some objects don't appear in the scene

[Syx]

I tried to use a lake to approximate lava and then decided to try using a plane instead. So I created a plane, but, it isn't in the preview window. I can see the node for it, and its in the list on the object tab, but it doesn't seem to actually be in the scene. Right-clicking on the preview pane and then clicking 'select object or shader' also confirms that the plane isn't there. The same thing also happens with the disc object. (the sphere works fine though)

Is this a known glitch, or is there something I can do to remedy this?

[cyphyr]

If a plane or water surface is below the Planets surface you wont be able to see it.
If your view point is below the plane or water surface you also wont be able to see it.
Try raising the centre of the plane or water surface to a greater height or moving the camera higher, you should catch a glimpse of your plane and then you can position it correctly.
Good luck
Richard

[Syx]

No, that's not what's going on. They don't even appear with a bounding box (with the 3 axes that can be dragged), much less appear in render-mode. There's nothing even there to be moved above the planets surface or below the camera's PoV.

[Kadri]

Right click with your mouse and copy the coordinates on the render preview .Then paste these to the object manually.
It will be now at the point you copied the coordinates.
Most likely this is your problem. Try this , if it doesn't work please let us know , Syx !

[dandelO]

Default planes/discs will begin in your scene as 1m2 objects, have you resized it according to your scene dimensions?
Also, planes and discs do not have a bounding box in TG2 and, unlike the sphere object, will not appear directly in front of the camera's field of view, they will be at the position X,Y,Z = 0,0,0.

Give them a decent enough scale and, as Kadri says, right-click the 3d preview to copy some coord's to paste into the node to place them into the correct area of the scene, I'd bet that's where the problem is...

[Syx]

Yeah I tried changing the coords, and resizing the plane. But here's why I suspected something was amiss.



Notice how the plane object's node is there, and it's in the object list window, but it's not among the selectable objects in the drop down menu. Also, it doesn't seem possible to actually drag it around the scene. So is the only way to move it by manually typing in or C&Ping coordinates?

[dandelO]

I just tried this and I can't find a disc in the 'select object...' dialogue either. Maybe some kind of bug/oversight with the software at this time.

I do notice that your plane is still only 1 metre in size, though(length a/b = 1).
If that's a default scene then the bounding box for the visible heightfield you can see is 10,000 metres in size, you won't really see a 1m plane at that distance.
And, it looks like it has a negative height('Y' = '-7.23471') value. Remove the minus sign from the 'Y'(middle input of 'centre' values) translate field and increase 'lengths a/b' to something a lot higher than '1'.
'10,000' in each field will make the plane the size of the bounding box you can see in the preview and removing the minus sign should make it 7.23471 metres above the surface, instead of beneath it, as it is now.

It also appears to be thousands of metres away from the origin, 5879m to the west and 8784m to the south of '0'. Reset those values to '0' as well to bring the plane back to where you can see it. Once it's visible, then move it around.

[Syx]

Aye, I was finally able to find the plane after I moved it to the camera's coordinates. And it indeed didn't have a bounding box, and also appears to only be selectable from the object tab or the node window. Clicking, doubleclicking, anything-clicking on the plane in the scene itself does nothing.

[dandelO]

Also, it doesn't seem possible to actually drag it around the scene. So is the only way to move it by manually typing in or C&Ping coordinates?

Yes, that's correct. A plane has no bounding box or handles to drag. You have to input those settings manually, at the moment.
A lake object(a disc without the 'inner radius' and 'subdivision' parameters) does have drag-handles, you could place whatever shader you liked into a lake and drag it around with ease.

[jo]

Hi,

Planes and discs etc. don't show in the "Select Object or Shader" submenu because they can't be selected. The "Centre on Object or Shader" submenu is set up the same way as the "Select Object or Shader" submenu however it could be (probably is :-) that the "Centre" submenu should list those items.

Regards,

Jo

[Syx]

Yes, I certainly think they should be selectable, AND drag-able. It was enough of a nuisance to align the one I needed for this scene and I was pretty much just using it as a lake. I shudder to think what it'd be like if I were making something more complex with them, such as a road or a bridge.