Tip - 311: What you need to know about Scene Nodes (Tech Preview) in Cinema 4D R23

In this Quick Tip, Jonas Pilz shows how to get started with Scene Nodes (Tech Preview) in Cinema 4D R23. You will learn about the Op stream and that it can contain all sorts of data. Furthermore, Jonas will talk about about the separation between the classic Object Manager and the Scene Nodes system and when Scene Nodes are being executed.
Recorded in Cinema 4D R23.
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[@parttimehuman]

New to C4D: How to confuse the ever loving shit out of the next freelancer that has to open your project and change something.

[@Oldyellowbrick]

I read this after writing my reply and fully agree with you

[@glacies1356]

@@Oldyellowbrick This is actually brilliant and will open endless possibilities in creating easy assets and a procedrual workflow. But you don't have to use it :)

[@MrMadvillan]

haha... the long con; spend a few years learning scene nodes, all nighters, after work, break up with girlfriend if necessary, no hobbies, get fired, just to prank the next freelancer 😆

[@CanErduman]

Hi Jonas, this is a great tutorial. It's on point and quick to understand. I would love to watch more scene nodes.

[@timvanderwiel5105]

Yeah me too, these are great intro tutorials to understand the basics. Getting into scene nodes can be a bit overwhelming I find without the basics

[@SteelBlueVision]

This video was DESPERATELY NEEDED for users to understand how to use nodes. I hope more videos will follow!

[@infojaviernova]

Wow! C4D always surprise me! Amazing software, amazing devolopers, amazing in all., thank you very much for all :)

[@Zygote3D]

This video is awesome. We use scenes all the time so we think this is really useful for animators.

[@wilmercortez]

The implication of this system is massive and largely efficient.

[@namipictures]

This one is pretty much obsolete and might frustrate new users. It needs to be updated. Thank you guys!!! 🙏

[@PIZZA_KITTY]

Hounema4D

[@rohitgaikwad1070]

XD

[@tonysmith6992]

It’s completely copy houdini 😂

[@PIZZA_KITTY]

I love it! I believe it can help me learning node based workflow before I really dive into overwhelming Houdini world.

[@shoufengzhang817]

XD

[@shynnsup8383]

@@tonysmith6992 Houdini did not event visual programming or node editors.

[@christianmatts1211]

thank youfor the tutorial, as c4d updates often its currently out of date for 2024 - as there are no "operators" listed as nodes. things got moved around and its not super clear where / how.

[@lexxandera]

Hello, How do I make the Node Editor in s24 look like in r23? The option to display the attributes within Node Editor seems to be missing in s24.

[@neoqueto]

Is there a plan to integrate all node editors into a single system or at least allow for shared functionality? It would be cool to combine scene nodes with xpresso and with node-based materials. Or deprecate xpresso in favor of scene nodes and make it possible to manipulate node material parameters with the new operators.

[@MaxonVFX]

This is the new core technology we were talking about at Siggraph. Although it's a tech preview in it's current state, Cinema 4D will be completely based on this in the future. But the goal is to ALLOW node based workflows, NOT to ENFORCE them - meaning, you won't have to touch nodes, if you don't want to. It will be easy to use. You can already combine scene nodes with node-based materials using the Material Parametrization node. And you can use Xpresso to control parameters in Scene Nodes using the Set Driver / Driven workflow.

[@shynnsup8383]

So I can't 'bake' or transfer scene geometry to the viewport? Brilliant 😤. I want to use node editor as a starting point or intermediate point and then keep on modelling manually..... you guys should check Grasshopper by McNeel...

[@kshaharudin]

Strange choice of terminology. Operators? Something i associate with +, -, *,

[@arisstuffff]

wholly agree

[@Xeotroid]

The term here seems pretty widespread. It's a node that operates on something else or processes an input. In XPresso there are also operators, and their most common usage is to do fairly quick maths (formulas, range mapping, distance and angle calculations, comparing, boolean algebra etc.). I just hope XPresso won't get forgotten about in favour of scene nodes - those are cool for complex and procedural stuff but too complicated when making a simple "this affects that" sort of set-up. Hmm... XPresso 2.0 with multithreading support and easier iterating through tags/materials maybe?

