True render layers

Started by nxfxcom, August 09, 2017, 05:23:53 PM

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nxfxcom

Hello all,

Quick question. I am trying to export my objects as individual files (one file per terrain). I get how the passes work, but does anybody have a example that breaks our each object?

Thank you

Oshyan

I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to do. What objects are you trying to export? Terrains? If you want to export separate terrains the only way is either manually, or make separate planets for each terrain and then use the Object Groups feature which links with Render Layers for separating things out.

- Oshyan

nxfxcom

Thank you for your quick reply. Basically I want to build a scene ,different terrains, geometry, porpulations etc, each one with their own passes and then later assemble them in post. To create moving shots etc

Oshyan

Are you wanting to export terrain *geometry*, or just render passes? It sounds like you probably want to make use of the Grouping+Layers functionality I talked about before. Docs are here: http://planetside.co.uk/wiki/index.php?title=Render_Layers_and_Render_Elements

- Oshyan

nxfxcom

Hello,
Exactly right. I will read through that and see if I can figure it out. Do you have a sample file by any chance? The passes is clear, but the objects I can't seem to figure out

Thank you

Oshyan

No sample file immediately available, but use of groups is pretty simple, likewise assigning groups to layers is also simple. If you have trouble figuring it out after reading the docs let us know and I can try to put together a demo file.

- Oshyan

nxfxcom

Thank you for the amazing support, I will play with it tonight and let you know!!

nxfxcom

Hello,

I am still having an extremely hard time getting it out. I am getting the passes, but not on a per geometry level. Is there a Tutorial you know of that covers this? Coming from Maya/Flame it might just be a terminology issue

Thank you

Matt

#8
To separate renders per object, you need to do a separate render for each object. At the time of this writing (4.1), it's not possible to extract multiple object layers from a single render. However, the Render Layer node is designed to make this process easier by controlling which objects should be visible or hidden etc. in the current render. This means you can set up more than one Render Layer node in your project and then choose a different Render Layer node for each render that you do.

Once you understand this, the general way we choose objects is through object groups, which are set up in the node network view. We move objects or populations into a group in the network view. Then in the Render Layer you select groups rather than individual objects (although in future I'd like to make it work with objects as well).

Terrain, clouds and atmosphere are considered part of the planet, so in some case you need to move the planet node into its own group. But often these things can be considered "everything else" and don't need be put into a group.
Just because milk is white doesn't mean that clouds are made of milk.

SILENCER

You know what would be handy here is to be able to isolate heightfields and other portions of the planet into groups seen by the render layer output.

For example: you have a heightfield which includes a strata shader masked by a painted shader. You want a matte of just that portion of the planet.
Drag all the appropriate nodes into a group and assign that group as a holdout. What you get is a matte of the  heightfield with all the assigned displacement. Compositors remain happy, TG artist doesn't get bogged down isolating things with cards, etc.

I have had to do custom setups with black and white shaders in order to spit out the mattes they want, but a method such as this might solve a lot of hassle.


Oshyan

Yes, it would be ideal to not be limited to only grouping Objects into Layers. However there is a workaround for what you're describing which is simply to create a second planet and assign your heightfield nodes to that planet. Then, since planets are objects, you can put it into a separate layer.

- Oshyan