Simple Question

rcallicotte · March 17, 2007, 09:06:15 AM

Does transparency work on anything, anywhere? If so, would someone point me in the right direction on objects like glass or water? From what I understand from the last release's notes, nothing has been done for transparency. Does anyone know or have an idea?

rcallicotte · March 17, 2007, 02:24:57 PM

BUMP for an answer, since I thought this might be addressed on this update. Anyone?

old_blaggard · March 17, 2007, 11:10:46 PM

Transparency doesn't exist yet. I'm pretty sure that you can apply the lambert shader to anything, and you can use opacity in the default shader, but there's no transparency function right now.

rcallicotte · March 18, 2007, 08:35:21 AM

Yeah!!! Someone answered. Thanks, old_blaggard.

But, why does opacity fail in the Default Shader when it's set below .5? That is the cliff of no return, right? Otherwise I'd use that. And, actually, opacity doesn't seem to work at all, as a matter of fact. For example, when I use opacity on the same material in DAZ|Studio (good ol' DS) I can see the opacity threshold from 0% to 100% in gradual steps. Not so in the Default Shader's opacity setting on the same exact material.

This must be because transparency doesn't exist yet...my only guess.

Oshyan · March 19, 2007, 02:04:40 AM

As o_b said proper transparency is not yet available. You will definitely see a note in the change log when it is added, and no doubt mention of its inclusion will be made in the announcement of that particular update since we know it's a much-anticipated feature.

"Opacity" has different meanings in different applications. You can equate TG2's "opacity" to some other program's "alpha", for example. DAZ Studio's "opacity" may simply be a different setting. That being said you are correct that TG2 currently only allows "on" or "off" in terms of what is interpreted from an opacity image or function. Partial alpha/opacity will be possible in the future.

- Oshyan

rcallicotte · March 19, 2007, 09:03:07 AM

Thanks, Oshyan. When you get around to it, would you mind letting me know if the 'partial alpha/opacity' that we will see in the future is linked to the ability to have transparency? Part of this question is because I do not have the formal graphics design education I need to grasp some of these things and I'm learning. So, only when you have time...

I bought that book on functions you and Jo recommended, by the way. Waiting for the vendor to send it.

Quote from: Oshyan on March 19, 2007, 02:04:40 AM
As o_b said proper transparency is not yet available. You will definitely see a note in the change log when it is added, and no doubt mention of its inclusion will be made in the announcement of that particular update since we know it's a much-anticipated feature.

"Opacity" has different meanings in different applications. You can equate TG2's "opacity" to some other program's "alpha", for example. DAZ Studio's "opacity" may simply be a different setting. That being said you are correct that TG2 currently only allows "on" or "off" in terms of what is interpreted from an opacity image or function. Partial alpha/opacity will be possible in the future.

- Oshyan

Oshyan · March 19, 2007, 02:15:40 PM

Calico, I'm not necessarily the one to ask about those kinds of implementation and rendering details, but I think those two functions may well be linked and could come at more or less the same time.

- Oshyan

Cyber-Angel · March 20, 2007, 08:25:48 AM

I have a suggestion, shouldn't TG2 as far as possible use naming conventions from other packages where applicable as far as possible to avoid user confusion?

Regards to you.

Cyber-Angel

Oshyan · March 20, 2007, 02:48:30 PM

Quote from: Cyber-Angel on March 20, 2007, 08:25:48 AM
I have a suggestion, shouldn't TG2 as far as possible use naming conventions from other packages where applicable as far as possible to avoid user confusion?

Regards to you.

Cyber-Angel

Of course, but many packages use different names for the same things. Additionally in some cases TG2 implements functions that other packages do not have, for example "alpha" is an additional function to "opacity" in TG2, and we used "opacity" in order to distinguish it from this other function. Sometimes it is not easy to determine exactly what to name something, but our fundamental goals are self-consistency, intuitiveness and consistency with other applications wherever possible. As you know there are still many changes to be made in the TG2 UI.

- Oshyan