Simple dirt path

[FrankB]

Hey guys,

as promised in the TG3 images thread I am sharing the simple setup I used for the dirt pathfor the woods render.

Just open the TGD and see for yourself, really easy. I used a painted shader with a 3.5 m brush width and a 0.2 falloff for smooth edges.

I have embedded the path onto the camouflage surface shader group I had shared earlier.
The fractal breakup of the path allows the underlying camouflage terrain to shine through here and there, making it look more integrated and realistic.

Hope that's useful for anyone.

Cheers
Frank

[choronr]

Frank, thank you for this file. This indeed is a simple way to achieve the dirt path. Appreciate your generosity.

[FrankB]

Hi Bob, you're welcome! :-)

[choronr]

Frank, while adding pops of trees and vegetation, what is your method of keeping them off the path? I'm familiar with Andy Welder's set up and thought maybe you have a different course.

[FrankB]

Frank, while adding pops of trees and vegetation, what is your method of keeping them off the path? I'm familiar with Andy Welder's set up and thought maybe you have a different course.

In the populator node, I specify the painted shader as the density shader, and then check the box to invert the density shader.

Now let's say you want the instances NOT to appear on the path AND you want to use a fractal to break up the distribution of the instances, then you simply multiply the color from an inverted painted shader with the breakup fractal (multiply color function node). Then in the populator, you specify the multiply color node as the density shader.

Regards
Frank

[choronr]

Thank you Frank, I appreciate your explanation. I will give that a try.

[choronr]

Hi Frank,

Had a chance to experiment with your file trying to pop with some plants while keeping them off the path. No success. Attached is a clipping showing the set up. What am I doing wrong?

[Dune]

Try this for a simple, but different setup. TG3, mind you.

[choronr]

Try this for a simple, but different setup. TG3, mind you.

Thank you Ulco. I don't have the TG3 yet; but, will order soon when available. The path that Frank posted allows one to paint a curved path along a slightly hilly terrain. My issues is being able to create populations without having them appear on the path. I tried the method Frank explained; but, to no avail.

[bobbystahr]

Try this for a simple, but different setup. TG3, mind you.

Thank you Ulco. I don't have the TG3 yet; but, will order soon when available. The path that Frank posted allows one to paint a curved path along a slightly hilly terrain. My issues is being able to create populations without having them appear on the path. I tried the method Frank explained; but, to no avail.

In the Distribution dialogue at the bottom is a Use density shader...I add a Distribution shader and in that in Coverage I click Blend by shader and assign the Paint shader for the path and click Invert blendshader . Using a Distribution shader I find gives control as well to slope and height...important if the grass leads to a lake.

[choronr]

Try this for a simple, but different setup. TG3, mind you.

Thank you Ulco. I don't have the TG3 yet; but, will order soon when available. The path that Frank posted allows one to paint a curved path along a slightly hilly terrain. My issues is being able to create populations without having them appear on the path. I tried the method Frank explained; but, to no avail.

In the Distribution dialogue at the bottom is a Use density shader...I add a Distribution shader and in that in Coverage I click Blend by shader and assign the Paint shader for the path and click Invert blendshader . Using a Distribution shader I find gives control as well to slope and height...important if the grass leads to a lake.

Thank you Bobby, I will give that at try. I'm itching to do a major overhaul to my project and looking forward to see if this will work.

[choronr]

Bobby, this works OK; but, the objective is to populate only outside of the 'Path' - see above. Frank's explanation should work, but it doesn't. I guess I'm not making the right connections. 

[Dune]

Maybe this helps you out.

[choronr]

Maybe this helps you out.

Ulco, you are too generous, thank you so much. I have done everything except stand on my head to get populations 'not to appear on the path'. I will check your file out tomorrow (getting close to bedtime here). I'm really looking forward this. Thank you again.

Bob

[bobbystahr]

Here's the way I do it with a pop...maybe this will help. I just added a pop to Dune's project. Couldn't figure out what was happening with the grass clamp that was in there. It didn't seem attached to a populator...is that a TG3 thing?