Planetside Software Forums

General => Terragen Discussion => Topic started by: WAS on October 11, 2020, 03:52:47 PM

Title: Polysphere Population
Post by: WAS on October 11, 2020, 03:52:47 PM
What's the intention here? I don't understand what this is for?

You can't displace the sphere with a mesh displacer, and you can't force displacement either as it explodes into almost a particle like effect, with high sides, or seams don't align with low (and shadow remains like a circle despite mesh a completely different shape, some times the shadow starting before the object).

I can't really think of a use beyond spheres or light spheres.
Title: Re: Polysphere Population
Post by: Matt on October 12, 2020, 10:05:16 PM
The mesh displacer feature will be added to the Poly Sphere. Even without that feature the Poly Sphere could be useful anywhere you need a sphere without displacement. The non-displaceables render faster.
Title: Re: Polysphere Population
Post by: WAS on October 13, 2020, 01:37:00 PM
I was just trying to think why I needed a sphere pop in a scene. I guess as light sources. As is it's not very useful beyond being awesome in the polyside part (like for rocks).
Title: Re: Polysphere Population
Post by: Matt on October 13, 2020, 02:53:11 PM
Quote from: WAS on October 13, 2020, 01:37:00 PMI was just trying to think why I needed a sphere pop in a scene.

Its use in a scene is not mandatory. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Title: Re: Polysphere Population
Post by: WAS on October 13, 2020, 02:55:09 PM
Quote from: Matt on October 13, 2020, 02:53:11 PMIts use in a scene is not mandatory. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Though like everything else, there is an obvious discernible use to a feature pertaining to a landscape generation software... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ In general this was kinda just slapped in without any real transparent reason. If random spheres are a priority for a TG feature, I can name dozens of others that maybe should have been priority that peoples have been asking for. No reason to be passive aggressive, you know you'll only get it 10 fold back. I was just asking what it could be for in it's current form.
Title: Re: Polysphere Population
Post by: WAS on October 13, 2020, 03:07:55 PM
I'd also say the rendering time saved is negligible, especially considering the result. Upping polygons for a identical smooth sphere yields almost 18 seconds, so no real savings. I had to use a stopwatch though. It'd be cool if TG had millisecond timer.