How to control the percentage of clones for each object?

[Ricardo 4D]

Hi,
Is it possible to control how the objects are distributed in a way that you can dose them?
Let's suppose you have a cone and a sphere under the cloner, but I want more spheres than cones.

Cheers!
Ricardo

[Dr. Sassi]

Hi Ricardo,

The simplest way is to have copies of the clones under the Cloner. So if you like a ratio of 2:3, then two of one object and three of another.

Or have a setup like the one below:
Cloner set to Sort
Plain Effector set to modify Clones.
The Field will allow us to set the distribution, like with the Random Field.
The values given from the random for each clone position will determine which child object will be used as a clone.

CV4_2024_drs_24_MGrd_01.c4d

A direct percentage value for each clone is not natively given. Edit: But it can be created with a single Formula line.
Here with an "interface" (click on the XPresso Tag> Attribute> User Data, here as a simple x out of ten entry field)
CV4_2026_drs_25_MGpc_01.c4d

All the best

[Ricardo 4D]

Hi @Dr-Sassi

Thank you for providing the information. I believe there's an opportunity for significant improvement here. The abundance of copies and clones appears to create unnecessary clutter. Corona Scatter, on the other hand, boasts a well-organized setup. Additionally, relying on a Random Field seems somewhat arbitrary and lacks sufficient control. This is an indispensable feature, in my humble opinion.

Shall we submit a request for consideration?

Thanks
Ricardo

[Dr. Sassi]

Hi Ricardo,

Yes, please use the "Share Your Idea"
https://www.maxon.net/en/support-center

Thank you very much for your time.

Cheers

[stable-till]

OFF-TOPIC

Yeah, you can share your idea, but no one will listen... they stoped listening users long ago.

[Dr. Sassi]

Off-Topic

Hi stable-till,

This is your introduction post in this forum? Hijacking another artist's post. Not nice.

Sorry to tell, if you have constructive suggestions, the "Share Your Ideas" is the place to go, and Maxon is listening.

While the many directions one can go, there is always a finite amount of work possible. Which means not every idea is instantly used. This question above was thefirst time since MoGraph's introduction in any versions of the CV forum. Not a lot of data to push that to the front.

Does Maxon instantly change direction after each input? Surely not. The strongest amount of requests in quality and quantity will find the way in future updates. Sorry if that doesn't fit your direction.

Cheers

Edit: the negative and non constructive stream continued. Changed the reply/edit

[stable-till]

OFF-TOPIC

I’ve been suggesting ideas to push MoGraph forward for a long time, and absolutely nothing has moved in that direction. And this isn’t just about my ideas — it’s about the overall drift. Maxon seems to have abandoned what made Cinema 4D stand out: fast, clean, powerful tools for building animation systems. Instead, the energy goes into acquiring throwaway Red Giant gimmicks or complicating the node system to the point where anyone who actually needs that level of depth would simply open Houdini. The whole point of Cinema was simplicity with power. That focus is fading.

Liquids are “fine,” and that’s exactly the issue — just fine. They’re still miles behind what RealFlow delivered ages ago. And the particle system… no mass attribute? That’s not nitpicking; that’s missing the bare minimum of what any modern simulation system should offer.

Maybe my earlier comment wasn’t polite, but it came from frustration, not trolling. Maxon has huge potential, but the development feels scattered instead of reinforcing the strengths that gave C4D its identity. At this pace, catching up to competitors won’t happen — the distance will only grow.

And the “Share Your Idea” forum… I’ve seen countless solid feature requests there. Users are doing the work. Why does Maxon make them jump through hoops, resubmitting and relabeling suggestions, instead of simply gathering the feedback already provided? That’s pure friction. Need ideas? Why are there no new Fields? Why is it so hard to add more MoGraph attributes than just weight and color — literally the simplest possible ones?

This isn’t hate. This is the perspective of someone who relies on this tool, pays a subscription, and is watching its potential get chipped away by decisions that don’t serve the people who actually use it.

[stable-till]

OFF-TOPIC

Additionally: If someone asks a question like this, my first reaction is: this should go straight to the development team. This is exactly the kind of simple, smart idea that would actually push Cinema 4D forward. Not another half-baked acquisition, not another cosmetic feature - just core MoGraph functionality finally getting love.

Controlling the distribution of different child objects inside a Cloner shouldn’t require hacks, XPresso detours, or workarounds. It should be built-in. And not only the ability to “dose” objects by percentage or weight in the distribution - that’s the obvious part. There’s a bigger opportunity here.

Why not introduce a Field that can read and react to which child object the Cloner is using at any given index? Imagine having multiple objects under a Cloner and being able to drive color, deformation, selection, dynamics, or entire effects based on the clone’s source object. Three different models could instantly trigger three different looks, behaviors, or simulations through Fields. That would be genuinely powerful and very in line with what made MoGraph amazing in the first place.

This is the kind of idea that deserves development - because it strengthens the core toolset instead of piling more complexity on top of it.

[Dr. Sassi]

OFF-TOPIC

Please get in touch with Maxon directly.

Please note, constructive feels different to me. Telling how far someone else is behind with wishes one has for themself is not constructive. While I can understand your reasons and ideas, that doesn't mean that they make them mainstream requests.

I think you use complaining as a vehicle for something else, and that is not the theme of this forum. However, I understand the frustration when things do not move in the way one can envision. On the other hand, the wonderful and creative results so many people showcase speaks volumes of what can be done.

I checked the Share Your Ideas options with a private email, as I have never seen a Forum there. I couldn't find one. No idea what you are talking about.

The idea of having the torrent of ideas/emails directly landing in the developer's email is so far from any practical option as I can think of; they never would get anything done with that workflow. Maxon is not a garage band, but your ideas seem to have that impression.

Yes, ask a hundred 3D artists and you might get a few dozen development plans about what is not the most important to everyone. Everyone might be right, but how to coordinate it? The typically generalization of "my" idea is right, and everyone needs this, well, that is not my impression doing 3D for over three decades, nor is that a reflection of 19 years+ running this forum.

In short, I take your input seriously, and I can't say nothing would overlaps with my thought, but the way to crash into another artist's thread and unload in a way you did is not the MO here. I have muted you for a while, and you are welcome to ask questions that need creative solutions or how a tool works. However, this is not a "sop box platform, as that would escalate very quickly.

Since May 2006, I have had three people walking in here that way, like crashing a party and complaining about the homeowner's taste in the first minutes.
This is not the way I see this forum, and I will not support this in any way. Perhaps this is not for you.

This was my day off, and I came here anyway to answer people's questions. Your complains/frustrations were on my mind, of course, and I surely didn't enjoy this. But I wanted to reply anyway, as I have been in those states as well. I switched on my first computer over four decades ago, and I'm familiar with a lot of perspectives and changes during that time.

Share Your Ideas, tell why it is important for your work and projects, find people who support you with a positive way of expressing it, and things work better that way.

Take care.