Create A Warping Ripple Effect With Geometry Nodes

Introduction

Hey guys! Ever wondered how those mind-bending visual effects in Kpop music videos are created, particularly the ones that seem to warp and distort reality in sync with the music? In this article, we're diving deep into one such effect: the ripple effect that warps room geometry, as seen in many Kpop music videos featuring demon hunter concepts. We'll be exploring how to recreate this stunning effect using Geometry Nodes in Blender, a powerful tool for procedural geometry manipulation. Whether you're a seasoned 3D artist or just starting out, this tutorial will guide you through the process step-by-step, so let's get started and unleash our inner VFX artists!

The ripple effect is a classic visual trick that has been used in films, games, and music videos for decades. It's a great way to add a sense of dynamism and energy to a scene, making it feel more alive and engaging. In the context of Kpop music videos, this effect is often used to enhance the surreal and otherworldly atmosphere, particularly in videos that feature supernatural themes or dramatic performances. By warping the room geometry, the ripple effect can create a sense of instability and tension, drawing the viewer's attention to the central action. Moreover, Geometry Nodes offer an incredibly flexible and non-destructive way to achieve this effect, meaning you can easily tweak and adjust the parameters until you get the perfect result. This is crucial for visual effects work, where iteration and experimentation are key to creating truly stunning visuals.

Using Geometry Nodes, we can create a procedural system that deforms the room mesh based on a mathematical function, mimicking the behavior of ripples propagating through space. This approach offers several advantages over traditional methods, such as manual modeling or simulations. First, it's incredibly efficient – once the node setup is complete, you can apply the effect to any room geometry with minimal adjustments. Second, it's highly controllable – the parameters of the ripple effect, such as its frequency, amplitude, and speed, can be easily adjusted in real-time, allowing for precise synchronization with the music or other visual elements. Finally, it's non-destructive – the original room geometry remains unchanged, so you can always revert back to the original state or make further modifications without affecting the ripple effect.

Understanding Geometry Nodes

Before we jump into the nitty-gritty of creating the ripple effect, let's take a moment to understand what Geometry Nodes are and how they work. Geometry Nodes are a node-based system in Blender that allows you to procedurally generate and manipulate geometry. Think of it as a visual programming language for 3D modeling. Instead of manually sculpting or modeling objects, you create a network of interconnected nodes that define the shape, properties, and behavior of your geometry. This node-based approach offers a powerful and flexible way to create complex and dynamic 3D scenes.

At its core, Geometry Nodes operate on the concept of a geometry stream. This stream consists of the vertices, edges, and faces that make up a 3D object, along with their associated attributes such as position, normals, and UV coordinates. Each node in the network performs a specific operation on this geometry stream, modifying its attributes or creating new geometry based on certain rules. The nodes are connected in a graph-like structure, with the output of one node feeding into the input of another. This flow of data allows for the creation of intricate and interconnected systems that can generate a wide range of effects.

The power of Geometry Nodes lies in its ability to create procedural systems. This means that the geometry is generated based on a set of rules and parameters, rather than being manually sculpted. This has several advantages. Firstly, it allows for the creation of complex and intricate geometry that would be difficult or impossible to model by hand. Secondly, it makes the geometry highly customizable and adaptable – you can easily change the parameters of the system to create variations of the same object or effect. Finally, it's non-destructive, meaning that the original geometry is not permanently modified, and you can always revert back to the original state or make further changes.

To start using Geometry Nodes, you need to switch to the Geometry Nodes editor in Blender. This can be done by selecting the "Geometry Nodes" workspace layout or by manually adding a Geometry Nodes editor window. Once you're in the Geometry Nodes editor, you can create a new node tree by clicking the "New" button. This will add a basic node setup to the editor, consisting of an "Input Geometry" node and an "Output Geometry" node. The Input Geometry node represents the geometry that you want to modify, while the Output Geometry node represents the final result of the node network. Between these two nodes, you can add a variety of other nodes to manipulate the geometry in various ways.

