AO Studio Tools

ZenGrove

Built to move. Down to the last leaf.

Overview

Built to move. Down to the last leaf.

The ZenGrove 1.0.0 reference: 52 nodes, 907 settings and short WebM demos. Explore Look At asset orientation, GameDynamics, joint previews, skeletal export and per-leaf random vertex colors. Requires AO.Hub 1.6.6 or later.

View product and license details →

Asset Scatter

Places reusable assets along branches with count or density profiles, independent length, width and thickness, pivot alignment and optional static overlap avoidance.

Reference: ZenGrove 1.0.0 · 22 October 2026 · 43 settings. Requires AO.Hub 1.6.6 or later.

Connect into this node

Branches · Assets

Continue from this node

Growth

Dimensions follow the asset axes

Asset Scatter uses local Y for Length, X for Width and Z for Thickness. These multiply uniform Scale and have independent randomness and base-to-tip profiles. Leaves uses a different axis convention, so use the node that matches your source asset.

Placement and overlap

Distribution Profile redistributes Count; Density Profile changes local density. Avoid Asset Collision participates in the same combined Output check as leaf avoidance. It rotates around existing pivots and uses conservative source boxes. Choose Skip or Keep for unresolved overlaps; active Dynamics requires avoidance to be disabled.

Watch the Asset Scatter settings tour

Current Maya controls, including conditional settings. Each view stays on screen for one second (three views take three seconds); pause or choose a group to inspect it.

The video loads when you play it. Readable still views and explanations follow below.

Affect

Asset Scatter node with its affect settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Affect · Open image for full size
Affect

Chooses which branches are affected. Active Branches uses the latest generated layer. Active + Descendants also includes growth from that layer. Active Generated Hierarchy additionally includes ancestors created by that same generated contribution. Entire Input uses everything arriving here. Attached children follow a moved parent even when they are not reshaped themselves.

Options: Active Branches · Active + Descendants · Active Generated Hierarchy · Entire Input

Default: Active Branches

Setup

Asset Scatter node with its setup settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Setup · Open image for full size
Distribution

Count uses a total placement count. Density uses placements per unit of eligible branch length.

Options: Count · Density

Default: Count

Generation

Asset Scatter node with its generation settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Generation · Open image for full size
Total Count

Sets total placements across affected branches in Count mode.

Available when Distribution is Count.

Default: 120

Distribution (1)

Asset Scatter node with its distribution (1) settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Distribution (1) · Open image for full size
Distribution Range — Start %

Sets where placement begins on the parent. Zero is the base and one is the tip; the range slider displays percentages.

Default: 0.1

Distribution Range — End %

Sets where placement ends. Together with Start, this defines the Distribution Range.

Default: 1

Distribution Profile

Redistribute the requested Count along the carrier without thinning it. Base 0, tip 1. Flat and all-zero curves retain ordinary placement.

Available when Distribution is Count.

Default: Flat profile at 1

Placement Pattern

Random distributes around the branch. Parallel creates opposing pairs at one height. Alternating uses successive heights on opposing sides.

Options: Random · Parallel · Alternating

Default: Random

Distribution (2)

Asset Scatter node with its distribution (2) settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Distribution (2) · Open image for full size
Pattern Rotation

Rotates the placement pattern around the branch.

Default: 0

Position Randomness

Randomly turns each pattern while preserving pairs and alternation.

Default: 1

Position Jitter

Loosens spacing along the parent while keeping paired sites together.

Default: 0.03

Surface Offset

Moves pivots from the branch center toward its surface. Zero uses the centerline; one reaches the surface.

Default: 1

Tip Bias

Biases placement toward branch tips. Increase it for more detail near the outer crown.

Default: 0.45

Orientation (1)

Asset Scatter node with its orientation (1) settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Orientation (1) · Open image for full size
Orientation Pattern

Random allows free orientation. Parallel keeps one local orientation. Alternating flips every second asset 180 degrees around its local Y axis.

Options: Random · Parallel · Alternating

Default: Random

Orientation Space

Branch follows the parent direction. Ground keeps the asset growth axis along the horizontal ground plane.

Options: Branch · Ground

Default: Branch

Align to Branch

Aligns assets to the supporting branch before additional rotations.

Default: On

Rotation X

Rotates assets around local X.

Default: 0

Rotation Y

Rotates assets around local Y.

Default: 0

Rotation Z

Rotates assets around local Z.

Default: 0

Rotation X Randomness

Adds random local X rotation.

Default: 180

Orientation (2)

Asset Scatter node with its orientation (2) settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Orientation (2) · Open image for full size
Rotation Y Randomness

Adds random local Y rotation.

