Render Flam3 Padding XForms is a unique feature that I introduced in the script version 1.3.7 (04 November 2008). It was mainly coded to adjust some quirks related to the Morph animation type so the user can have a better control of the whole morphing process but it can also affect Edge and Sheep ones.

Why I’m talking about it?
I’ve had no feedback about it (I’m not blaming anyone) but the script has some potential that lays underneath the surface and the current preliminary documentation doesn’t help at all (I’ll work on it as soon as possible too).
So I was just guessing: “Had someone tried it at all?”. Who knows…

Four simple video examples can maybe show how Padding XForms changes the animation motion.

Render Flam3 Padding XForms ON – Morph animation

Render Flam3 Padding XForms OFF – Morph animation

Render Flam3 Padding XForms ON – Edge animation

Render Flam3 Padding XForms OFF – Edge animation

How it works?
Render Flam3  checks all the PostXForm and FinalXForm in the currently loaded Flame file; when a flame lack some of them then it exports the extra needed “null” Forms.
This is quite simple but really effective!
All the flames are exported with the same number of Post/Final/PostFinal XForms so Flam3 can interpolate the various entities in a more effective way.

I know it’s a very “dirty trick” but it works good and Flam3 interpolation seems a lot more predictable this way due to the extra added XForms.
The best results are achieved using “direct” Morph (when flam3-genome isn’t used; the way Render Flam3 mainly implements it) but some specific corrections to the motion can be achieved also using Sheep and Edge animation types; Morph+Stagger (Morph created using the flam3-genome animate mode) should be theoretically affected too but I’ve still to test it.

Actual Padding XForms implementation can be selectively switched to check PostXForms, FinalXForm or both of them at the same time.
Well,  you can have the ability to select the one you prefer or no Padding XForms at all!