Setting Up the Room Geometry

Before we can apply the ripple effect, we need a room to warp! Let's start by setting up a basic room geometry in Blender. You can either model a simple room from scratch or use a pre-existing room model. For this tutorial, we'll create a simple room using basic primitives.

Start by adding a cube to your scene. This will form the basis of our room. Scale the cube along the X, Y, and Z axes to create the desired dimensions of your room. For example, you might scale it to 10 meters along the X and Y axes and 3 meters along the Z axis. This will give you a rectangular room shape. Next, we need to remove one of the faces of the cube to create an opening for the camera. Select the face that you want to remove and press the "Delete" key, then choose "Faces" from the menu. This will leave you with a room that has one open side.

To give the room some thickness, we'll use the Solidify modifier. Add a Solidify modifier to the cube object and adjust the thickness parameter to your liking. A thickness of 0.1 or 0.2 meters should be sufficient. This will add a solid wall thickness to the room, making it look more realistic. Now, let's add some basic details to the room. You can add a floor by adding a plane object and positioning it at the bottom of the room. You can also add some simple props, such as a table or a chair, to give the room some context. These details will help to make the ripple effect more visually interesting.

Once you have your basic room geometry set up, it's time to prepare it for the Geometry Nodes setup. We need to subdivide the room's walls to give us enough vertices to work with. The ripple effect will be created by displacing these vertices, so a higher vertex density will result in a smoother and more detailed ripple effect. To subdivide the walls, we'll use the Subdivision Surface modifier. Add a Subdivision Surface modifier to the cube object and set the levels viewport and render values to 2 or 3. This will subdivide the walls several times, creating a dense mesh of vertices. Remember, the higher the subdivision level, the more detailed the ripple effect will be, but also the more computationally expensive it will be. So, find a balance that works for your scene and hardware.

Finally, before we move on to the Geometry Nodes setup, it's a good idea to apply the Solidify and Subdivision Surface modifiers. This will convert the modifiers into actual geometry, making it easier to work with in Geometry Nodes. To apply a modifier, simply select the object, go to the Modifiers tab in the Properties panel, and click the "Apply" button for each modifier. With the room geometry set up and prepared, we're now ready to dive into the exciting part: creating the ripple effect using Geometry Nodes!

Creating the Ripple Effect with Geometry Nodes

Alright, let's get to the heart of the matter: creating the ripple effect using Geometry Nodes! This is where the magic happens. We'll be building a node network that deforms the room geometry based on a mathematical function, creating the illusion of ripples propagating through space. Don't worry if it sounds intimidating – we'll break it down step-by-step.

First, select the room object and go to the Geometry Nodes editor. Create a new node tree by clicking the "New" button. This will add a basic node setup with an Input Geometry node and an Output Geometry node. The Input Geometry node represents the room geometry that we set up in the previous step, and the Output Geometry node will represent the final deformed geometry. Now, we need to add some nodes to manipulate the geometry. The key node for creating the ripple effect is the Set Position node. This node allows us to change the position of each vertex in the geometry based on a mathematical function. Add a Set Position node to the node tree and connect the Geometry output of the Input Geometry node to the Geometry input of the Set Position node.

The Set Position node has a Position input, which determines the new position of each vertex. We'll use a combination of nodes to calculate this position. We want the ripple effect to propagate outwards from a certain point in the room, so we'll use the Position node to get the original position of each vertex. Add a Position node to the node tree and connect its Position output to a Vector Math node. We'll use the Vector Math node to subtract the center point of the ripple effect from the vertex position. This will give us a vector that points from the center of the ripple to each vertex. Set the operation of the Vector Math node to "Subtract" and create a Vector input value node to represent the center point of the ripple. You can adjust the X, Y, and Z values of this vector to move the center of the ripple around the room.