[@mohamedaly1239]

Hello. Can I help you with RealFlow v3.1.1 at Cinema 4D R22 and it does not appear in the program

[@MrMadvillan]

It would be cool if the MatrixOp had an interactive component, so you could psr in the viewport.

[@antoabishek6716]

Awesome

[@Rogerror]

Help i did some nodes forms and interactions that are visible in viewport but im not able to render it, not only in octane but also in standard render, any tips?

[@METTI1986LA]

For this kind of thing I can use the mograph features (for example cloner) to get the same results, so I don’t get where the benefit would be...

[@BEST_LUL]

Liked, comended and subscribed KEKW.

[@glacies1356]

OMEGALUL

[@Ikmijnnaam]

Good stuff, already workflow of this program is multiplied with at least 25 compared to Autodesk software, good stuff

[@matteoforghieri]

are you gonna implement new multi thread simulations tools to use with the node system? rigid body, softbody, fluid, particles and so on...

[@MaxonVFX]

At some point in the future, Cinema 4D will be based completely on the node-based core.

[@jonald2010]

How do you make it dynamic when you can't apply tags?

[@MaxonVFX]

That's not possible yet. Remember, this is a tech preview. But you can bake it out using Alembic or FBX.

[@user-vh2yw8zg2m]

I hope that I can integrate one module in the future, I can similar HOUDINI's mutual interactions. At present, domestic Houdini is starting to extruding the C4D market. From some recruitment information, more and more companies hope to recruit houdini. Personnel do some C4D work, such as product animation, column packaging, and moving image module dynamics modules have not been updated.

[@user-vh2yw8zg2m]

Hello there! I am from China, the current status of C4D in China has not been so good, because many module updates in C4D are relatively small than other software progress (dynamics, cloth, particles,), want to do some good effects. Rely on the external plug-in, even the biggest advantageous moving image module is beyond Houdini, then the efficiency of software running decisions is relatively less than other software, I hope that the future can be improved, many people give up C4D using Houdini or Blender, so I feel bad, I have learned so long, and I am so pity in the future. The built-in renderer can completely adopt REDSHIFT node mode, and traditional patterns are basically not used, and the chicken ribs are compared.

[@bhavana01123]

Posit: Recent CEO+new pricing model (subs)+quick hit adjacent acquisitions (RS, RG)+new-cross-platform-architecture=??? Maybe prep work for larger acquisition or a Nemetschek spin off. Hmmm???

[@IsuruRandika]

Any particular advantages in this workflow than traditional workflow ?

[@MrZIONart]

You can apply one deformer/node to hundreds of objects in scene. And it gives us the procedural modeling as in Houdini.

[@IsuruRandika]

@@MrZIONart oh. Thank you

[@BakaOctopus]

@@MrZIONart xpresso could do that too, this just same stuff with weird ass name scheme

[@SteelBlueVision]

@@BakaOctopus Yes, except Xpresso was slow as s**t!

[@MaxonVFX]

This is the new core technology we were talking about at Siggraph. Although it's a tech preview in it's current state, Cinema 4D will be completely based on this in the future. But the goal is to ALLOW node based workflows, NOT to ENFORCE them - meaning, you won't have to touch nodes, if you don't want to. It will be easy to use. The Scene Nodes system is much faster and way more flexible than the classic Cinema 4D. Right now you can already use it to create millions of clones or for procedural modeling.

[@danodesigndanomotion2068]

Maxon try to do something more like houdinni Workflow, more procedural I think.

[@Druskqq]

And failing at that.

[@talhazulqarnain4427]

So I should Unlearn the Conventional Method for modeling ?

[@MaxonVFX]

Not yet. Right now it's a tech preview.

