Thank you very much for the reply, reading-card,

The problem with the Connect Object, and too many influences.
There are many forces pulling at the same time. The PLA defines the face, but partially the Cloth is contributing to it, and Welding might not always lead to 100% welding, which means the point amount changes. This is not working for the algorithm.
I searched for another way. I will not list the explorations of the past hours, but share what works.

My suggestion
Take the Face with the PLA animation.
Select the edge loop that marks the end of the “mask”. Extrude the edge by just 0.1cm, create an Edge Selection Tag, and extrude it again, and after deselecting the Edge Selection Tag, create a new one. Name both differently. (Perhaps later, some more. For now, I would like to focus on the workflow.)

Double-click on the first Edge Selection tag to activate its selection. Shift key down (hold) and click on the Point Selection. Then go to Main Menu Character> Create Cluster.
Repeat this for the second edge (Points, Cluster).

In the Cluster Object> Object> Offset, set the offset where the Edge should be in space.

Note that the S.Z in negative flattens the profile, while S.X and S.Y in positive scales it.

Create now from the original Points of the face mask a Vertex Weight Tag, name it wisely, this is for the Cloth.

Set up Cloth (to the Polygon object Face Mask), as you need it, and use the Vertex map as before, in the Mix Animation Tab.

Apply the Subdivision Surface on top if you like.

The setup is smaller, in my opinion, easier to handle, and can be adjusted with the Cluster parameter.

Example
https://projectfiles.maxon.net/Cineversity_Forum_Support/2026_PROJECTS_DRS/20260102_CV4_2026_drs_26_CAec_01-02.zip

One point, set the Attribute>Scene> Simulation> Scale to the size the object has. 100cm is too larger for this.

Please let me know if that works for your project

Cheers

Thanks for the reply, resort-sand, and. the kind feedback!

They are all there, so far I can see, but perhaps too small? Please note that I set the Sampling (Render Settings> Redshift> Sampling for previews typically to 0.1, which is OK, but not production quality. Better is 0.01 or even 0.001, but the render time increases drastically.

Please investigate these suggestions, so we can find what is not working on your side. Please take one step at a time.

1. Move the slider of the material to the right (delete the animation)
2. Set up the Sphere size to 10cm, for example
3. Cache the Particles with the option on the Folder: Particle group

Any insights that lead to solving this problem?

Happy New Year

Hi reading-card,

Thanks for updating the file. Zip isn't working by default here, safety/IT-wise. Files in C4D format up to 1MB are direct upload-able.
Dropbox is perfect (so is WeTransfer, Google, Adobe, and Apple cloud services). Please upload uncompressed, if needed again. Thank you.

Here is your file back, not considered the final version, but to show the problems. The face border is moving, the Cloner has to prep the result (MG Baking did not improve the results), the Loft Generator builds the Geometry, which is then again built in the Connector, and again In the SDS, while PLA is moving the face, and the Cloth is then to move everything, except for the Vertex map data.

I have gotten to the point of no Mesh-Chaos.

Here is the file:
https://projectfiles.maxon.net/Cineversity_Forum_Support/2026_PROJECTS_DRS/20260102_CV4_2026_drs_26_CAcl_01.c4d.zip

The question is, do you set up a Pose morph for the Face from the Moves by Maxon? Just to get the full picture.

My impression is that I need to find a different approach. Example:
https://projectfiles.maxon.net/Cineversity_Forum_Support/2026_PROJECTS_DRS/20260102_CV4_2026_drs_26_CAcl_11.c4d.zip
I extended the Face as needed first, harvested some expressions, to added them as Target to the PoseMorphs. The point mode in the PoseMorph needs an on and off switch, which erases all point data, but not the morph target animation (sliders), but then it works. The vibrate tag is only there to trigger some motion for Cloth.

I will have a look in the morning to it.

All the best

Hi smckenzie,

The Random Field produces values between 0-1 typically. Meaning, when 1 is reached, 360º, as in the Plain Effector> Parameter> R.H, is reached.
That by itself would lead to any degree of rotation between 00 and 360º.

Option A
You Remap this inside of the Random Field, Remapping> Contour> Contour Mode> Quantize. If you need this Contour (falloff) for something else, use the one below.
CV4_2026_drs_26_MGrr_01.c4d

Option B
To limit that, the Quantize (Field-Layer) sits on top of it (Which works like the Posterize in Photoshop. If you like to work without Effector or Fields to get there, use the next one
CV4_2026_drs_26_MGrc_01.c4d

Option C
Set up the Cloner as you need, place four Nulls under it, place under each a copy for your clones, and rotate them 0º, 90º, 180º, and -90º (or 270º)
Then set the Cloner to Clones> Random.
CV4_2026_drs_26_MGrm_01.c4d

Is this working for your project?