Next, we need to calculate the distance from the center of the ripple to each vertex. We'll use the Vector Math node again, but this time we'll set the operation to "Length". Connect the output of the Vector Math (Subtract) node to the Vector input of the Vector Math (Length) node. This will give us the distance from the center of the ripple to each vertex. Now, we need to create a wave function that oscillates over time and distance. We'll use the Math node for this. Add a Math node to the node tree and set the operation to "Sine". Connect the output of the Vector Math (Length) node to the Value input of the Math (Sine) node. This will create a sine wave that varies with the distance from the center of the ripple.

To make the ripple effect move over time, we need to add a time component to the wave function. Add a Time node to the node tree and connect its Seconds output to another Math node. Set the operation of this Math node to "Multiply" and adjust the second value to control the speed of the ripple effect. Then, add the output of this Math (Multiply) node to the Value input of the Math (Sine) node using another Math node with the operation set to "Add". This will make the sine wave oscillate over time, creating the moving ripple effect. Finally, we need to control the amplitude of the ripple effect. Add a Math node with the operation set to "Multiply" and connect the output of the Math (Sine) node to its first Value input. Create a Value input node and connect it to the second Value input of the Math (Multiply) node. This Value input node will serve as the amplitude control for the ripple effect.

Now, we have a scalar value that represents the displacement of each vertex based on the ripple function. We need to convert this scalar value into a vector that we can use to offset the vertex positions. We'll use the Vector Math node again, but this time we'll set the operation to "Scale". Connect the output of the Math (Multiply) node (the amplitude control) to the Scale input of the Vector Math (Scale) node. Then, connect the output of the Vector Math (Subtract) node (the vector pointing from the center of the ripple to each vertex) to the Vector input of the Vector Math (Scale) node. This will scale the vector by the amplitude of the ripple effect. Finally, add the scaled vector to the original vertex positions using another Vector Math node with the operation set to "Add". Connect the output of the Vector Math (Scale) node to the first Vector input of the Vector Math (Add) node, and connect the Position output of the Position node to the second Vector input of the Vector Math (Add) node. Connect the output of this Vector Math (Add) node to the Position input of the Set Position node. Congratulations, you've created the basic ripple effect!

Fine-Tuning the Effect

Now that we have the basic ripple effect set up, let's fine-tune it to make it look even better. This is where you can really get creative and experiment with different parameters to achieve the desired look. One of the first things you might want to adjust is the amplitude of the ripple effect. This controls how much the vertices are displaced, and thus how strong the ripple effect is. You can adjust the Value input node that we created earlier to control the amplitude. A higher value will result in a stronger ripple effect, while a lower value will result in a more subtle effect.

Another important parameter to adjust is the speed of the ripple effect. This controls how fast the ripples propagate through space. You can adjust the second value in the Math (Multiply) node that we used to multiply the Time node's Seconds output. A higher value will result in faster ripples, while a lower value will result in slower ripples. Experiment with different speeds to find what looks best for your scene. You might also want to adjust the frequency of the ripple effect. This controls how many ripples there are and how close together they are. You can adjust the Math (Sine) node by multiplying the output of the Vector Math (Length) node by a certain value before feeding it into the Sine function. A higher value will result in more ripples, while a lower value will result in fewer ripples.

To make the ripple effect look more realistic, you can add some damping to the ripples. This will cause the ripples to gradually fade out as they move away from the center. To add damping, you can multiply the amplitude of the ripple effect by a factor that decreases with distance from the center. You can use the same Vector Math (Length) node that we used to calculate the distance from the center, and then use a Math node to invert this value and scale it to a suitable range. Then, multiply the amplitude of the ripple effect by this damped value. This will cause the ripples to be stronger near the center and gradually fade out as they move away.

Another way to enhance the visual appeal of the ripple effect is to add some variation to the ripples. Instead of having perfectly uniform ripples, you can introduce some randomness or noise to the displacement. You can use a Noise Texture node to generate a random displacement vector for each vertex, and then add this to the ripple displacement vector. This will create a more organic and natural-looking ripple effect. Experiment with different noise textures and parameters to find what looks best.

