Planetside Software Forums

General => Terragen Discussion => Topic started by: bobbystahr on February 25, 2017, 04:54:19 PM

Title: Odd population problem
Post by: bobbystahr on February 25, 2017, 04:54:19 PM
I'm currently doing test renders of my C 30 cargo scene and the GD population reference object keeps placing itself in the middle of my road. It's a pain as I have to keep re seeding and saving the cache before each render. Is this fixable? I've had it happen with them(reference objects) popping through a house or any object at 0,0,0.
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: yossam on February 25, 2017, 06:49:20 PM
Bobby I had the same problem with my "Trackside" image and finally had to delete the population. Nothing I did would keep it from showing up at origin come render time. Seeded, reseeded, saved population cache every time I changed the seed. It wouldn't be in the preview until I hit the render button. Thought I was doing something wrong.................. >:(
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: bobbystahr on February 25, 2017, 06:54:35 PM
Quote from: yossam on February 25, 2017, 06:49:20 PM
Bobby I had the same problem with my "Trackside" image and finally had to delete the population. Nothing I did would keep it from showing up at origin come render time. Seeded, reseeded, saved population cache every time I changed the seed. It wouldn't be in the preview until I hit the render button. Thought I was doing something wrong.................. >:(

I've had this behaviour through a number of version, I think from 2 onward. Though it was me as well...ironicly relieved.
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: Dune on February 26, 2017, 01:52:51 AM
What is a 'GD population reference object'? Don't you have a mask (road, house) where not to pop stuff?
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: bobbystahr on February 26, 2017, 03:08:02 AM
Quote from: Dune on February 26, 2017, 01:52:51 AM
What is a 'GD population reference object'? Don't you have a mask (road, house) where not to pop stuff?

heh heh, GD = god damn but I was attempting politeness and the reference object is what TG loads at 0, 0, 0 to populate from.and yes masks are in place but as yossam also noted it's a frusrating thing. Doing another render of the scene and I expect to see that GD tree there again in the prescan and I'll have to abort the render, re seed and resave and try again on the render because I forgot to re seed before i rendered.
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: Dune on February 27, 2017, 02:17:08 AM
Okay, the GD is clear, but there is no (ref) object at 0/0/0 if you have that masked out, so I don't understand your frustration.....
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: N-drju on February 27, 2017, 02:30:10 AM
Perhaps you could widen the mask a little bit (make the road 4m wide and not 1.5 let's say) to increase the effect. Putting very small masks usually causes objects to misplace themselves in the fashion you mentioned.

Also, if you are using painted shader, make sure it is painted perfectly solid. I found out that even a touch of "greyness" is sufficient at times for that tree or object to pop right in.

If you are using instance cache, make sure you got the correct file. What I find useful as well, is trying to roam my cursor throughout the workspace to highlight any object instances that somehow did not show up in the preview - sometimes that happens too.

Anyhoo, using instance cache seems like a very good idea at all times so verify it. You can also use SSS to mask objects out. It is better because it doesn't have holes. :)
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: bobbystahr on February 27, 2017, 02:44:58 AM
Quote from: Dune on February 27, 2017, 02:17:08 AM
Okay, the GD is clear, but there is no (ref) object at 0/0/0 if you have that masked out, so I don't understand your frustration.....

That's just it, there shouldn't be, and yet there often is...can't explain it...

Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: Dune on February 27, 2017, 03:40:45 AM
Weird. Never encountered that.
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: Kadri on February 27, 2017, 06:45:09 AM

Sounds more like a bug. Have you send the file to Planetside Booby?
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: bobbystahr on February 27, 2017, 10:39:56 AM
Quote from: Dune on February 27, 2017, 03:40:45 AM
Weird. Never encountered that.

I thought it was my computer or me till yossam verified it happened to him on a recent render, see reply 2 this thread.
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: Kadri on February 27, 2017, 11:01:05 AM

Yes i understand it. I was trying to say that it would be the best to send that file probably, if you still have it :)
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: luvsmuzik on February 27, 2017, 11:06:56 AM
SSS used as density mask inverted ,,,on the object?  I think I read about this somewhere to plop your road, creek, river, path just a little off center a click or two on X?
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: bobbystahr on February 27, 2017, 11:41:46 AM
Quote from: luvsmuzik on February 27, 2017, 11:06:56 AM
SSS used as density mask inverted ,,,on the object?  I think I read about this somewhere to plop your road, creek, river, path just a little off center a click or two on X?

Now that rings a bell and as I use SS shaders for all masks, mostly always that is likely the work around but it shouldn't happen in the first place. Here's a before and after series with the truck disabled so you can see 0, 0, 0, clearly.
I can't actually recreate this tree error but I got one I never noticed in my last render as the truck hid it. No amount of re seeding will get the tree to do it now but it will persist only to be solved by re seeding when it does happen. If I was trying a final render it would no doubt show up.
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: luvsmuzik on February 27, 2017, 02:50:55 PM
Maybe it was the population that has to be off center now that I think about it...like the center grid object cannot be edited. I am not sure, but I remember the discussion.
I was using the default SSS as the mask at first, thinking....now where did they all go, they were just there. Now I label. Goofy me.
Title: Re: Odd population problem
Post by: bobbystahr on February 27, 2017, 03:41:13 PM
Quote from: luvsmuzik on February 27, 2017, 02:50:55 PM
Maybe it was the population that has to be off center now that I think about it...like the center grid object cannot be edited. I am not sure, but I remember the discussion.
I was using the default SSS as the mask at first, thinking....now where did they all go, they were just there. Now I label. Goofy me.

Yeah the more I think about it I'm remembering the thread as well and I'm pretty sure it was move the population's center.