Planetside Software Forums

General => Terragen Discussion => Topic started by: JasonArcher on October 10, 2013, 08:00:25 AM

Title: Alpha solo
Post by: JasonArcher on October 10, 2013, 08:00:25 AM
Hi all,

You've been tremendously helpful in getting me up to speed on some basics of TG3. If I could, I need to ask for another small pointer or two -- this time on alpha images. Is there currently a method for rendering only the alpha channel? I have been getting clean alphas using the extra image output of a sequence, but I find myself needing to go back and re-render an entire sequence with two distant planet objects turned off in order to exclude them from the alpha. If possible, I'm looking for a method to avoid rendering the final color image along with it in an effort to cut down render time.
Title: Re: Alpha solo
Post by: bobbystahr on October 10, 2013, 10:02:52 AM
If you've bought the full program I think there is a way but not in the Free one. As I only have the Free version you will have to wait a reply from a full owner now I guess.
Title: Re: Alpha solo
Post by: Oshyan on October 11, 2013, 01:41:18 AM
As far as I know TG would need to render the entire scene anyway, to get the right alpha, so it won't save you time, only disk space if you *just* output the alpha.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Alpha solo
Post by: Matt on October 11, 2013, 10:45:06 PM
You can save time on the re-render by turning off all lights and disabling any shaders that you know won't cause any displacement.

Matt
Title: Re: Alpha solo
Post by: JasonArcher on October 13, 2013, 04:25:02 PM
Thanks all.