The wider spaced the trees are, the more their horizontal arrangement (with roots level to each other) will not align with a non-flat terrain.

- Oshyan