[@dfsdferfsd]

it's all different with the v26, can you make a new tutorial?

[@evolnull125]

What are the benefits of node's system 🤔?

[@MaxonVFX]

This is the new core technology we were talking about at Siggraph. Although it's a tech preview in it's current state, Cinema 4D will be completely based on this in the future. But the goal is to ALLOW node based workflows, NOT to ENFORCE them - meaning, you won't have to touch nodes, if you don't want to. The Scene Nodes system is much faster and way more flexible than the classic Cinema 4D. Right now you can already use it to create millions of clones or for procedural modeling.

[@vladan.Poison]

very nice.. i am waiting for someone to show how to actually BAKE that output of nodes thus making in kind of MESH

[@MaxonVFX]

You can already bake them as Alembic or FBX.

[@vladan.Poison]

@@MaxonVFX Well , if they are not visible in the object manager, how do we actually execute this ?

[@timaging]

how did you get your viewport to render like that?

[@BakaOctopus]

Select geometry only in Filters

[@timaging]

@@BakaOctopus there's more to it. It's rendered, the luminous cubes are showing shadows, etc.

[@BakaOctopus]

@@timaging just enable shadows, post fx in viewport. It's same since r20/21

[@timaging]

@@BakaOctopus I tried that. didn't make a difference

[@MaxonVFX]

The scene uses PBR materials. Other than that, shadows and SSAO have been activated in the viewport and the filters are set to Geometry Only.

[@ruslandad365]

Wow Cindini😁

[@prekarialist]

Скоро в Гудини превратится :-)

[@jerrymeer]

but why do i need this feature at all?

[@MrZIONart]

I think that this tool is designed to bring endless possibilities of creating geometry. Such as the nodes material editor is much deeper than the standard materials.

[@phm6834]

It opens up completely new and custom possibilities, while being faster in calculation. Best example would be the software Houdini, which is basically MoGraph for high end usage. This is where Cinema 4D is heading, a more userfriendly houdini.

[@BoldBreak]

Finite control for complex and technical 3D projects. It's also a much cleaner workflow.

[@phm6834]

Imagine no difference between expresso and cloner.

[@BoldBreak]

@@phm6834 dreams can come true 😭

[@holmbergadam]

Hmmm I feel I've seen this workflow before..

[@nantang2020]

R23 2020? ??

[@kabeltelevizio]

So what is the benefit of this feature?

[@MaxonVFX]

This is the new core technology we were talking about at Siggraph. Although it's a tech preview in it's current state, Cinema 4D will be completely based on this in the future. But the goal is to ALLOW node based workflows, NOT to ENFORCE them - meaning, you won't have to touch nodes, if you don't want to. It will be easy to use. The Scene Nodes system is much faster and way more flexible than the classic Cinema 4D. Right now you can already use it to create millions of clones or for procedural modeling.

[@SehajAnimator]

wadda fk maxon, are you competing with Houdini now? *nice*

[@Oldyellowbrick]

Not sure I like the scene node not being shown some way in the object manager, kinda breaks the fact it’s a scene asset imo. Xpresso is such a good system you guys should take a lot of inspiration from what you did there. This feels like it will eventually replace Xpresso, which is cool but you need to consider how important xpresso is to daily workflows and make the switch promising to us users :)

[@MaxonVFX]

This is the new core technology we were talking about at Siggraph. Although it's a tech preview in it's current state, Cinema 4D will be completely based on this in the future. But the goal is to ALLOW node based workflows, NOT to ENFORCE them - meaning, you won't have to touch nodes, if you don't want to. It will be easy to use. The Scene Nodes system is much faster and way more flexible than the classic Cinema 4D. Right now you can already use it to create millions of clones or for procedural modeling. And creating geometry is something Xpresso is not capable of.

