Houdini prototype · Procedural placement / RBD
The challenge
Stacked objects need deliberate distribution, but some arrangements also benefit from physical settling. This prototype explores how to keep both options within one procedural setup.
The approach
Object variants are normalised and assigned to placement points. Surface masks and volume-based controls restrict where pieces can appear. A static route keeps the procedural arrangement, while a Bullet route adds dynamics, with controls for fall direction, impulse and variation.
The value
The prototype separates the placement decision from the decision to simulate. It demonstrates a useful tool-design pattern: establish the arrangement procedurally, then choose whether physical motion is needed for the intended result.