Textures Vs. shaders

[TheBadger]

THis is interesting J!

Now I understand what you were saying about desirable effect.

Though I think, really this example is comparable to adding makeup to a properly lit model in a shoot. She is lit well but the make up adds that extra depth. In my mind I am thinking of the crevices between two stone bricks. It should have soot and dirt and be blacker than a clean GISD

I cant say that the AO looks real in comparison to the GISD. I do agree that it looks more dramatic though. I can think of a few more examples already where I would want to try what you did.

Were you suggesting previously that you just wanted more power in GISD, or that AO is better, or that the two should be used together, or?

Another great demo from you J.
I hope since Oshyan had another point of view on this, that he can also show what he is seeing in his mind, it does help a lot.

Right now I think that I asked the wrong question in the first place. I should have asked how people use textures and materials together with rendering solutions, instead of a ".VS" track. But that would have been general and vague too. At least now a door is open for me to get in through!

Thank you.

[Oshyan]

Well yes, exactly, as you say "cheating". All I was saying about GISD is that it should shade features that *should be in shadow* on a model (where there is actual geometry), whether due to creases and folds, cracks, or whatever. A "dirt map" is somewhat different and does not take actual, current lighting into account, only general "occlusion" so to speak. Both are useful, most definitely.

- Oshyan

[Dune]

How do you make an AO map? In the sculpting program I presume, but by hand drawing?

[j meyer]

Michael - That's why I mentioned make up.

              "Were you suggesting previously that you just wanted more power in GISD,
               or that AO is better, or that the two should be used together, or?"

              I like GISD,but it doesn't cover all aspects.So an additional cavity shader
              would help a lot with things like "crevices between two stone bricks" and
              more.And AO on a per object basis could also help,but it may be more
              practical and convenient to use an external solution that fits the model
              anyway.
              And yes,from my point of view these two - cavity and AO - should be
              used in conjunction,depending on what you're after of course.


Oshyan -      

Ulco - Yes,in my case it's done with ZBrush.Actually it was AO masking converted to
         texture,but there are other ways,too.
         Sometimes I use this masking as a guide to paint AO manually.Or cavity painting.
         Or combinations thereof.
         You can use programs like xnormal(free) to generate AO maps also.
         As far as I know you can do AO renders and most likely maps with Lightwave,
         too.It's possibly called radiance render in LW.
         

[TheBadger]

That's why I mentioned make up.

lol, I went back and sure enough you did say that. Thats funny, I must retain more than I think I do, I just forget where it comes from.
Maybe I just do better with the abstract than the literal. Either way I am glad it got in my head