Functional Caustics - by dandelO

[dandelO]

Here's the files for my new edited TG2 voronoi caustics, as shown here:



The functions are inside the 'Caustics Surface' shader. Control their coverage with the fractal named 'Distribution - via colour offset'. Negatively colour offsetting this shader gives less fractal coverage, positive makes more. The default '0' offset is quite an unbroken coverage. You can also use the blending shader of the parent node(caustics surface) layer to add your own distribution properties.
The actual surface layer's visibility is controlled by the parent node's 'luminosity function', defaults are '10'.

The .tgc version has no constraints set and full coverage(Dist' colour offset = '0').

The scale of the caustic Voronoi cells are controlled by 'constant scalar 01', defaults are '1'.

Enjoy!

*FILE REMOVED, AVAILABLE IN POST BELOW*

Thanks for looking/downloading!

Your Friendly Neighborhood dandelO.

*EDIT* A shallow water shader is again included in the clip file, just as last time. I've removed the displacement shader that the last one used and edited scales/trans'/etc.

*EDITED* Changed clipfile to new version 3, available a couple of posts down this page.
Removed .tgd(think I've found a GI bug, but a good one! Testing things before I post to support. If you downloaded the .tgd, lower the GI settings in it, significantly! This is really, really weird... )

[Kadri]

Thanks , DandelO 

[Zairyn Arsyn]

pretty, thanks for sharing. 

[dandelO]

A quick update on this. The hard cells were bothering me, should've sorted this before I uploaded them earlier but I wasn't thinking straight.

So, what before looked like this:

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Now looks like this:

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You really never get straight waves!

You can use random seed in the shader 'Warp Fractal' for infinite variations. To tone down the warping amount, reduce displacement in this fractal.
I've also changed the scales and reduced the 'Distribution via colour offset' colour offset setting to '-0.325', to make the cells not as bright as each other all over the entire surface. Now, they seem to fade in and out better and, it just looks a whole lot nicer.

Cheers!

dandelO/If you can't make it - Fake it!

[choronr]

Thanks Martin; hope to be using the updated version soon.

[Gannaingh]

Cool! Thanks for sharing!

[choronr]

I have tested your .tgc file on one of my images that contains water. The issue I've not been able to resolve is that the caustics image appears everywhere on the terrain. I tried connecting an additional surface layer (without color) used for restricting distribution of the voronoi image; and, it didn't seem to make any difference. Any suggestions?

[dandelO]

The blend shader port of the caustics layer is completely free, Bob, as are the slope/altitude constraints...

For the example image above, all I used were the height constraint tab, it's a little off at the very shore/land border but, if I'd taken a bit more care I'd have dropped it very slightly more to keep it completely underwater. you can blend it into your terrains however you choose.

Here's another render, with the new updated caustics instead of the old uns, I think they're all underwater now, just using the height constraints.

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You could use whatever you need to fit it into your own scene. Distance shader, distribution shader, painted shader, etc.

[choronr]

I think I'll try the Painted shader since the other methods suggested did not work properly. Thanks Martin for the tips.

[dandelO]

I can't imagine why you can't use the blend shader option with any other shader that would normally be used for this. And, the caustics layer is really just a surface layer so, it already has it's own constraints.

[choronr]

I can't imagine why you can't use the blend shader option with any other shader that would normally be used for this. And, the caustics layer is really just a surface layer so, it already has it's own constraints.

Hi Martin.

Thanks for getting back. When I set up the caustics layer and before I set any constraints, the caustics show up all over (from water to terrain). Then, using it's own constraints, I enter the maximum altitude and fuzzy which in the case of my image was 1.059km and 0; and check Y for altitude - at this point, caustics do not show up. I tried a distribution shader plugged into the blend shader and got the same results. Then, I tried another image that contains water; and, got the same negative result.

I did not try the painted shader as of yet but will do so. I think this will work. I will try it a little later on today and get back with the results.

Bob

[choronr]

The Painted shader worked fine. The images with water that I've used were probably not good subjects. The new one I'm working on may be a good subject to test the caustics ...we'll see.

Thanks again Martin for the file and all your help.

Bob

[inkydigit]

cheers D....thanks Bob also, for the info

[dandelO]

Strange. I really have no problems making the layer localized by using its own constraints tabs and a blending shader.

It is correct that it appears everywhere once you plug it into your scene, though, Bob. It would be wrong if I were to have set up constraints on the clip file parent layer. If there were any constraints set then, most likely, they would not fit your particular scene. This way, as they are, you get a complete layer of caustic patterns that you then need to tell where to appear(where your waterlines/depth cut-offs are. I could easily have set it up so that no caustics appear over 'Y=0m' but that would not be applicable to most scenes.
For the default settings then, the caustics layer will appear, just as if you have created any other 'surface layer'(all over everything), then you must tell it where you want it.

For demonstration sake, I'll attach a few different blending methods for it here. Really though, it's no different from the main 'surface layer' that it is, which holds all the caustic function nodes. Give me 10 minutes and I'll pop up a couple of blending demos using the most common methods...

[dandelO]

Ok, couple of blending methods, nothing past beginner-level TG2, maybe you're thinking this is a more complicated thing than it actually is?

First: Distance shader. Blended out from render camera, 0m(full cover) to 50m(no cover):
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Next: Blend by(its own) maximum altitude constraint, over crater at 3m depth:
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Next: Blend by(its own) minimum altitude constraint, over the same crater:
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continued...