Finally, you can animate the center point of the ripple effect to create more dynamic and interesting effects. Instead of having the ripple effect originate from a fixed point, you can move the center point around the room over time. This can be done by animating the X, Y, and Z values of the Vector input value node that we created to represent the center point. You can use keyframes or drivers to animate these values, and you can even link them to the music or other visual elements in your scene. By animating the center point, you can create a wide range of interesting ripple effects, such as ripples that follow a character as they move through the room, or ripples that pulse in time with the music.

Rendering and Compositing

Once you're happy with the ripple effect, it's time to render your scene. Before rendering, make sure your scene is properly lit and textured. The lighting can have a significant impact on the appearance of the ripple effect, so experiment with different lighting setups to find what works best. You might want to use a combination of point lights and area lights to create a dramatic and atmospheric look. The textures of the room's walls and floor can also affect the ripple effect, so choose textures that complement the effect. For example, a glossy or reflective surface will accentuate the ripples, while a matte surface will make them more subtle.

When rendering the scene, it's important to use appropriate render settings. The ripple effect involves subtle deformations of the geometry, so you'll want to use a high enough sample count to avoid any noise or artifacts. You can also use motion blur to make the ripples appear smoother and more dynamic. However, be careful not to use too much motion blur, as this can make the ripples look blurry and indistinct. Experiment with different render settings to find a balance that works for your scene.

After rendering, you can further enhance the ripple effect in the compositor. The compositor is a powerful tool in Blender that allows you to perform post-processing effects on your rendered images. You can use the compositor to add color correction, glow effects, and other visual enhancements. One technique that can be particularly effective for the ripple effect is to add a subtle glow to the edges of the ripples. This can help to make the ripples stand out and give them a more ethereal appearance. You can also use the compositor to add other effects that complement the ripple effect, such as lens flares or chromatic aberration.

To add effects in the compositor, you need to enable the "Use Nodes" option in the compositor editor. This will create a basic node setup with a Render Layers node and a Composite node. The Render Layers node represents the rendered image, and the Composite node is the final output. You can add various nodes between these two nodes to perform post-processing effects. To add a glow effect, you can use the Glare node. Add a Glare node to the node tree and connect the Image output of the Render Layers node to the Image input of the Glare node. Adjust the Threshold, Size, and Mix values of the Glare node to control the intensity and appearance of the glow. You can also experiment with different Glare node modes, such as "Fog Glow" or "Streaks", to create different glow effects.

Another useful node for enhancing the ripple effect is the Color Correction node. This node allows you to adjust the colors in your rendered image. You can use the Color Correction node to boost the contrast of the image, making the ripples stand out more. You can also use it to adjust the hue and saturation of the colors, creating a more vibrant or stylized look. Experiment with different color correction settings to find what looks best for your scene.

Conclusion

And there you have it, guys! We've successfully created a ripple effect that warps room geometry using Geometry Nodes in Blender, inspired by those awesome Kpop demon hunter music videos. We've covered everything from setting up the room geometry to building the node network, fine-tuning the effect, and rendering and compositing the final result. This technique opens up a whole new world of possibilities for creating dynamic and visually stunning effects in your 3D animations and visual effects projects.

Remember, the key to mastering Geometry Nodes is experimentation. Don't be afraid to try out different nodes, parameters, and techniques. The more you experiment, the better you'll understand how Geometry Nodes work and the more creative you can be with your effects. The ripple effect is just one example of the many things you can achieve with Geometry Nodes. With a little creativity and ingenuity, you can create a wide range of amazing visual effects.

So, go forth and create! Try applying this ripple effect to different types of geometry, experimenting with different wave functions, and adding your own unique twists. Who knows, you might even come up with a new and innovative visual effect that no one has ever seen before. The world of 3D animation and visual effects is constantly evolving, and Geometry Nodes are at the forefront of this evolution. By learning and mastering Geometry Nodes, you'll be well-equipped to create cutting-edge visuals that will amaze and inspire your audience. Keep exploring, keep experimenting, and keep creating, and you'll be sure to achieve great things in the world of 3D art! We hope this tutorial has been helpful and inspiring. Now go out there and make some magic happen!