Getting Started

This guide walks you through installing the Procedural Damage & Wear System, applying it to a mesh, and using presets to get immediate results.

Prerequisites

• Blender 4.2 or later
• A mesh object to apply damage to (any topology works -- the system adapts to your geometry)

Step 1: Install the Addon

1. Download the procedural_damage_wear.zip file from your StraySpark account
2. Open Blender and navigate to Edit > Preferences > Add-ons
3. Click Install and select the downloaded .zip file
4. Enable the addon by checking the box next to Procedural Damage & Wear System in the addon list
5. The addon is ready to use immediately -- no restart required

Edit > Preferences > Add-ons > Install > Select .zip > Enable checkbox

Step 2: Select a Mesh Object

Select any mesh object in your scene. The system works with any topology:

• High-poly sculpts
• Low-poly game assets
• Hard-surface models
• Organic shapes

The curvature detection automatically adapts to the geometry complexity. More detailed meshes produce more detailed wear patterns.

Step 3: Open the Damage & Wear Panel

1. Press N to open the N-Panel (sidebar) in the 3D Viewport
2. Navigate to the Damage & Wear tab
3. Click the Apply Damage System button

This adds a Geometry Nodes modifier to your object. The modifier contains the entire damage pipeline and all parameters are exposed in the panel.

Step 4: Adjust the Age Factor

The Age Factor slider is the master control for overall wear intensity. It scales all wear channels simultaneously:

Age Factor	Result
0.0	Pristine -- no visible wear or damage
0.2	Light use -- subtle edge wear and minor scratches
0.5	Moderate -- noticeable wear across all channels
0.7	Heavy -- significant damage, rust, and dirt buildup
1.0	Abandoned -- maximum wear across every channel

Start with a low value and increase gradually to find the right level of wear for your asset. Each individual channel can be fine-tuned independently after setting the Age Factor.

Step 5: Try the Built-in Presets

The addon ships with 4 damage presets that configure all parameters at once. Use them as starting points and adjust from there:

• Light Use -- Subtle wear for everyday objects. Minimal rust, light scratches.
• Heavy Industrial -- Factory equipment, machinery, heavy-duty tools.
• Abandoned -- Left to decay. Heavy rust, thick dirt, peeling paint.
• Battle Damaged -- Combat wear. Deep scratches, heavy edge damage, minimal rust.

To apply a preset:

1. Open the Damage & Wear panel in the N-Panel
2. Click the Presets dropdown
3. Select a preset from the list
4. All parameters update instantly

You can modify any parameter after applying a preset. The preset is just a starting point.

Verifying the Result

After applying the damage system, you should see:

• Vertex color overlay visible in Material Preview or Rendered mode (if your material reads vertex colors)
• Parameter sliders in the N-Panel under the Damage & Wear tab
• A Geometry Nodes modifier named "ProceduralDamage" in the modifier stack

To see the raw vertex color data without a material setup, switch to Vertex Paint mode (Ctrl+Tab in the 3D Viewport). The wear channels are stored as separate vertex color attributes that you can inspect individually.

What to Read Next

• Wear Effects -- Detailed documentation for each of the 6 wear channels
• Presets -- Full preset parameter tables, custom presets, and randomization
• Surface Types -- How surface type presets affect wear distribution
• Export -- Bake to textures for use in game engines
• API Reference -- Operator IDs, properties, and vertex color attributes