Cheers

Hi smckenzie,

Thanks for the images and for using Apple Cloud.

Images are not helping, as I can't see the settings of the scene.

This results in asking countless questions and wasting your time.

Scale of the scene, use the ball as an initial test. Is the distance set up carefully
However, I can see in your images that the "cage" provides some lines in the curves; is it stuck there?

Here is an example, and if you switch to Complex, you will see the same lines (Attribute> Scene> Simulation>Simulation> Draw is activated.)
CV4_2026_drs_26_SIrc_11.c4d
Please let me know what is different in your scene.

What is the advantage of having the sphere dynamically, and not just run it along a Spline/Align to Spline, perhaps with a Null parent, to easily animate the sphere's rotation, etc?

Happy New Year.

MaverickMongoose,

I wanted to share as well a version where the Hair grows along.
To have the end differently, I used a Target Effector, set to Repel and Deform> Points, while it moves with the Spline it sits on (Align To Spline)

CV4_2026_drs_25_RShr_21.c4d

To you and everyone using this forum, thanks for your trust, and lots of success in 2026

Thank you very much, appointment-insect!

You’re very welcome! Thank you so much for the kind feedback!
I do not felt that you take time from me, and there is some little bit left in 2025!

I like to read that you got it fixed!

Please always keep in mind that the time spent on any question will hopefully help others in the future. In other words, please never hesitate to ask.
Things change, and questions keep the forum up-to-date!

If you like to explore the problem of tracked footage and character animations, I’m happy to look into it.
Please use a new thread for it if you would like to explore it. A new forum’s thread means that things stay readable and perhaps “findable”.

For all your projects that come to you in 2026, I wish you a lot of success and fun with them.

Enjoy!

P.S.: Here is a little bit "polished" version.

CV4_2026_drs_25_RShr_11.c4d

Hi resort-sand,

Thank you for the file!

If I understand this correctly, the size is there to provide the glow "sphere".

I have left your setup pretty much as it is, but used the Random Effector only to randomize the color.

Below is the more detailed step-by-step. for anyone reading along. Perhaps it is faster to explore the file.

CV4_2026_drs_25_RSff_01.c4d

Material
The Color Data is based on Color User Data and the set up as "RSMGColor" Provided in the presets.

This color information is all over the place, so I use only the red channel via Color Splitter (Blue or green is equally good, as they are just random gray values after all).

To get it from dark to Yellow, I used a Ramp Node. The idea of those lights is a more organic feel, hence the little variations on the right side of the Ramp.
This is then placed into a Mix Node, as you want to be able to go from Random to Full. To make that more comfortable to animate, I used a Group Node, set to Start node (Material Menu> Node> Start Node.)

In this group Node I created an Input-Output and set the parameter to 0-100% with a step of 1% (right mouse click on the input> Edit input. then set up the parameters)

This allows, now, after the material is selected in the Material Manager, to see that input in the Attributes, I named it "Glow RND to Full", and animated it as needed.

The second input of the Group Node is Color. I have set it to blue for now, so the animation and change are clear. Use the warm glow tone for your final use if that is the target.

All of that goes into the Emission Color, and I have set the Weight very high to enable the proper glow in post effects. See below.

Rendering
If the Redshift Render View is open and large enough, the Cogwheel in the right upper corner should be visible.

In the Display Tab, you can set up the Bloom and eventually the Flare effect. I have enabled both.

This produces the Light "sphere" around the fireflies.

The Render Settings have the RS Post Effects enabled

Preview:
https://projectfiles.maxon.net/Cineversity_Forum_Support/2025_CLIPS_DRS/20251230_CV4_2026_drs_25_RSff_01.mp4
.

Please let me know if that works for you.

Happy holidays to you as well!

Hi MaverickMongoose,

Thanks for the file and the reference.

Please have a look at the file below. (Press Play)
CV4_2026_drs_25_RShr_01.c4d

I have basically used only two Twist Deformers per Hair-Element (Rendered as hair via RS Render Tag).

One Twist Deformer is Axial to spiral the hair, the other one is moved away from the main axis and creates the Helix. The Cloner is moving the hair through the Deformer.

The Random Effectors below each spline are set to Deform>Point.

The lower cloner creates the most Hair, while the spline below the Main Cloner is for the little "stray hair.

Yes, that needs some fine-tuning (Light and Material, etc.), but I wanted to get your input if that works for you.

The Splines have a lot of points, so they will follow different Twist settings.

Same here, if you are off, have a great start to 2026.

Cheers!