If this doesn't work for you, try updating to the latest build of 3.1! I have been notified that earlier builds of 3.1 have some differences that will make following along difficult. 3.1 is still in beta at the time of writing this, so have be patient, this technology is constantly changing.
Gorgeous job, thank you for that tutorial. Tried to make the same, but stuck on 09:00 min. When I add "rotate euler" node, you have nice thin lines and spaces between, I've got much more lines with very low space between them. It's look like a wall of lines. Using blender 3.1 stable, maybe they changed something, and your method dosen't work anymore. Can you help to solve this? P. S. Sorry for mistakes, i'm Ukrainian, English is not my main language.
@@MrMOSXIII I noted at 11:00 that he changed the first Value node that enter in the lennght of Resample Curves, has value of 0.1, instead of 0.01. That change the number of horizontal lines. So the new node that I added it's unusefull, you can change that value. (He added that node in 4:56 )
This is a rare and bizarre situation for me when someone is so far beyond my skill level that it's awe-inspiring, but at the same time you explain stuff so I still understand what's happening. Rather than looking at your tutorial and just think "that crazy maaan" I feel the vast gap between our skillsets. Fun stuff.
as a 3D novice, I am very grateful for this. I looked at the same reference youtube for lightning this week, and started to look for the tutorial most faithful to the nature. You covered everything.
For me the cool part of this setup was when the thunder branches brightly glows after striking down just like in real life, this is what i felt like missing in other tutorials. The only part that suck for me was the node tree, it gets messy after dropping various math nodes. It would have looked way messsyy if the previous attribute system was used....luckily the devs realized that. I really like blender's nodal system.... it is simple, no sophisticated names for nodes, top quality etc etc but i am currently learning houdini as it is the real guru of nodes and legit can do anything for VFX purposes. In houdini there is a function where an artist can write codes based on attributes to make for example abstract flowers, cables, and this type of lightning things without much difficulty. I just wish blender devs somehow eradicate those math nodes and make a code based prototype similar to houdini. Yea wrote too much.... anyway thanks for the tutorial, gonna make it for sure 👍
Thanks for taking the time to provide an in-depth explanation during the tutorial. 2 questions/ comments based on the video: First: Approximately 19:20 in the video when you are adding randomized value to branch length by using the x value of the noise texture: Shouldn't you include a map range node to ensure a minimum branch length given the noise value will be 0-1 premultiplied by the branch length multiplier? It seems as though without a min value most branches will be much smaller than intended and some so small they won't be visible. Second: You are constantly passing the same resolution to each branch. Why not include a branch level input and output which can be incremented in the node group with an add node then divide the resolution by the branch level. While you don't get as much detail in each branch most of the detail of the original resolution would not be visible in subsequent child branches. Reducing the resolution for each child branch will greatly enhance overall performance and allow for deeper nested branches if desired. Thanks again for an awesome video ... learned much from it.
Really awesome guide. This is my first experience with Geometry Nodes so it's way over my head and messy and I followed it to a tee, yet it didn't work quite right. I still had the secondary branches popping in instead of gradualy appearing. At 21:20 you correct this by flipping the Lenght and Max Lenght inputs on the Grouped Nodes but for me it didn't do the trick. But I fixed it by going into the group and also flipping the Lenght and Max Lenght going into the Divide Math node, that did the trick. So if anybody else has this issue, check that. I'm still not finished all the way with this video but I just had to type this in before I forget :) (also using Blender 3.1.2) EDIT: so I finished it and I got one small issue, after the lightning disappears at the value 2 I can still see it if it overlaps another object. I guess the fix can be to make the Lightning object disappear completely after the animation finishes.
I don't write very well in English, I'm using the translator. In my case it works like this: OUT OF THE NODETREE OF THE BRANCHES - The attribute that comes AFTER the Trim Curve is connected to the MAX LENGHT - And the attribute that comes BEFORE is connected to the LENGTH INSIDE THE NODETREE OF THE BRANCHES - The LENGTH is connected to the second value of the DIVIDE node - And the MAX LENGTH is connected to the first value of the DIVIDE node The DIVIDE node does NOT have a clamp. It also happened to me that I forgot to reconnect the first nodetree of branches to the Join Geometry, making the second NodeTree look like it came out of nowhere, so make sure to check that 😅
5:48 A much easier way (in Blender 4.1) to prevent the endpoints from drifting is to use Endpoint Selection node with start and end values set to 1, then plug the Selection output into a Math Compare node and compare to 0. Plug the Result selection set into the set position node's selection, now only the non-endpoint points will be affected by the noise offset. The compare node works to filter out the endpoints because a Selection result is a list of true or false (1 or 0) for each point, and the in between control points aren't selected by the endpoint selection so their selection is 0, which means they *aren't* filtered out and are used to affect the Set Position node. Hope that helps.
