Mograph or particle colors to volume mesh

[MaverickMongoose]

Hi Dr. Sassi, hope you’re doing well!

I’m experimenting with some abstract setups and trying to create a colorful blobby volume mesh.

To build it, I’m spawning spheres from particles using a Particle Group in a Cloner. The Cloner is also dynamic, so the spheres interact and clump together, and I’ve given each clone a random color.

What I’d like is for those random colors to carry through into the Volume Builder/Mesher. I tried adding a Vertex Color Tag to the Cloner and piping that into the Volume, but the mapping gets completely scrambled (as you can see in the attached project).

Is there a way to get the clone/particle colors to stick properly so the volume mesh keeps that nice randomized look?

I’ve also attached another version (b) without particles, where the colors do come through — but as the animation plays, they slide around and won’t stay fixed to the mesh - the blobs seem to go black and loose their original colors.

Project files: https://we.tl/t-lfDAb0gYFk

Thanks again for all your help!

[Dr. Sassi]

Hi MaverickMongoose,

Thank you for the file, and for using WeTransfer.

Switch the Ridge Body off, then have a look at where the Spheres are. With the selection of the nearest, these colors are exactly what you get.
Now switch the Rigid Body on and cache it. Now the information is available when the Vertex map takes it from the Cloner.

Let me know if that works for you.

Enjoy your weekend

[MaverickMongoose]

Thanks for that, I gave it a try but I still get the same problem

I cached it and the colors look fine, but as soon as I turn on the volume it gets messed up, here's some images showing what I mean

https://we.tl/t-U96q80Pv4C

[Dr. Sassi]

Hi MaverickMongoose,

Thanks for the images. The colors show that the Volume vertex map uses the Cloner colors without the Rigid Body "take over".

Caching the Rigid Body only works for me.

With cache and a rendered preview.
https://projectfiles.maxon.net/Cineversity_Forum_Support/2025_PROJECTS_DRS/20250906_CV4_2025_drs_25_MGvc_02.zip

Cheers

[MaverickMongoose]

Thanks again. Its weird because using the exact file I try to cache, but I always get the messed up colors, but your file works fine. Am I missing something, Ive done a screen recording to show you what I mean. https://we.tl/t-Elm7bFZL2T

[Dr. Sassi]

Hi MaverickMongoose,

Feels like something is using the Cloner state, not the Rigid Body results. If something is stuck, I typically start over in a new Project file to gain more insights. Thanks for the effort with the mp4!
However, the Constant Update is not checked.

Let's take another approach:
The Matrix Object, in Object and Axis mode, pulls current data, including the Rigid Body state. The colors can be set in the same way.

Example
CV4_2025_drs_25_MGvc_11.c4d

Please explore the option to mix the color (Vertex>Fields> Layer Control> Mode> Average, as well as Radius)
Example
CV4_2025_drs_25_MGvc_12.c4d

Of course, you can feed a new Cloner from the Matrix and use that result in the Volume. (Cloner 1> Matrix>Cloner 2)

Enjoy your Sunday

[MaverickMongoose]

Thanks again Dr Sassi, the matrix option works!

Shame it doesn't work with the one cloner as it should, a lot of unnecessary steps in the end - hopefully something Maxon fixes one day.

Thanks heaps for these examples too, never would have thought to use a matrix in this way, always learn something new from you!

have a great week!!

[Dr. Sassi]

Hi MaverickMongoose,

Thanks for the reply

Yes, from your perspective, but sometimes it might be useful to have the initial state as well.
I agree that the decision should be a checkbox and not require extra steps.

Enjoy your project