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Core Concepts

The vocabulary and model behind PipeIt networks.

PipeIt represents a pipe layout as a graph: connected points joined by runs of pipe. Understanding a few terms makes the rest of the guide straightforward.

The model

  • Pipe Network: the actor you place in the level. It holds the graph and renders it using a kit.
  • Kit: an asset listing the meshes PipeIt assembles: junction meshes (caps, straights, corners, tees, crosses), the pipe mesh that spans between them, and bracket meshes. See The Kits.
  • Node: a point in the graph. Its type is chosen by how many pipes meet there and at what angles. Node types include:
    • End Cap: a free end of a run.
    • Straight: a pass-through (two pipes in line).
    • Corner: a 90° turn; Half Corner is a 45° turn.
    • Tee (T-Junction): three pipes meeting.
    • Cross: four pipes meeting.
    • Bracket: a node that mounts the pipe to a nearby surface.
  • Edge: the run of pipe between two nodes. The pipe mesh is stretched or tiled to span the edge.
  • Variant: an alternative mesh for the same node or edge role. Cycling variants changes the look without changing the topology.
  • Flexi edge: a curved edge with editable control points and tangents, for runs that straight segments cannot follow. See Flexi Pipes.
  • Island: a connected sub-graph. One network can contain several separate islands.

How pieces are chosen

When the shape of the graph changes, PipeIt re-evaluates each node and picks the kit mesh that matches its role (the number and angle of connected pipes), then stretches or tiles the pipe mesh along each edge. You influence the result by editing topology (adding/removing connections) and by cycling variants.

Scale vs. network size

Two independent controls affect size:

  • The actor transform scale changes the network’s footprint (where nodes sit in the world).
  • The Mesh Scale Multiplier changes how fat the pipes and pieces look, without moving any nodes.

See Mesh Scale & Render Modes.