Bruh I thought the intro summary was the whole tutorial I never felt so overwhelmed in my life thinking I was supposed to try keeping up then I realized that was just you letting us know what we're learning
how the heck did you learn or find this kind of stuff lol, this is insanely cool :) mine is not looking like yours and I feel like there's a few things not explained after the sponsorship segment, there's suddenly a group of things I don't seem to have setup... anyway that's alright I think I have got a information overload from reaching this point ;3 what a curve ball lol.
Hello, I will definitely try to make this animation. But as a person who is not too fluent in English, I would like to ask that the keys you have pressed be illuminated on the screen. (Although you are very detailed)
it's just awesome! thanks Joey! your approach is great, I learned a lot about geometry nodes... and thanks to you, I'm more comfortable with connections now ;)
8:02 he rotates the banches and as you can see there are tons of them. but @ 8:04 there are less branches and they are evenly spaced. What happen betwwen those 2 seconds that i missed 😭😭😭😭
okay firstly, this is an amazing video and defintely the best lightning I've seen yet! second, do you happen to have a tutorial or blend file for those clouds in the thumbnail? I've been attempting to make coulds in various ways for 2 weeks and I just haven't landed on anything I like yet. But I really like the look of those and I think with some modifcations they could serve in my current project. Thanks!
SAVE SAVE SAVE NOW! I was at the 20min mark when Blander died on me... That's a lot of nodes to lose. Great tutorial with almost obsessive attention to detail.
Just in case you don't know: Blender has an autosave feature that has never failed me. If/when it crashes, just go to File>Recover>Autosave. It's still no substitute for properly saving, but it certainly helps when you aren't doing that.
Someone please let me know if there's a less computationally taxing way to do this (I imagine there's some way to do it with the selection input, but I don't know enough about geometry nodes to figure that out). If you want all branches to have a tapered point, not just the main branch, then you can group the "thickness nodes." The group should have 3 inputs (Offset, Value, and Geometry). Rename "value" to "Factor." Duplicate the node group. Then connect the Curve and Factor outputs from the first branch group node to the Thickness group node, then connect the same Offset vector the original Thickness group uses. Finally, plug the Mesh output into the join geometry node (and remove the previous connection from that branch group node). Rinse and repeat this paragraph for each branch group you have. This is really hard to explain without images/video, but I hope it helps anyone else who is looking for a solution to this issue. I'd love to know if there's a less taxing/simpler way to do this.
I've followed the steps as close as possible. My lightning grows and acts almost exactly the same as the one shown. However at 25:40 my lightning emits no light, it's just a solid white with no emission. No matter what I tune it won't glow. Cycles and Evee with appropriate modification both won't yield the result in the video. Any ideas what I might be doing wrong? Please help :)
If you want bloom with Eevee you need to enable it in the render properties, and if you want it with cycles you can use the glare node in the compositor
Thanks! I didn't go to school for this, I learned on my own with online resources. I haven't worked at any studios, only freelance. I consider myself a professional only because I make money doing it, but I'm not and "industry professional".
this tutorial was exactly what I needed thank you so much! if I wanted to make the lightning always stay on 45° hexagonal paths, what would you recommend I do differently?
On 8:08 is when i ran into an issue. I used curve tangent, Align Euler to vector, instead of lines I am getting a solid square when I rotate, I have made numerous to go over it and went back from the beginning to no avail. Can't figure out what I am doing wrong, what am I missing? I am using blender 3.1 which has been fully updated
yes I also did not achieve the same result, it seems he has missed out specific steps and it's also very obvious when he continues after the sponsor something is missing and changed deliberately.
Maybe you've figured it out by now, but the solid square you're talking about is actually that the resolution of your main curve is so big that it creates too many new lines so close to each other that they look like a solid square. You'll have to turn down the resolution.
‼️THE INFORMATIONS SHOWN IN THIS VIDEO ARE ACTUALLY WRONG‼️: A lightning doesnt only go down and then flashes! It first grows downwards and when it is close enough to the ground or any object, another lightning grows upwards from there and when they meet in the middle, the energy flows from the ground upwards and flashes bright!
