Hi there,
I noticed a weird behavior when baking a GI cache for an animated sequence. After investigating I figured out this was a repeatable issue:
Start a fresh Terragen. Save the project into a folder. In that folder create another folder were you want to write your GI caches, ie "cache".
Now into the GI settings set "write to GI cache file" to the "cache" folder. This will set a relative path "gicache\gicache_%04d.gic"
Rendering this sequence to bake the GI will cause Terragen to fail writing the GI cache and crash.
I managed to reproduce the issue on two different windows machines. So far my workaround was to simply move the .tgd into its own "scene" folder, so pointing to the "cache" folder would become an absolute path.
It might be as simple as "GI cache crashes terragen if path set to relative" issue.
So if anyone has the same issue, try to use an absolute file path for the GI cache! :D
Cheers!
I'm not able to reproduce this with the steps you gave. Are you rendering to a network disk from both machines perhaps? What operating system?
- Oshyan
Huh. Really? I just tried it again. Anytime the filepath is relative it's crashing.
I am running Terragen 3.3.03.0 on windows 7 SP1. Everything is on a local Drive. Same setup for the other machine.
I attached the .tgd
Still can't reproduce here, but I am running the latest version 3.3.04.0. Perhaps try updating and test again? Though offhand I don't remember a fix for this particular issue. But perhaps something else that was changed inadvertently fixed this bug?
- Oshyan
Okay.
I wasn't aware of the new update. I just tried and I don't have any actually. When did you guys released this .04.0 version?
That's really no big deal for the GI cache to be honnest. At least if the same thing happen to someone they will know how to fix it!
Looks like indeed there *was* such a bug fix, I'd just forgotten it:
http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,20484.msg203901.html#msg203901
When you do Check for Updates, it does not show an update for you?
- Oshyan
Ah nice!
I don't have any updates indeed, maybe it has to do with some firewall at work... :(
Is there any changelog about that?
Thanks!
Changes from 3.3.03.0 to 3.3.04.0 (September 21, 2015):
Fixed a bug with relative paths to GI cache files.
New shader: Shadow Catcher Shader.
As you can see it was released September 21st. You may be able to access it by logging in to your account in our online store. Alternatively we can send you the link to the updates via email.
- Oshyan
Damn, I missed that! And a shadow catcher, that's going to be useful :)
Well the thing is that all the software are managed by the system guys here at work and I don't have any access over the installers, even less the account!
But you could provide me the link via email I could get them to update Terragen manually. That would be really helpfull!
Thanks Oshyan
No problem. I'll send the link to your forum-registered email (unless you'd like it to go somewhere else).
- Oshyan
Got it!
All good, I will try to get that installed. Thanks again!
Great! I hope it resolves the issue. Let us know if it doesn't.
- Oshyan
Speaking of shadow catcher, I noticed it, but what does it do? I would say it works as a mask for shadowed mountains (objects?), but haven't yet found out (or tried much).
Latest update fixed the relative GI cache issue! Thanks Oshyan.
Dune, I just tried the shadow catcher. It is giving you a mask of black and white mask of anything casting shadows (here is a cloud layer and sphere invisible to camera)
[attachimg=1]
Thanks KyL. I have to explore its use one of these days.