[@Oldyellowbrick]

@@MaxonVFX ah so I’m assuming by that, you mean it will feel more integrated into current workflows and not something that feels hidden away like it is currently. As another user stated, if you were to open a file utilising scene nodes there’s a possibility the object manager is blank and everything is happening in the scene nodes, which I think is abit strange. I’m not sure what your wider vision so I’ll be waiting in anticipation, loooking forward to seeing it develop :)

[@thatmultimediaguykwik8529]

@@MaxonVFX No...

[@ItsJustMeStevie]

I'm a month into Cinema4D. Coming from AE and PR, I am loving Cinema4D but must say this was a major turn off. hahaha. But I think it's fair to say once I have a year into this, I'll look into Nodes. #KnowledgeIsPower

[@thatmultimediaguykwik8529]

Beyond turnoff, it's a stupid damn waste.

[@matteoforghieri]

THIS IS HUGE, LISTEN UP!. old c4d is super limited in his performances, try to put one million cubes in your scene, you cant, c4d is just going to explode! try to do the same with nodes....NOW YOU CAN!!, maxon is lagging behind side fx in basic performances, this is their answer, this is the future of c4d!! thx maxon but please make this feature production ready as soon as possible!!!

[@TheRustedPixel]

I love C4D and have loved it since I started using it in 2010 so I do hate saying bad things about the program but why this feature? The benefit to C4D is it's ease of use. It's one of, if not the most, easy to pick up and learn 3D programs. I feel C4D is getting more confusing and unnecessarily fussy as the years go by. I get the feeling this feature is for those who come from a Houdini background and feel more comfortable with a node based workflow. That, or, C4D are planning a huge overhaul where they'll start adding a lot more features like Houdini and this node based workflow will almost be essential. Time will tell...just please keep improving Bodypaint! The new update hasn't pulled me away from RizomUV yet.

[@MaxonVFX]

This is the new core technology we were talking about at Siggraph. Although it's a tech preview in it's current state, Cinema 4D will be completely based on this in the future. But the goal is to ALLOW node based workflows, NOT to ENFORCE them - meaning, you won't have to touch nodes, if you don't want to. It will be easy to use. The Scene Nodes system is much faster and way more flexible than the classic Cinema 4D. Right now you can already use it to create millions of clones or for procedural modeling.

[@randomcommenter6734]

You don't need to use it if you don't have to, you can just use the classic c4d workflow.

[@VietTran-xl2ms]

doesn't match c4d 2024 at all... can't make primitive nodes as that node does not exist in c4d visual interface node menu. I searched the asset browser for primitive and found a cube and added it into the graph... nothing happens. the graph does not look like this example. There is a lone "Scene Root" null that only accepts "children" input and then it generates an intermediate "geometry" node between the cube and the Scene Root Node. good god almighty.... This appears unnecessarily complicated. Also, there was no general primitive node, only specific primitive nodes like a cube node, sphere node etc.. and you cannot change their shapes to other shapes like seen in this video.

[@RoN43wwq]

too many script not working in R23. Stay on R21.

[@Havealot]

Script should be super easy to fix. Just search for print statements and add parentheses and replace and use of "xrange" with "range". That should cover the majority of cases.

[@MaxonVFX]

As Sebastian already said: Script should be super easy to fix. Just search for print statements and add parentheses and replace and use of "xrange" with "range". That should cover the majority of cases.

[@jonimaginations]

but why?

[@MaxonVFX]

This is the new core technology we were talking about at Siggraph. Although it's a tech preview in it's current state, Cinema 4D will be completely based on this in the future. But the goal is to ALLOW node based workflows, NOT to ENFORCE them - meaning, you won't have to touch nodes, if you don't want to. The Scene Nodes system is much faster and way more flexible than the classic Cinema 4D. Right now you can already use it to create millions of clones or for procedural modeling.

[@shynnsup8383]

The same reason you would have a node editor for materials......

[@thatmultimediaguykwik8529]

As far as I can tell there is zero possible uses for this trash in my workflow. Why would someone even want to work with nodes? When I open up the nodes window Cinema goes into Not Responding status. I paid for these updates why again?