Here is a first prototype of 2 new tools (as a .gha plugin), one for thickening skeletons into closed quad meshes, and one for morphing geometry with a mesh cage. Fattener.gha (27 KB)
and some notes on how to use it here. Please bear in mind this is just an alpha version - no promises how well it will work.
Thanks to all of you who gave input on that pipes thread. I’ve tried to incorporate some of those ideas here. I haven’t yet figured out how exactly this will fit with custom cross-sections as @gustojunk asked, since it currently makes use the symmetry of the 4 sided struts to avoid twist between nodes. It should be possible though, after a few changes.
It’s the same definition as the ‘Skeleton_Morph’ file posted above, just with a vector moving the points from the rest cage to the deformed cage, and slider connected to a multiplier for this vector. Morph_animate.gh (2.2 MB)
@DanielPiker this is awesome, combined it with Pufferfish’s Tween Mesh, works quite fast - now I will apply to the animation team of the next Jurassic World
got it!