The merge shader wikki page is a bit short. I did look at the file that includes a merge shader in the SSS page.
My problem is I have a terrain that is masked by a sss. a rectangle. But I want a more complex shape. So I thought to try the merge shader. But no mater how I plug the sss into the MS node, my hills in the SSS disappear completely.
Must I have at least 2 nodes plugged in first before the MS node will work, or what? Not sure what I am doing wrong yet.
currently I have one terrain node masked by one sss.
The two nodes are the hills in the background of this image I posted here: http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=19148.0;attach=53513;image
I want to move the hills closer to the camera to make a bit more narrow valley. and reduce the edge of the SSS that forms the hills boundaries. (I have an edge of 468m. in the sss) which makes a smooth transition.
Anyway, what can I do to make this work better than I got it now?
This is the simple shape I am trying to make for a start. I feel like its simple to do, but its not completely clear to me.
The part in white is the basic shape I want from the sss and the merge nodes.
[attach=1]
This is not a real answer you want Michael i know but i use image masks for more complex masks.
It is easier to control it that way for me. And it is just another way to do it if don't have any specific need for a SSS shader of course.
It is simple.
Quote from: Dune on November 23, 2014, 03:48:49 AM
It is simple.
This is great..I've needed this times past but never considered the Merge shader as a boolean operator...Thanks Ulco
Quote from: Dune on November 23, 2014, 03:48:49 AM
It is simple.
It is. But that merge shader masks the simplicity of what really needs to happen here.
I have a larger shape which is white the outside of which is black. 1 to 0.
If I have a smaller shape I want to subtract from a larger shape, then just use a Subtract Scaler function.
1-1 = 0
right?
Clamp 01, so no -ve influence down stream.
This is essentially what Photoshop blend layers are. Derivatives of + - / * of one thing with another.
Something I started to explore last year was using colour to + - * / what was underneath it, to try and see if I could get some sort of 'wash' effect. Colour building on top rather than replacing. You have to be careful, as things can easily get outside the 0-1 colour range. But it's a nice thing to think that I could describe some sort of feature that had an influence on another with colour.
My earlier problem was that i used 4-5 or more intersecting shaders and in the end
using a merge shader build got unneeded confusing for me at least ;)
One merge is not much a problem but when i need more i use image masks basically.
Five shapes you want to add or take away. Add/Subtract Scaler. If you don't want negative results, then clamp. Your shapes are 0 to 1.
Works with everything. SSS, images, fractals...
Thanks Hetzen.
Most people are a bit afraid of blue, hence my use of the merge shader, but you're right of course, a lot of blues work fine for all sorts of 'merges'.
Quote from: Hetzen on November 23, 2014, 07:05:58 PM
......
Something I started to explore last year was using colour to + - * / what was underneath it, to try and see if I could get some sort of 'wash' effect. Colour building on top rather than replacing. ......
[/quote]
Have you been successful?
And if so,could you possibly show an example of the effect,please?
I was using it on my road a while back.
Here's the direct link.
http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php?PHPSESSID=f99d47ae972afb928e5c73f5500ae854&action=dlattach;topic=15786.0;attach=42172;image
and here is a before image to flick between in your browser...
http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php?PHPSESSID=f99d47ae972afb928e5c73f5500ae854&action=dlattach;topic=15786.0;attach=42160;image
The corelation in my mind, was that later surface disturbances would be lighter in tone if the material is dry.
Thanks Jon,nice effect.
Have to try something like that,too. :)
Can I compare your effect with using a color adjust shader a surface shader down and setting gamma to 1.2 (and a slight color e.g.? That's what I often do anyway to slighly change a color down the way in other parts (being part of the first surface shader's parts (so to speak).
Can do Ulco, although the idea was to expand this a bit more and have different soil types cross the road, yet still give the tyre track and general wear some influence on what's underneath it.
I've done some military scale modelling before and was wandering if I could apply similar techniques.
military scale?
