Red Dead Terragen V2, final on page 4 hooray

Started by FrankB, September 13, 2010, 02:24:28 PM

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Volker Harun

Why easy, if it can be complicated???

Ever thought of plugging a PF into the Colour function of the Default shader?

This is a method, I introduced about 3 years ago ,-)

FrankB

Give it a try Volker and you'll see. Keep in mind that we are looking for global color variations, not leaf by leaf.

FrankB

I love this new method

Volker Harun

Well, it is a matter of scale, I know ...
Looking at the node networks in the posts above ... they do the same ... and they work, which is the most important.

One thing to notice is, that the simple Perlin noise produces too noticable patterns ... or the nodes get very complicated. In fact I like patterns ... like inside clouds ... different and the same at once ...
Another thing is, you cannot scale the Get position .... which inconvenient for most cases, where you want to use one function for more than one occasion. And you want to scale it for the pattern purpose mentioned above ,-)
A PF handles both: Patterns in form of fractal details and scalability with a transform shader.

Another point is: why setting up, two copies of Parts-shader, when one is enough!?!
;) ;) ;)

P.S.: What I am awaiting now is to be proofed wrong ... as many time before ,-)

FrankB

Volker, look at my render above, there ain't no noticeable patterns - but granted, I have stacked two perlin noises, so I have a lot of variation with this already.

I hate to say but you are wrong with your assumption that this is just a matter of scale of the power fractal. It's a matter of reference system. When I just plug a power fractal into the color function port of a default shader on an object, it doesn't matter which scales I enter: all the world that exists for this power fractal is just that single leaf (or trunk, or whatever). Hence you don't get color variations across your instances, from a birds eye view, you see?

Now, the solution is adding another reference system: world scale. In order to get world scale from within the object, I need a get position. And that's it basically.

Cheers,
Frank

Dune

QuoteAnother point is: why setting up, two copies of Parts-shader, when one is enough!?!
This ain't no longer necessary with the perlins at world level and the surface shader at object level.

By the way, this is also handy to lighten up certain areas of a pop (burning woods, bleached grass) by using the luminosity input of this surface shader.

And I also found that using a simple perlin scalar function is a bit simple, hence I introduced a PF+merge shader. There is plenty of room for improvement, as Frank already proofed by stacking 2 perlin scalars. Get to it guys! Improve...

dandelO

The duplicate parts shader was used to only apply the variation to separate 'object parts', Volker.

If you set up the perlin inside the parts shader, you'll only get variation over the object scale, not population scale. If, however, you set the perlin inside the 'object' node and not so deep as the parts network then, you can vary colour over the entire object only. The second parts shader was used to omit 'object parts' from this variation, by making them invisible. Merging both parts shaders applied colour variation but only to the visible 'parts'. In other words, if areas of the secondary 'parts shader' were invisible then, their colour would not be merged with the original parts shader, only the visible parts(leaves) would be merged. ;)

Dune went even higher than just inside the 'object' node and set up the perlin in the main network, this has removed the need to duplicate the parts shader at all. Nice! 8)

Volker Harun

Well, I promised often enough ... I just love to be proven wrong! :) Now, for being boooozzzzed all over ... give me a day or two, to think deeply about it ... till then I was too straight forward and wrong :)

Regards and Peace, Volker ...

P.S.: I just love the enthusiasm evolving here ... remembers me of something that this forum had been missing ... ;) ;)

Volker Harun

#53
It was tough to find an object with Parts shader ... so I had do rework an existing object to have the required object.

Maybe I have another sort of TG2, but my PFs always do world scale - at least at the object I use.

What might mislead me is that I do use OBJs and not TGOs ... could this make the difference???

@Dune ... I had too much JW Black Label yesterday, so I was not really able to analyze the image of the node network you posted.
This is another elegant way you found. I just do not like the functional Perlin idea at all (as mentioned above)
@Dandelo .... This might explain the difference of the 'Get Position' and the 'Get Position in Geometry'. I normally use the 'Get position in texture' as it is squeezable ... but I was never sure about the difference of the other two. Now this is getting interesting ... am I still in the team??? ;) :) ;)

Edit: Attached screenshot ... you see the main PF and how it is attached inside the Parts shader. It is multiplied with one of my default PFs, which add the small colour changes on the Bots.
Object is from the Software 'Groboto'.

Volker Harun

Okay,

both attached renders are with TGOs.
The colourful is with the above shown Powerfractal.
The reddish and black Bots are rendered with a Get position node inside the Parts-shader.

!!??!!!

I think, that I need one of those objects you used for your tests, as with mine everything is just the way, I expect it.

Volker

FrankB

coming back to the original topic - I think I'm done now. Here is the final render. I've applied the procedural color variations to it. This thread was a good one: I've learned something along the way.

Hope you like this final render.

Cheers,
Frank

FrankB

Quote from: Volker Harun on September 24, 2010, 05:12:45 AM


Volker, what's going into the left input of the multiply color function in your screenshot?

dandelO

#57
Kind of creeping away from Red Dead Revolver in here now. Should we make a new discussion on this, Frank?

Anyhow, Volker, still on the team? Don't make me laugh! You are team-captain, Sir! :)

*Edit: I thought that was the 'get' node, Frank. Except, I'd like to know what level of the network it's on.

Lovely looking sandy ground, Frank! Seems we're all posting at the same time in here. :)

Dune

Already done, Martin. I've included a reworked tgc for anyone interested.

---Dune

FrankB

Quote from: dandelO on September 24, 2010, 08:57:37 AM
Kind of creeping away from Red Dead Revolver in here now. Should we make a new discussion on this, Frank?

Anyhow, Volker, still on the team? Don't make me laugh! You are team-captain, Sir! :)

*Edit: I thought that was the 'get' node, Frank. Except, I'd like to know what level of the network it's on.

Lovely looking sandy ground, Frank! Seems we're all posting at the same time in here. :)


no I'm fine. you can keep on going here, no problem-