Default: 180

Rotation Z Randomness

Adds random local Z rotation.

Default: 180

Downward Alignment

Turns assets toward world down without bending supporting branches.

Default: 0

Up Influence

Biases the growing direction upward. Negative values bias it downward.

Default: 0.12

Scale (1)

Asset Scatter node with its scale (1) settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Scale (1) · Open image for full size
Scale

Scales the asset or generated child uniformly. One keeps its size; 0.5 halves it.

Default: 1

Scale Profile

Multiplies asset size across the distribution range. Left is Start and right is End. One keeps size; zero reduces it to nothing at that point.

Default: Flat profile at 1

Scale Randomness

Varies size between placements. Zero keeps one scale multiplier.

Default: 0.25

Length

Length multiplier on the authored asset local Y axis, in addition to uniform Scale.

Default: 1

Scale (2)

Asset Scatter node with its scale (2) settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Scale (2) · Open image for full size
Length Randomness

Adds independent, seeded plus/minus variation to asset length. A value of 0.25 varies this dimension by up to 25% without changing placement or asset selection.

Default: 0

Length Profile

Length multiplier along the carrier, base 0 to tip 1.

Default: Flat profile at 1

Width

Width multiplier on the authored asset local X axis, in addition to uniform Scale.

Default: 1

Width Randomness

Adds independent, seeded plus/minus variation to asset width. A value of 0.25 varies this dimension by up to 25% without changing placement or asset selection.

Default: 0

Scale (3)

Asset Scatter node with its scale (3) settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Scale (3) · Open image for full size
Width Profile

Width multiplier along the carrier, base 0 to tip 1.

Default: Flat profile at 1

Thickness

Thickness multiplier on the authored asset local Z axis, in addition to uniform Scale.

Default: 1

Thickness Randomness

Adds independent, seeded plus/minus variation to asset thickness. A value of 0.25 varies this dimension by up to 25% without changing placement or asset selection.

Default: 0

Scale (4)

Asset Scatter node with its scale (4) settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Scale (4) · Open image for full size
Thickness Profile

Thickness multiplier along the carrier, base 0 to tip 1.

Default: Flat profile at 1

Collision

Asset Scatter node with its collision settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Collision · Open image for full size
Avoid Asset Collision

Resolve leaf overlaps across all foliage at Output. Static builds only; mute Dynamics before enabling.

Default: Off

Advanced

Asset Scatter node with its advanced settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Advanced · Open image for full size
Seed Offset

Changes this node's random variation. Keep the seed and settings unchanged to reproduce the same result.

Default: 20

Generation

Shown example: Distribution = Density.

Asset Scatter node with its generation settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Generation · Open image for full size
Density per Unit

Sets placements per unit of eligible branch length. Longer branches receive more.

Available when Distribution is Density.

Default: 8

Density Profile

Local density from branch base (0) to tip (1), within the Distribution Range. 0 removes assets; 1 keeps the configured Density per Unit.

Available when Distribution is Density.

Default: Flat profile at 1

Collision

Shown example: Avoid Asset Collision = On.

Asset Scatter node with its collision settings in ZenGrove
ZenGrove settings excerpt · Collision · Open image for full size
Avoid Asset Collision

Resolve leaf overlaps across all foliage at Output. Static builds only; mute Dynamics before enabling.

Default: Off

Clearance

Minimum space between leaf proxy boxes, in scene units.

Available when Avoid Asset Collision is On.

Default: 0.01

Max Attempts

Maximum extra rotations per overlapping leaf. Zero only filters overlaps.

Available when Avoid Asset Collision is On.

Default: 8

Max Rotation

Maximum correction around the unchanged attachment pivot, in degrees.

Available when Avoid Asset Collision is On.

Default: 35

Unresolved Collisions

Skip omits leaves that cannot fit. Keep retains them and reports remaining overlaps.

Available when Avoid Asset Collision is On.

Options: Skip · Keep

Default: Skip

Browse all ZenGrove nodes →
FAQ
What is ZenGrove used for?

The ZenGrove 1.0.0 reference: 52 nodes, 907 settings and short WebM demos. Explore Look At asset orientation, GameDynamics, joint previews, skeletal export and per-leaf random vertex colors. Requires AO.Hub 1.6.6 or later.

Which host application does ZenGrove support?

ZenGrove is built for Autodesk Maya and is distributed through AO Studio Tools.

Where can I download ZenGrove?

Download the current AO Studio Tools package from https://aostudio.tools/getthetools.html and install it through AO.Hub.