NWDA Default Scene

[Dune]

Hey Frank,  how do I download the preset from your site? Should I open an account?

---Dune

[FrankB]

yes, just open an account, then you can add products to your cart, then checkout. If you only have free products in the cart, you will receive an email with download codes directly after checkout.

Cheers,
Frank

[Dune]

Thanks, Frank...

[inkydigit]

very kind of you Frank...looks like it could be very useful!
Cheers
Jason

[domdib]

Looks a very useful contribution to the community. At the risk of sounding ungrateful (which I'm not!), I wonder whether, perhaps in future, a short piece (either written or video) might be added that would give some useful pointers on how to utilise the function parts of the network?

Well done to everyone at NWDA!

[FrankB]

Hi Dominic, these function groups really only matter when you know how to use functions, in which case they are a convenient addition. Everyone else can just ignore them, or delete them, or save them as a clip file for later use and then delete them from the default project. Then overwrite the default project, so that they don't appear anymore on startup.
This default project is probably best suite for advanced users, with the function groups showing up. Maybe I should create a simpler version without them, and ship them both in a zip file, so you can choose which one you like better.

Cheers,
Frank

[Parrot69]

I love this and I have already slightly customized it to my particular use. Just added Heightfield with load/resize/adjust etc. children and removed the Fractal terrains, maybe will add a couple of cameras.

It's a shame that TG2 doesn't remember to keep the sky ON because that's the first thing I check when making a new scene, I like to see the terrain with sky on in every tab, rather than black.

[cyphyr]

... I like to see the terrain with sky on in every tab, rather than black.

Funny, show how we all work different. I almost always work with the sky OFF!.

Richard

[Seth]

It's a shame that TG2 doesn't remember to keep the sky ON because that's the first thing I check when making a new scene, I like to see the terrain with sky on in every tab, rather than black.

I do exactly the opposite !
I just click on the "render tab" to check the surface colours once in a while...

[Henry Blewer]

I only have the sky on in the render tab. It slows things down otherwise. If I think I need a full preview, I just go to the render tab.

[domdib]

I guess what I'm hinting at is that it would be super good if one of the NWDA products could be a kind of introductory guide to functions, perhaps with a few accompanying clip files/scenes, and maybe even guidance on using that setup in the default scene. Now who could produce such a thing? They'd have to be a wizard at functions, and also excellent at explaining things...

[Seth]

I guess what I'm hinting at is that it would be super good if one of the NWDA products could be a kind of introductory guide to functions, perhaps with a few accompanying clip files/scenes, and maybe even guidance on using that setup in the default scene. Now who could produce such a thing? They'd have to be a wizard at functions, and also excellent at explaining things...

VOLKEEEEEEEEEER !!!

[cyphyr]

The problem with the blue function nodes is that they're miss sold. What Matt showed us last week link illustrates the point very well. That was not a complex node network but a simple and elegant solution integrating the "math" of functions with the "art?" of power fractals. I'd like to see the functions taught right up alongside the basic terrain and surface modifications so the perceived barrier ("Oh its far too complex for me, I never understood math" etc) is removed. Learning by relevant example is far easier to absorb and I think would open up the whole "blue function" nodes to a very much wider audience

Richard

[rcallicotte]

Well said, Richard.  And Volker is pretty good at these sorts of things.  Maybe he and nvseal could get together...well, anyone at NWDA, really. 

[pfrancke]

I'm going to bitch... so sorry up front for this.  <Begin Rant> Can't you developers make this program easy to understand?  Or barring that. update the documentation with better interface instructions <End Rant>

Frank, I took a look at the default preset and while it produces wonderful results, I thought it would have been an excellent "entry" to TG2 for newcomers.  So, not being a new-comer I start digging to see if I can understand it.  The first thing that I come across that catches my curiosity is the "connect to compute terrain" node.  I see that it has really low values and I can't understand how such low values could result in the landscape that I see.  A little bit of research and I see that I have to right click on the "fractal terrain" group, and then I see how the three inside nodes Base Perlin, Medium size details, small size details. 

Gripes:
1) finding them - who would have thought to right click on the group.
2) I see no indication of how they tie into the rest of the node network.  Connect to Compute Terrain doesn't document being tied to them, and the hidden three gems show no indication of how they are tied to the node network - except by their being in the "add Terrain" panel.

Sorry - I'm probably going to find out that this is clearly documented and that I just failed to look and see it.  If given a choice of styles, I prefer the what DandelO did with his boss grass shading node, that had internal components.  With that concept, I have a sense of placement and sequence.  Again, I am probably missing something very basic - and it is me.

On another note, I appreciate very much the work that everyone is doing to make TG2 a success - we are the ones that benefit from that!!
Piet