Surfacing help requested (with imported 3d objects)

Started by SteveR, January 20, 2019, 04:36:55 PM

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SteveR

Hi there, can I grab some help with shading please. I creating a test scene where I have a TG created cube object which I have attached a shader node (Power fractal 3 - named "Rock Shader") to give it some surface displacement and a bit of colour. I have also imported a 3d mesh from blender (.obj) and I applied the same "Rock Shader" node in order to give it the same colour and surface displacement.  It only partly works in that the inported objewct (which is called "rock formation 1" in the attached) takes on the base colour only - no variation in colour or surface displacement.

Anyone point out the error of my ways? I have attached a screen grab and also the TG file in case helpful.

Latest version of TG4 Creative.

Many thanks
Steve

Oshyan

#1
Displacement works best on native/internal objects that are marked as "Displaceable" (you will see them in a separate part of the Objects menu). Currently this does *not* include any imported objects, including OBJ, TGO, or LWO. 

Displacement is possible on imported objects, but it is tricky to work with and requires some specific approaches to get it to work well. You need to switch that object's rendering method (on the Rendering tab of the object settings) to Force Displacement. The displacement will render, but will *not* show up in the 3D preview or RTP, unfortunately. And you need to remember that displacement amplitude values are typically in meters (unless it's a multiple of an input, which should be clearly labeled). You will want to be very cautious about using strong displacement. Start with very small values and increase from there, using crop renders to test quickly.

We definitely intend to improve on these limitations in the future, but for now that's how displacement on imported objects works.

- Oshyan

SteveR

Thanks Oshyan,

I can handle the displacement noise in blender probably and just import a denser mesh.  In terms of texture shading are there any restrictions with regard to imported objects? I will admit I need to understand the parts shader set up better than I do - it is confusing me at the moment - I need to go back and have another go.

Best wishes
Steve

bobbystahr

Quote from: SteveR on January 21, 2019, 03:46:55 PM
Thanks Oshyan,

I can handle the displacement noise in blender probably and just import a denser mesh.  In terms of texture shading are there any restrictions with regard to imported objects? I will admit I need to understand the parts shader set up better than I do - it is confusing me at the moment - I need to go back and have another go.

Best wishes
Steve



you might want to talk to masonspappy and / or luvsmuzik as they both do a lot of Blender work.
something borrowed,
something Blue.
Ring out the Old.
Bring in the New
Bobby Stahr, Paracosmologist

Oshyan

Parts Shaders are directly derived from OBJ materials defined in a .MTL file. Without a .MTL file, you don't get proper texturing. So your exporting application needs to export OBJ with a correctly formatted MTL that points to the texture images in their correct location. Terragen also only supports certain specific material channels, diffuse, specular, luminosity, displacement, translucency, opacity.

- Oshyan