[how to] rendering multiple UVs map (diff, norm, disp)

[yannoch]

Hi.
I'm trying Terragen2 to create various high quality planets for video game.
I looking for render 6 maps like this:





Textures need to be cubic to correspond with my UVs coordinate of my mesh.
Something like this:





I need to render 6 diffuse maps, 6 normals maps, and 6 displacement maps.
Can you help me to do this please?

If is not possible, can be render only one very high resolution texture (16k) but with spherical mapping and i baking on my mesh.
but how to render a spherical map?

[cyphyr]

It can be done but it's a little fiddly. There is no"spherical projection" as yet in Terragen

Firstly make a planet with a texture you like, then delete the planet and replace it with a Terragen sphere the same size and location as your planet.  In the spheres node place a (-) in front of your sphere's radius. (So if your using the default planet it's radius goes from 6.378e+006 to -6.378e+006 )

Now delete the atmosphere, you will have to add this separately in your game.

Now place a camera at the centre of the sphere and set it's FOV to 90 degrees. Set your render dimensions to say 1000x1000.

Place a light source in the centre of the sphere and adjust it's strength and max distance to illuminate the inside of your sphere. Switch OFF cast shadows, glow in atmosphere and specular highlights.

Now you are ready to render. Point the camera straight up, straight down, forward, backward, left and right. Do this in the camera dialog NOT by moving the camera manually. You could animate this last process or do it as separate renders

You should now have six tiles ready for UV mapping back onto the sphere in your game.

As I said, this is a little fiddly but it will work.

Hope this helps

Richard

[yannoch]

Hi.
Thanks for your reply Cyphyr!
Its the same way to generate a skybox.
Realy good. =)

But i have a issue with LightSource.
I can change radius and strength but has not effect.
LightSource no generate lighting. :/
I have testing with a standard scene with a planet, but dont work.


-edit-


I have spoted the probleme.
If i push strength to a very high value (500000e+009) its working. =)


i have a question.
I use MicroExporter to generate NormalsMap.
I have put the Farhest distance very far. But i have a black image. :/

[cyphyr]

Try this
Very elemental but you should be able to see the principles.
Good luck
Richard

Not sure about normal maps, never used them my self but there have been discussions on the forum, try a search

[yannoch]

Thanks for your asset Cyphyr!
I understand how to do what i want. 


I try to found a way to export normals.

[yannoch]

I have a question; if i want to export a cloods shader, i need to put on atmosphere. 
But atmosphere can be applyed to a sphere node and can be rendered with your tricks?

[cyphyr]

Terragen's atmosphere works on volumetrics and so can not be easily exported as a set of flat images. Depending on your game engine I would try to create your clouds in there.
The best you could export from Terragen is a flat "slice" through a cloud fractal.
You "could" render out the cloud fractals by plugging them into the sphere (as a second render pass) but the results will look llittle like the clouds terragen renders as a volume.
"If" your game engine will support if you "could" then extrapolate something volumetric from the flat slices but the result will look nothing like the terragen clouds.

Richard

[yannoch]

hi Cyphyr.

I use Unreal Engine 3, and i work on Unreal Development Kit (UDK).
UDK cant generate volumetric clood.
But i can import a cloods map like a Alpha mask, and apply this to a sphere.
But if i want to reach a great render in game, i need a Bump map or normals map of cloods from Terragen so they can receive light and have fake volumetric cloods.

[Oshyan]

Terragen isn't really designed for this kind of workflow, one of its most significant strengths is its render engine, and you lose the value of that when you export assets for use in other systems. At the same time Terragen is very flexible so indeed you're able to get some of this working even if it's not really designed for the purpose, and we do provide export functionality for specific purposes, mostly oriented toward film production workflows.

I don't mean to specifically discourage you, just to let you know that full game world asset creation is not currently something we have devoted much time or product development to, so there will be some further challenges if you continue. But if you like the results and you can come up with good workflows, perhaps you can lead the way for others using UE3. I know Terragen has always been popular in that community for sky boxes, which we have always appreciated.

- Oshyan