i know i am late to the party but i have a problem here 29:07 😅 i cannot manage to do the effect with those power nodes. Do someone know what could be a problem ? Btw thank you man you are awesome 🔥
Awesome tutorial, I really like the work you do, you have som really advanced, in-depth tutorials that really are a rarity on YT. I'm trying to follow along and doing my best to actually learn by understanding the purpose of each node, but I'm a little confused about the Capture Attribute node. Why exactly is it necessary to capture the Factor first? I Seem to get the same results by bypassing the Capture Attribute node and just go Factor -> Float Curve -> Multiply -> Set Position. Is the CA node redundant or does it have something to do with Blender being fine with going straight from the Spline Parameter when there is only one Spline, but I'll run into issues later when I start adding branches, because then Blender won't know where it's supposed to take the Factor from, unless it's captured first? (To clarify, I don't know if this is a thing, I'm guessing, and this is my best guess) Hope you have time to answer, would be much appreciated :)
Just noticed that you explain one reason to have the CA node there, to make sure the Factor is taken before the Trim Curve rather than after, but is this the ONLY purpose? Because I'm using the tutorial to make a bloodvessel network so I don't really care about the Trim Curve anyway :)
What an amazing tutorial! The level is impressive and the final rendering is even more so! I encounter a problem on my side, after the flash of the lightning the emission ends abruptly while arriving at the value 2, and not gradually. Do you have an idea ? I am on Cycle. Thank you very much for your help :)
I did what you said with realizing and resampling the curves but for some reason my branches are not distorting, is it because I am using a later version of blender? I am duplicating the map range and separate XYZ to get around the fact there is no more vector in 3.5
Hey I went over everything and even double checked it. The lightning is coming out black and doesn’t flash so when I alpha blend is disappears. And I also want to say awesome tutorial!!!!! ^_^ it’s working amazing besides the black lightning problem haha xD but you’re awesome!! Thank you!!
Thank you so much for the Video! I ended up to buy the File, but if i want to skale it up, the Flash is almost completely white instead of blue. What can I do too fix that problem? Thanks :)
Great video probably the best Blender lightning tutorial, but I m having a problem, at 19:03 immediately your lightning changes shape unlike mine..I followed multiple times the same steps and then I stop there,. Am I forgetting something? Thanks man
3.1 stable is out now, do you think that will be good or should we use the beta? I know you've probably gotten a few too many questions I can see your pinned comment.
@@JoeyCarlino Thanks for the tutorial. I initially tried it on 3.01 but came to a standstill after the Random Rotation chapter as the branches would not stay attached. I tried again using the stable 3.1 release changing my original 3.01 nodes as required but still had the same problem. It turns out that the original Realize Instances node (11:55) was a legacy node or something. I needed to delete it and add it again which picked up the correct version and now the branches are attached. There may be others having the same problem so I hope this helps. Now looking forward to continuing on with the rest. Thanks again.😀
Amazing tutorial - did anyone else have problems when starting the Noise Distortion section? My curve just stopped reacting to the inputs and then disappeared.
I just bought the lightning strike generator, but I cant seem to control the fade of the lightning. I need to make the strike quicker, but the fade slower - at the moment, when I shorten the strike time, it also makes it fade just as quickly (the animations seem to be built into eachother) How do I fix this?
when i go out of the secondary node group the white noise value is connect with the group even if this output was not connect before. I use 3.1.0. I think i have the last update.
Great tutorial! One issue I'm having: The lightning rises from bottom to top instead of top to bottom when I alter the start/end parameters. Any ideas why?
Caros alguem conseguiu concluir esse tutotrial? tentei refazer varias vezes e nao obtive sucesso ...me parece que falta aluma coisa! é impressão minha ou o video é cortado em certos momentos? òtimo tutorial triste por nao conseguir ter concluido abraços a todos!!!
Having a little bit of trouble. I am about a third of the way through and all my nodes look the same but I am getting different results and the branching seems to be the issue. Or version. I am using 3.1.2 not saying it's not operator error though. That's always a possibility.
Hi. I am using Blender 3.1 and the Map Range doesn't have a vector function. The result is similar but not exactly the same. Can you suggest a workaround please?
You might need to get the newest build for it to work, but you could always use a separate xyz and use a map range for each channel instead of setting it to vector
@@JoeyCarlino Thank! Yeah, that's what I was thinking but I hoped there might be a more elegant solution. BTW my bad: I am using 3.01, not 3.1. I'll grab the latest build.
There should be directions in the file. You append the object or collection. I'll eventually update it with more features and make it work with the asset browser.
Great tutorial. I’m having issues with the branches of the lightning staying connected to the main bolt. Also, I am not getting any distortion on the branches either. I’ve restarted the project twice, getting the same issue. Still pretty new to Blender, what did I do wrong. Any suggestions are welcome. I’m using Blender 3.0.
Any chance you could update this for 3.3? I tried following but running into issues either with 3rd level branches growing the wrong way/not at all/from 90percent. I also bought the Strike pack from gumroad but it doesnt load properly in 3.3? (a bunch of the nodes are stacked on top of eachother and Group inputs are disconnected). Otherwise, this is an awesome tut haha
nice work ! somewhat frustrating though as not reproductible as-is ( inputs or outputs swapped, etc... ) You go too fast for novices man ! :P But your martering lever is absolutely impressive !
I'm using 3.0 and when i make the branches, rather than the nice thin and spaced branches you get. I get a wall of thick chode lines. 😭any idea what could be happening?
