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General => Terragen Discussion => Topic started by: reck on February 25, 2014, 05:45:45 PM

Title: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: reck on February 25, 2014, 05:45:45 PM
Just been playing with the new release.

I've added a displaced Octahedron object and then loaded in a population of grass and anchored it to the Octahedron object. I'm only seeing the top half of the object covered, how do I get the whole thing covered?

Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: yossam on February 25, 2014, 05:57:09 PM
I think you have to make 2 populations and rotate the other to cover the bottom. How did you displace the Octahedron?
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: reck on February 25, 2014, 06:04:26 PM
Ah yes I can add a second pop and rotate, seems to work fine.

Is there a more accurate way to control how high or low a population climbs/falls over the object? For instance if I want the population to start at the bottom and then climb up say 10 metres, or 40% of the object, how do I do that?

With the terrain I can do this with a distribution shader to get exact control over the max and min altitude along with a fuzzy zone. Maybe I can do the same thing with objects but i'm not sure this is the case?

Yossam, the object was just displaced with a couple of power fractals.
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: yossam on February 25, 2014, 06:08:09 PM
I would try the distribution shader.............. :)
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: Oshyan on February 25, 2014, 07:14:52 PM
Populations are "projected" away from - perpendicular to - the plane that defines the population area. They only populate on anything that is visible to that plane, i.e. the underside of objects are not populated, unless you flip the population over and project from the bottom. There is no way to control "how high" it goes within the population node just as there's no "height" or "slope" control natively in the population; the restriction is a basic limitation of how the populator currently works (we'll work on 360 degree populating for the future). To restrict populations of any kind you would continue to use the Mask input. You could indeed try a Distribution Shader...

- Oshyan
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: Dune on February 26, 2014, 02:56:55 AM
Or a distance shader with an extra camera somewhere in, or on top of, or under the rock. That way you can distribute sideways (east-west, e.g) as well.
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: reck on February 26, 2014, 08:05:59 AM
So looking at the sphere below, if I wanted to raise the grass to the level of the red line I would add a second population, flip it 180 and use a distribution (or distance) shader to prevent the population from reaching the top of the sphere?

So basically if you want a population to pass the centre point of an object you need two populations?
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: Oshyan on February 26, 2014, 01:15:10 PM
Yes, or project from the side if you don't need to see the back side. ;) Remember, you can project at any angle (by rotating the Populator), but it will always be limited to planar projection for now.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: reck on February 27, 2014, 03:44:35 AM
Yep seems to work well, thanks. Just wanted to make sure I was doing it the "correct" way.

Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: icarus51 on February 27, 2014, 08:43:34 AM
Quote from: reck on February 25, 2014, 05:45:45 PM
Just been playing with the new release.

I've added a displaced Octahedron object and then loaded in a population of grass and anchored it to the Octahedron object. I'm only seeing the top half of the object covered, how do I get the whole thing covered?

Help! I don't manage to "sit on objects". I tried several times but nothing. I load an object (i.e. sphere), i load population (i.e. grass clump), i check the button "sit on object" (Sphere 01) but the grass don't sit on object, it don't appears. What's the problem? Is it my fault or what?
Thanks for hints.
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: Dune on February 27, 2014, 10:51:31 AM
Is the population centered on the object location?

Here's a quick setup.
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: icarus51 on February 27, 2014, 11:15:49 AM
Thanks Dune,
But i don't understand where is my fault. I have done more or less the same things that you have done ... i will have better studying.
For object location do you mean the vertical of sphere on the ground?
Greetings.
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: icarus51 on February 27, 2014, 12:11:05 PM
This is my proof:

Where is the error?

[attach=1]
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: kaedorg on February 27, 2014, 03:05:48 PM
Quote from: icarus51 on February 27, 2014, 12:11:05 PM
This is my proof:

Where is the error?

[attach=1]

On grass clump object, rotation tab
you need to check "Lean to terrain/object normal"
don't lean = 0
reduce lean = 0

this will put the grass on the top half of the sphere

Hope it helps

David
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: icarus51 on February 27, 2014, 04:00:39 PM
Hi David,
Unfortunately not even this works.  :'(  This is a big mistery, a puzzle for me. There is something wrong but i don't understand where is the fault. For tonight is enough... i will try again tomorrow.
Thanks for reply.
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: yossam on February 27, 2014, 04:29:37 PM
icarus51,


Try the attached file....................
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: icarus51 on February 28, 2014, 02:24:32 AM
Hello Yossam,
Very nice this red hair i will try to render on my own but my problem is that i see the projects from others but not my projects (this is angering for me  >:(). This one was mine and modified and now works but again i don't find where is my problem, bah!

Thanks.

Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: Dune on February 28, 2014, 02:30:55 AM
You have to do as Kaedorg said, but also reduce the size of the grass to something that fits the sphere. You have a sphere of 10m diameter and your grass clump is the same size! Reduce the grass to 1m and also the number of leaves to a few hundred, and decrease spacing to a coverage you need, and it will work.
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: icarus51 on February 28, 2014, 02:43:03 AM
Hi Dune,

Then could be a matter of proportions? Well, i'll try this also. See you soon.
Title: Re: How do I cover an object with a population?
Post by: icarus51 on March 01, 2014, 07:43:57 AM
Hi all,

Finally i've managed to render my own Pop on Sphere. Trying  and trying i've found the exact position, puff.
This is my image. A sphere hovering on the water and coated with Poppies. :)

(http://www.4shared.com/photo/SOgLzA6Ice/OrangeSpherewithPoppies.html)
Greetings and thanks for hints.