"Meta" Nodes

Hello,

I was wondering whether it would be possible to have some sort of “meta nodes”, which you could add just like a real node. However these nodes would be a group of multiple single nodes. This would enable us to create “meta nodes” which do more than just one basic thing without having to duplicate a lot of code. Just like controlling a player is possible by using a few TranslateOnLocalAxis nodes and some inputs. However for new game developers it might be easier to just use the PlayerController node that I posted here Player Controller/Timer Nodes. But I have to admit that this node is more or less “multiple copies” of the TranslateOnLocalAxis node inside a single node with a fancy name. So it is basically just a duplication of code that was already there.

By the way, I have also noticed that I cannot even create node groups. I know that I am able to join nodes into a frame by using CTRL+J . But I am somehow unable to group logic nodes, although it works perfectly fine for the cycles materials…

EDIT:
It seems to be possible to add a complete node group if I didn’t misunderstand this https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/23970/how-to-add-a-group-into-a-node-tree-with-python?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google_rich_qa&utm_campaign=google_rich_qa
That would still leave the problem of not being able to group the logic nodes (at least for me) and predefining the node groups somewhere.

EDIT2: This is more or less just what I thought of https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/31202/can-you-export-compositor-nodes?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google_rich_qa&utm_campaign=google_rich_qa
Only without having it inside another .blend file, but rather some sort of .py or so…

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@zaethan “meta nodes” are a good idea and we find this solution often in CAO/IAO existing softwares.
Another possible solution could be too to have “Layers” of Nodes.

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when I think about it :wink: , I wonder if finally we would not already have a possible method to approach meta-nodes… by creating several NodeTrees on the same object and making them communicate via node Events?

You can also create node groups I think which consolidate the nodes exactly how you have mentioned. I have used it for Material nodes, I’m not actually 100% sure that it works for logic nodes, though. :thinking: