I've seen a lot of nifty rocks out there, and I was trying my hand at one. Got a really nice surface in there, but I wanted to add some variance in the form of moss/algea. Procedurally of course. But I can't seem to figure out where to plug my distribution/surface shader at! :-X I can get a solid green doing it in the colour function in the populations first internal network with the "rock.obj" shader. I tried with the rock object after all my surface shaders, but no go there. Tried getting normal, terrain normal, compute terrain (not sure about functions there, but tried), nothing. Most I could achieve was solid black (lol oops) or solid greens and no rock texturing. :\
Have a look at this: http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,18457.0.html
Bob
Oh well hello there.
Thanks Bob, I guess that didn't show up in a search cause of rock being fused with boulder in one word.
Another link that may help: http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,18456.15.html
All these seem to deal with objects ontop of objects. Is this the only way to achieve moss on a population of rocks? I'd assume there would be someway to incorporate surface/distribution shaders to accomplish it.
If you're talking about rock objects, you should add a transform shader set to world position between the PF colors you made and the part or default shader color input. That way the colors will get a global size. Lichen of centimeters will then be really centimeters. If that's what your problem is.
I think my problkem is not having any altitude on objects. How can I get a objects altitude and form to do moss only on the top of the object, and favoring rises.
Basically the PF colors would be hard, and not well broken up and not blend well so I gave up. Simply inverted my rock texture, and used it as a mask on the green since no altitude constraints, slope constraints, or favoring depressions would work.
Also is there a way to use a image shader as a displacement shader/roughness shader, and reflection for the rock? Or would I need to make normals/specular/etc? I am trying to pump in the image as the roughness and displacement and reflection and it seems to be... not working? I did notice too that even a tiled texture, does not tile correctly when set to sphere, on a rock. Hmm.
Edit: I also tried a Transform Input (with Use World Space checked), this seems to give a lot more natural fractals for the scale, but all control, again, on altitude, slopes, depressions is really important.
(http://i.imgur.com/PWDfIer.png)
This preview is with the transform input.
(http://i.imgur.com/PQRRnwT.png)
Here we have transform input, and minimum slope constraints. Should be ontop of the rock. Inverting it, or using maximum altitude does the same thing
(http://i.imgur.com/gdEIKgf.png)
Tried adjusting the fern which was too bright for my tast... shadow area in the back is like solid black. Ugh. Lol Need to figure out that transparency trick or something.
(http://i.imgur.com/Ct8qyCt.png)
Still not much change in the moss despite all I've tried. It seems like slope/altitude constraints are on their side, left and right, rather then vertical.
(http://i.imgur.com/aN5vF4Y.png)
Added a merge shader for some more detail and variance on the PFs for the algae/moss.
What patch size are you using for the computation? If these rocks are smaller than 1m, then you definitely need a very small patch size!!
Everything is in the floating points area as far as scales on the rocks. 0.002 to 0.2 is a favorite.
When I try altitude constraints its set to 1 with a fuzzy zone of 0.5. This appears as if the rock is on its side. What would be the top of the rock, is the left side, and the bottom the right side.
Slope constraints seem to be working more or less... though 45 degrees is not even really present but a small area so not sure how it's working...
Using favoring depression, again has weird results with only being on one side of the rock, sometimes the opposite side... Will post preview and sample TGD in a moment after I dump xFrog assets.
(http://i.imgur.com/0NQ0uUP.png)
Notice the issues with left/right sides...
Here is the gathered TGD with notes about the issues I'm having. :P ANy suggestions would be amazing. :)
Update: Oops I got in trouble for releasing my friends texture. :P This one has just basic fractal for rock but still same story for moss
We learned something about "fuzzy zone" in this thread below.Not sure if it is any help but just in case.
http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,18266.0.html
Quote from: Kadri on December 15, 2014, 03:13:16 PM
We learned something about "fuzzy zone" in this thread below.Not sure if it is any help but just in case.
http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,18266.0.html
Hmm, I think I have tried 0, through micro scales of 0.0005 and such, I don't think that's the issues with the shaders unable to read the objects geometry and altitude correctly.
Are you using "Favor Depressions" or Intersect Underlying in general on *all* these? I don't think it will work correctly on 3D models of any kind (though I could be wrong), and at the very least it's a fairly complicated additional feature, so I'd recommend experimenting without it for now.
- Oshyan
Quote from: Oshyan on December 15, 2014, 07:55:23 PM
Are you using "Favor Depressions" or Intersect Underlying in general on *all* these? I don't think it will work correctly on 3D models of any kind (though I could be wrong), and at the very least it's a fairly complicated additional feature, so I'd recommend experimenting without it for now.
- Oshyan
It's only thing causing the green in the first preview image. It seems to work well when the default shader is provided the correct displacement based on your texture. However it's not the effect I want anyway so moved away. I am noting general problems with any sort of control with a Surface Layer on a rock object. It's like it's on it's side rather then up and down.
I think you do this much more complicated than needed, and the sizes of colors very large in comparison to the boulder size. I made a new inside setup, but don't have much time, so it's far from perfect, but maybe a new method to try.
I don't really like to work with the rock objects, so it's kind of 'new' to me as well.
Thanks for the share. I will check it out. I went through I rebuilt everything last night and this morning. In fact, I couldn't sleep because my dreams were Power Fractal dreams based on settings and outcomes... lol I don't even know. Don't ask.
Anyways, waking up I had a new idea for mesh displacement and the algae. Goodbye slope constraints and favoring depressions. I am just going with a image shader mask. Cause all this just had me wracking my head. Going to take a look Dune, thanks a lot. You're a legend.
With the new image shader based on how water runs on a rock to provide algae sustenance looks a lot better anyhow.
(http://i.imgur.com/cDbtcTP.png)
As you can see, this looks a lot better then before by leaps and bounds. At least in my opinion. The moss looks quite natural, and the procedural rock texture I came up with in light of my friend bitching at me for releasing his is actually better then the original texture, so I am quite pleased all around.
What do you all think? Since it's based on a image map for the mask on the algea I was thinking of gathering an releasing for other people. Good idea? I want to help people learn as I am learning.
I think that looks rather good. Well done.
- Oshyan
Thank you! I think this is the best thing I have managed yet in Terragen. I can't claim laying out xfrog samples samples on some simple terrain a feat. Lol but this took my quite awhile to figure out, and I learned a loooot along the way. Thanks so much for the help guys!
Quote from: WASasquatch on December 16, 2014, 01:51:43 PM
Thanks for the share. I will check it out. I went through I rebuilt everything last night and this morning. In fact, I couldn't sleep because my dreams were Power Fractal dreams based on settings and outcomes... lol I don't even know. Don't ask.
Anyways, waking up I had a new idea for mesh displacement and the algae. Goodbye slope constraints and favoring depressions. I am just going with a image shader mask. Cause all this just had me wracking my head. Going to take a look Dune, thanks a lot. You're a legend.
With the new image shader based on how water runs on a rock to provide algae sustenance looks a lot better anyhow.
(http://i.imgur.com/cDbtcTP.png)
As you can see, this looks a lot better then before by leaps and bounds. At least in my opinion. The moss looks quite natural, and the procedural rock texture I came up with in light of my friend bitching at me for releasing his is actually better then the original texture, so I am quite pleased all around.
What do you all think? Since it's based on a image map for the mask on the algea I was thinking of gathering an releasing for other people. Good idea? I want to help people learn as I am learning.
Please; save it as a clip (.tgc) file and post it in File sharing. Looks pretty good and useful.
No problem Bobby!
Why do you have that large image at the bottom of all your posts? It's rather distracting if I may say so, looks like you made a new render, but every time it's the same. Your choice, of course, but I wanted to mention it.
I thought it was a problem or what.I clicked on it several times even.
Quote from: Dune on December 17, 2014, 11:54:52 AM
Why do you have that large image at the bottom of all your posts? It's rather distracting if I may say so, looks like you made a new render, but every time it's the same. Your choice, of course, but I wanted to mention it.
It's called a "TAG" a unique image to represent yourself. Same as a Avatar but larger for the signature body. Present on almost any forum you'll visit. A way of showing off latest work in a small image, or a image to represent yourself. It's Graffiti in the digital world, basically.
I always thought it a tad excessive when I Moderated at Rendo and I believe there was a battle about allowing them or not when I retired.
For me a Tag Line is more than enough.
Well, thanks to Kadri, I changed my profile not to include tags anymore. It was too distracting for me.
Quote from: Dune on December 20, 2014, 06:15:34 AM
Well, thanks to Kadri, I changed my profile not to include tags anymore. It was too distracting for me.
I run websites based on TAGs and art. Here, being art related as well, it would seem appropriate as well. I mean, not at all more distracting then a avatar and going "Oh what's that; oh, I can barely see it" ;)
Gives you a place to show a preview of your latest work from a portfolio or whatever without removing the person from the website to view another website. And you can disable signatures easy enough if they're somehow distracting when the whole point of this website is to generate, and create worlds (art) via their software. So viewing art should be familiar. And with such long topic pages not limited to a smaller number of posts, makes finding your own post and the next posts in line that much easier.
One of the older users here around had a tag too but it looked clearly more like a banner.
Yours looks like an attachment and i haven't seen using someone in the way you use.
Basically it looks distracting.
And i think the only guys who use it that way are young ones or trolls or the forum is full of the same guys.
Look at the threads here around do you see anyone using it in that way?
I don't care what other forums do look like. But i know other forums too and nobody uses it that way.
This is like kind of the bad at your face commercials sticking out.
Anyway you can use now whatever you want i won't see it :)
QuoteI run websites based on TAGs and art. Here, being art related as well, it would seem appropriate as well. I mean, not at all more distracting then a avatar and going "Oh what's that; oh, I can barely see it"
Well one problem with that is that your image dose not link to any of the work you mention. It does nothing really, no words no links no info, does not tell us anything about you. Yet things will be drawn about you and as you can see those things may not be good things.
That space you are using for your image is really pretty useful though. If you put a link to your website there, over time it will get a lot of clicks here.
When you call it Graffiti, the thing about that is no one likes Graffiti. And that is exactly what it feels like. Why not redo your sig and tag to be more useful to everyone, and less of a distraction in other peoples threads?
To be honest, I think it it feels like you are being obtuse, and that could cause people to think you are a troll, which I don't think you are because you are posting work and sharing files.
IMO.
Cheers.
Quote from: TheBadger on December 20, 2014, 10:25:22 PM
QuoteI run websites based on TAGs and art. Here, being art related as well, it would seem appropriate as well. I mean, not at all more distracting then a avatar and going "Oh what's that; oh, I can barely see it"
Well one problem with that is that your image dose not link to any of the work you mention. It does nothing really, no words no links no info, does not tell us anything about you. Yet things will be drawn about you and as you can see those things may not be good things.
That space you are using for your image is really pretty useful though. If you put a link to your website there, over time it will get a lot of clicks here.
When you call it Graffiti, the thing about that is no one likes Graffiti. And that is exactly what it feels like. Why not redo your sig and tag to be more useful to everyone, and less of a distraction in other peoples threads?
To be honest, I think it it feels like you are being obtuse, and that could cause people to think you are a troll, which I don't think you are because you are posting work and sharing files.
IMO.
Cheers.
+1
Well, that was basically my feeling as well. I'd be grateful for a little modesty in that respect.
Quote from: TheBadger on December 20, 2014, 10:25:22 PM
QuoteI run websites based on TAGs and art. Here, being art related as well, it would seem appropriate as well. I mean, not at all more distracting then a avatar and going "Oh what's that; oh, I can barely see it"
Well one problem with that is that your image dose not link to any of the work you mention. It does nothing really, no words no links no info, does not tell us anything about you. Yet things will be drawn about you and as you can see those things may not be good things.
That space you are using for your image is really pretty useful though. If you put a link to your website there, over time it will get a lot of clicks here.
When you call it Graffiti, the thing about that is no one likes Graffiti. And that is exactly what it feels like. Why not redo your sig and tag to be more useful to everyone, and less of a distraction in other peoples threads?
To be honest, I think it it feels like you are being obtuse, and that could cause people to think you are a troll, which I don't think you are because you are posting work and sharing files.
IMO.
Cheers.
Graffiti is a billion dollar business, bud. whether YOU like it or not. Bad spellings by gangs in some back alley is a huge misconception. I get paid to paint buildings for seasonal stuff and advertising.
A signature is your personal signature. A signature could be anything. I could create a series of stamps to use wherever I go with this specific image. Lol It's my sign, whatever I want it to be. Lol
And the biggest "No No" of a forum or any website is to arbitrarily link users away from the website. So no, links are not better. It impacts traffic if everyone had links going to their portfolios, resources, etc, what would be the point of the forums when you can just go to everyone website where they offer their projects, and clips, etc. This is why it's usually a rule to use TAG art and not links on most forums anywhere.
Quote from: Kadri on December 20, 2014, 09:43:50 PM
One of the older users here around had a tag too but it looked clearly more like a banner.
Yours looks like an attachment and i haven't seen using someone in the way you use.
Basically it looks distracting.
And i think the only guys who use it that way are young ones or trolls or the forum is full of the same guys.
Look at the threads here around do you see anyone using it in that way?
I don't care what other forums do look like. But i know other forums too and nobody uses it that way.
This is like kind of the bad at your face commercials sticking out.
Anyway you can use now whatever you want i won't see it :)
Lol seach "Graphic Art Forums" or "Art Forums" and visit some.
Here's mine http://beeskneesfx.com/ or http://tagfreak.net/index.php or http://graphix.foroactivo.com/
They even span further on simple game websites and tech websites http://nextgenex.proboards.com/
And to ever complain about a feature, which allows images for this purpose, is pretty mundane when it's up to you to disable it if you feel distracted (for some reason, shoulda take a click before you realize it's not a link/image/or somehow a render on a browser)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signature_tag
Ya'll need some Lynx (http://lynx.browser.org/) in your life. Lol
That's all fine, but I just think you don't need to clutter the pages with the repeated big same image every time again. It's just not subtle, and we're here for information and discussion, not for self-promotion. At least, I am. But suit yourself, I've shut it off.
Quote from: Dune on December 22, 2014, 03:40:55 AM
That's all fine, but I just think you don't need to clutter the pages with the repeated big same image every time again. It's just not subtle, and we're here for information and discussion, not for self-promotion. At least, I am. But suit yourself, I've shut it off.
That is where we differ. I'm here to learn a art program. And displaying art is not self promotion, god. Thats about as rude as things get. Its art. Lol wow. Is your only goal to make a profit of Planetside?
Don't you think self promotion would be me actually listening to other people and linking Terragen users off this website to a portfolio of mine where I offer paid services? Reasons why you have a tag image and not a link. Also what sort of old resolution are you on? It's hardly a big image, it's a small image. Lol
Meh