Yeah, speaking of which, whatever happened with your project, the one we (Martin and I) also worked on. Is it 'released', or still hush-hush? Was it succesful?
Quote from: TheBadger on November 24, 2014, 11:22:25 PM
military scale?
Should have written it...
military, scale modelling.
;D Nothing too exciting.
15mm, 10mm, 6mm, 1:72.
If you're interested....http://s481.photobucket.com/user/StevieH/media/Skirmish/Skirmish017.jpg.html
Quote from: Dune on November 25, 2014, 01:49:02 AM
Yeah, speaking of which, whatever happened with your project, the one we (Martin and I) also worked on. Is it 'released', or still hush-hush? Was it succesful?
It's been archived, but I did find some almost finished composites without the dust and spoil particles on the tracks. Can't show you the final piece as I'd have to kill you afterwards.
https://vimeo.com/112803204
QuoteCan't show you the final piece as I'd have to kill you afterwards.
Might be worth a premature demise ;)
Just saw the video, and I'm speechless..................................... the way that thing follows the terrain is the most awesome, I must say. Now, shoot me.
Hetzen that video looks nice.
What was the workflow? I mean is it comped on a Terragen render or directly rendered in Terragen etc.?
Michael - Since nobody mentioned it,here is another possible way to
combine the SimpleShapes.
Quote from: Dune on November 25, 2014, 10:49:33 AM
QuoteCan't show you the final piece as I'd have to kill you afterwards.
Might be worth a premature demise ;)
Just saw the video, and I'm speechless..................................... the way that thing follows the terrain is the most awesome, I must say. Now, shoot me.
Thanks Ulco, you guys did a terrific job with the set. I had all sorts of issues trying get foilage not to flicker, which is when I used that AA16 then messed around with the threshold settings.
Kadri. I used a generate heightfield to export a .ter for the area the tank would be interacting with, then imported that into Max with a plugin called Ground Wiz, which creates a quad mesh from the .ter. We didn't need much detail in the geometry and more importantly we needed a clean mesh for the track plugin to work with. I also exported a skybox to light the tank with Vray in Max then composited in After Effects.
As with most jobs, time was never enough, the client decided they had given us the wrong cad drawings 4 weeks in on a 6 week delivery, so finesse time was eaten up with the extra modelling.
Thanks Hetzen :)
Quote from: j meyer on November 25, 2014, 11:24:35 AM
Michael - Since nobody mentioned it,here is another possible way to
combine the SimpleShapes.
Ahh yes, that is one thing I was interested in too. I wanted to ask about simply masking masks. But I was not sure what the difference was in the input of an SSS, and a mask input of any other fractal. Just to me, it would make scene to have a mask input on the sss node. To me that would make visual sense.
Otherwise you have to invert colors like in your example, and that would explain why my stuff was disappearing, since somethings were all ready inverted in my node tree.
As to this talk about blue nodes, I am still inside out from the rectangle node thread. At one moment I think I understand, and the next I am lost. Blue nodes make me feel bipolor.
Quotehttps://vimeo.com/112803204
Ha! I want one! Zombie Apocalypse my ass. Rather, it would be an Apocalypse for the zombies then! Also I would drive it to work everyday. now that would be "job security" ;D
god damn right I deserve a raise! And I want an extra week off too, paid. Hows that for a "will to power", boss?
Cool sim!
Quote from: Hetzen on November 25, 2014, 10:01:54 AM
Quote from: Dune on November 25, 2014, 01:49:02 AM
Yeah, speaking of which, whatever happened with your project, the one we (Martin and I) also worked on. Is it 'released', or still hush-hush? Was it succesful?
It's been archived, but I did find some almost finished composites without the dust and spoil particles on the tracks. Can't show you the final piece as I'd have to kill you afterwards.
https://vimeo.com/112803204
That's brilliant work...Really dug the demo of how the treads handle the off road stuff. I'm assuming that's done with a max script...I know nada about how max works on that level but it's a very good realization.