Q: Working with TGC files (snow)

[Sp34k]

Dear community

I have recently bought some snow TGC from NWDA but i'm still unsure how to use it properly..
What I've done is to create a fast, simple terrain just to learn how to use TGC correctly, so I made a quick terrain and imported the TGC file into the terrain and attacked it to any node I could find basically..

I tried to make a "surface layer" and throw the TGC node on the "blending shader", then everything as white as my butt.. What, in the world have I done wrong and what can I do to control the snow?
I saw a beautiful picture made by FrankB (I'm still trying to get better than him.... I guess I'll have to spend an hour more a day maybe...) Anyways, as you can see on his picture here in this theat: http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=8043.0 then the show is beautiful, you can see some stones and grass even while the snow is on different levels, not just directly ON every pixel of the ground..

How is a good way of using TGC files? (snow TGC in my situation), I tried to look in the guides/tutorials but without much success..
I look forward for a reply:)

Cheers folks,
Mike B.

[Henry Blewer]

I have been having difficulty with clip files also. For some reason I don't 'lasso' the nodes I want only. I get the entire node setup.

[FrankB]

which pack do you have?

The snow in the image you refer to is simply a white layer with max slope constraints, that's all. That's alright for an elevated viewpoint such as in the mentioned image.

If you have the TU snow pack, that's best for snow close-ups. Most of what it does would be wasted in this elevated view, as all the details it produces are simply invisible at this altitude. If you have a question about the snow pack, best you drop Tangled-Universe a PM.

Otherwise, most packs have example scenes that come with it, so you can see how it's connected.

Frank

[Sp34k]

I have the TU-snow, there's loots of files in the download including previews etc. but I'm aiming for some snow that can be used from a long distance..
I'm just still confused how to use TGC files in general, atmosphere is easy enough but the rest like, roads, snow, sand, rocks etc. is a mysterie. I don't know what node to use to be hornest:)

In the read-me, they refered to a "how to use video" in the readme file, but the links doesnt work.. Maybe I should contact NWDA about it?

Cheers mate,
Mike

[FrankB]

the video is for the canyon pack, specifically on how painting a canyon works.

Generally, you have to know what the nodes in a clip file do before you can successfully integrate it with your scene.
For example, in the sand shader pack, you find 22 flavours of sand. These are simple surface layer nodes with an internal network. To use the sand, you would have to know it's a surface layer, and that you need to embed it in your surface layer chain of nodes.

It really depends on the clip file how you need to embed it in your network, there is no magic button or anything.
You can always either drop us a pm here or contact us through the contact form at www.nwdanet.com for questions. Usually we're able to answer or even have a look at files you may send us.

Cheers,
Frank

[Sp34k]

I'm glad there ain't no magic button for it, it would be too easy then..
Well, I do appreciate your helpful tips about contacting you guys, but I'll pass it.. I don't wan't to bother people with my questions, I guess that I'll go and play a little more with the tgc file(s) and try to learn what I can, and when I feel that I have enough knowledge to fully ask a questions related to TGC files (and nodes) - then I'll think about the helpful offer again

At this moment, I don't know anything about working with external TGC files so, It's hard for me to even ask the questions because I don't know what to ask about haha..
But thanks FrankB, I didn't really know they were "simple surface layer", see I already learned something there.. It's amazing and I'm not even at work! lol..

Well, cheers mate,
Mike

[Kadri]

Sp34k , what i want to say has really zero to do about this topic. But honestly what does this mean?

Learning history and science, wait,
Knowing that, will that put food on my plate?
Yeah, can I walk into McDonald's, into the counter,
And tell them you can make limestone from gunpowder,
Will they give me a cheeseburger if I know that shit?

I am no one who want to say rude things to someone here or anywhere. ..so don't get me wrong.
I am really asking only. I don't think that this has a right  message in it.
One thing i could say in a sarcastic meaning would be that you wouldn't get a cheeseburger  but wouldn't  have to work there to...but...this isn't the point.
Isn't knowledge what we are,what we become?

Kadri.

[cyphyr]

The only difficulty with TGC files is knowing where to plug them into. I'd hope the writers of such files would include a txt file in their release that explains this.
With surface files possibly the safest way would be to plug them directly into the child layer of a surface layer or distribution layer, (if using a surface layer un-tick the colour tab).
You should now be able to control the distribution independently of the settings provided in the tgc. Leaving the altitude and slope settings empty (un-ticked) will allow the TGC file to render as the original author intended.
Hope this helps

Richard

[Henry Blewer]

When I have worked with snow, not often; I give the surface an offset displacement. This causes the surface to be 'lifted' the amount of the offset. This can give the 'deepness' to the snow.

[Sp34k]

Kadri:
It is a quote from an Insane clown posse lyric: How many times, maybe if you heard the song or read the lyric you would understand what it's about:) My English isn't good enough to give a good example of what it means.. Only if you understand Danish

cyphyr:
Ohh, you said some things I didnt know like:
           1. plug them directly into the child layer of a surface or distribute layer
           2. If using a surface layer then un-tick the colour tab.
           3. Leaving the altitude and slope settings empty (un-ticked) will allow the TGC file to render as the original author intended.

I didn't know any of these 3 things, I will go ahead and try plug the TGC into the child layer of my surface layer.. This will be great! I've done everything wrong I guess because my terrain sometimes disapear when I try different nodes
I also learned from this, that I have always checked the colour tab (which made everything grey) and I also have altitude and slope unchecked which made my terrain disapear somehow, but

Thanks cyphyr ^,^ Sometimes it's easier to understand when people gives small examples like these, instead of reading a 2 page tutorial.. I will just have to learn how to work with altitude and slope so the snow can become visible, atm. it's not showing on the terrain, I guess there's something good in the wiki or tutorials here

njeneb:
I just found the offset displacement on the surface layer, but I will first need to learn the above ^^ and then return to the offset displacement and learn how that works:) but thanks for the tip! it will become useful when I learn the rest:]

Cheers

[Kadri]

Kadri:
It is a quote from an Insane clown posse lyric: How many times, maybe if you heard the song or read the lyric you would understand what it's about:) My English isn't good enough to give a good example of what it means.. Only if you understand Danish
...

Ok , i think i understand what you mean But i think many people would think like me about this.
If you would add something like " It is a quote from an Insane clown posse lyric " or such there might not so much confusion about this...
Thanks  Sp34k .

Anyway back to topic   

Kadri.