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General => Terragen Discussion => Topic started by: rcallicotte on July 14, 2008, 01:37:36 PM

Title: Where's the Yellow?
Post by: rcallicotte on July 14, 2008, 01:37:36 PM
I thought I would play with some texture building to see what colors might affect what.  Can anyone tell me why the yellow isn't coming through and further make it come through without moving any of these nodes?

My reason is that I don't see why stacking these powerfractals with various colors matters.

Title: Re: Where's the Yellow?
Post by: Seth on July 14, 2008, 01:42:07 PM
what happen when you put the second PF away ? is the yellow appearing ?
Title: Re: Where's the Yellow?
Post by: rcallicotte on July 14, 2008, 01:51:05 PM
If I disable #2 node or #3 node (counting from the top downward), no yellow gets through.  If I disable both, then yellow gets through. 

So...what is it about this that I've misunderstood for a year and a half now?  It looks like stacking PFSs by themselves doesn't matter to the color, since the last PFS is the only color that matters.
Title: Re: Where's the Yellow?
Post by: dwilson on July 14, 2008, 01:55:17 PM
In your #2 and #3 nodes are both high and low color active.  If they are then uncheck either the low or the high color from your #2 and #3 nodes so the color only covers up part of the yellow.
Title: Re: Where's the Yellow?
Post by: rcallicotte on July 14, 2008, 02:12:52 PM
That worked and I understand why.  But, why couldn't the patterns I use complement the colors from each level...or is my pattern off?  If it is off, anyone what to try it?
Title: Re: Where's the Yellow?
Post by: dwilson on July 14, 2008, 03:45:33 PM
The other (and better) way to do it is to use both high and low color and add another power fractal as the blend shader for your "color" power fractal.  In the blend shader power fractal make either the high or low color active and use the color offset for distribution.  I have added 2 power fractals as blend shaders to your tgd.
Title: Re: Where's the Yellow?
Post by: rcallicotte on July 14, 2008, 03:51:40 PM
Thanks dwilson.

I plan to look at this tonight.
Title: Re: Where's the Yellow?
Post by: Oshyan on July 14, 2008, 11:36:50 PM
The better way to do this is to use Surface Layers, which have built-in "breakup" and "coverage" which both help you modulate the blending of different layers above and below. Power Fractals by default will fully cover what comes before them in the node tree (assuming both High and Low colors are enabled). Power Fractals do have two colors theoretically (high and low), but this gives you less control since the same scale and seed are used for both and one is naturally the inverse of the other, so it is better to use multiple Surface Layers, even though you need more of them to get the same number of "colors".

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Where's the Yellow?
Post by: rcallicotte on July 15, 2008, 07:45:48 AM
Thanks Oshyan.  Just as you mentioned, I tried Surface Layers (a few layers) with PFSs plugged into them.  I'm experimenting now, but I might just back the three-tiered PFSs out and use one or two instead.  I appreciate the insight.

I seem awfully slow at this.   :-\