Translucency Again

Started by WAS, December 12, 2015, 04:02:49 AM

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WAS

So, I notice in a lot of older posts, for TG2, that translucency isn't really that. And to use the water shader (or I guess now glass). But what if I want my texture in there as well? Do I just use the water/glass shader as the base and then mask it? I'm wondering if my idea of glowing jelly fishes (with internal light source) is really practical.

For example. Is there a way to use the glass shader and give these jellyfish a solid blur look with transparency with the glass shader rather then it appear to be translucent to a black base? Currently even with all color adjustments set to a blur I get black for the base.



bobbystahr

Well to get the glass and I believe the water shader to work you need *no shadows* clicked on the object so I doubt that will work. jmeyer and I did some experiments with stained glass along theses lines and found you could get a texture along with the transparency by using a Merge shader and use Multiply(Input * A's diffuse colour)...but you will need the part that is transparent to be loaded separately from the other parts of the model like the window glass in a building and if it's a closed/solid model do not select Double sided....either on the model or the Glass Shader. Confused...ask.
something borrowed,
something Blue.
Ring out the Old.
Bring in the New
Bobby Stahr, Paracosmologist

WAS

Quote from: bobbystahr on December 13, 2015, 01:35:56 PM
Well to get the glass and I believe the water shader to work you need *no shadows* clicked on the object so I doubt that will work. jmeyer and I did some experiments with stained glass along theses lines and found you could get a texture along with the transparency by using a Merge shader and use Multiply(Input * A's diffuse colour)...but you will need the part that is transparent to be loaded separately from the other parts of the model like the window glass in a building and if it's a closed/solid model do not select Double sided....either on the model or the Glass Shader. Confused...ask.

I think I get what you mean, I'll give it a shot. Thanks Bobby

bobbystahr

Quote from: WASasquatch on December 13, 2015, 02:31:57 PM
Quote from: bobbystahr on December 13, 2015, 01:35:56 PM
Well to get the glass and I believe the water shader to work you need *no shadows* clicked on the object so I doubt that will work. jmeyer and I did some experiments with stained glass along theses lines and found you could get a texture along with the transparency by using a Merge shader and use Multiply(Input * A's diffuse colour)...but you will need the part that is transparent to be loaded separately from the other parts of the model like the window glass in a building and if it's a closed/solid model do not select Double sided....either on the model or the Glass Shader. Confused...ask.

I think I get what you mean, I'll give it a shot. Thanks Bobby

hope this works for you
something borrowed,
something Blue.
Ring out the Old.
Bring in the New
Bobby Stahr, Paracosmologist

WAS

By two separate parts do you mean duplicating the part and having to separate parts merging together? One using glass as a surface, the other with the texture?  If that even makes sense too

bobbystahr

Quote from: WASasquatch on December 14, 2015, 08:46:43 PM
By two separate parts do you mean duplicating the part and having to separate parts merging together? One using glass as a surface, the other with the texture?  If that even makes sense too

What I did/do is I load the object into my modeler and first delete the non transparent part and name XXX base, the reload and delete that part and save a xxx transparent. Then load separately in TG as they share the same axis they will self assemble. Now you can make one part not cast shadows for the transparency to work. If you send me the object I could prepare it for you.
something borrowed,
something Blue.
Ring out the Old.
Bring in the New
Bobby Stahr, Paracosmologist

bobbystahr

Then I treat the transparent object as I described earlier
something borrowed,
something Blue.
Ring out the Old.
Bring in the New
Bobby Stahr, Paracosmologist

AP

I hope we have a Sub surface scattering shader for Terragen 4. It would make this a whole lot more easy and open many possibilities.

bobbystahr

Quote from: Chris on December 14, 2015, 09:02:12 PM
I hope we have a Sub surface scattering shader for Terragen 4. It would make this a whole lot more easy and open many possibilities.

I'd settle for full greyscale transparency with the glass.
something borrowed,
something Blue.
Ring out the Old.
Bring in the New
Bobby Stahr, Paracosmologist

AP

#9
Certainly that is a start. If that shader was more optimized, even better. However, every renderer has sub surface scattering, it's nothing new or fantastic now a days but the results are what matters in terms of realism like solid ice, certain types of crystals, snow, mushrooms, imported objects with skin and so on. I can accept an optimized alternative to sub surface scattering as long as the results are acceptable.

WAS

Quote from: bobbystahr on December 14, 2015, 08:54:42 PM
Quote from: WASasquatch on December 14, 2015, 08:46:43 PM
By two separate parts do you mean duplicating the part and having to separate parts merging together? One using glass as a surface, the other with the texture?  If that even makes sense too

What I did/do is I load the object into my modeler and first delete the non transparent part and name XXX base, the reload and delete that part and save a xxx transparent. Then load separately in TG as they share the same axis they will self assemble. Now you can make one part not cast shadows for the transparency to work. If you send me the object I could prepare it for you.

Oh ok so I am just missing the modeler step. What I have obtained does look transparent with the texture, but again, the black base seems very visible. If you could help with the models that would be great. I'll definitely load them and see the changes too so I can try it out. What program do you use? Poseray?


AP

Could there be an issue with the index of refraction at all?

bobbystahr

Quote from: WASasquatch on December 14, 2015, 10:24:52 PM
Quote from: bobbystahr on December 14, 2015, 08:54:42 PM
Quote from: WASasquatch on December 14, 2015, 08:46:43 PM
By two separate parts do you mean duplicating the part and having to separate parts merging together? One using glass as a surface, the other with the texture?  If that even makes sense too

What I did/do is I load the object into my modeler and first delete the non transparent part and name XXX base, the reload and delete that part and save a xxx transparent. Then load separately in TG as they share the same axis they will self assemble. Now you can make one part not cast shadows for the transparency to work. If you send me the object I could prepare it for you.

Oh ok so I am just missing the modeler step. What I have obtained does look transparent with the texture, but again, the black base seems very visible. If you could help with the models that would be great. I'll definitely load them and see the changes too so I can try it out. What program do you use? Poseray?



PoseRay and Deep Exploration
something borrowed,
something Blue.
Ring out the Old.
Bring in the New
Bobby Stahr, Paracosmologist

WAS

#13
Thanks for the help Bobby, it looks pretty good now, except for the density created by the tendrils attaching to the dome.



Or is this as mentioned a refraction problem?


bobbystahr

#14
Ideally you'd create a 2 part model and be able to texture the tendrils separately but I dunno if that'd make a difference. As there are no shadows all I can assume is addition of surfaces together makes it opaque where they all intersect and nada you can do about that I fear.
something borrowed,
something Blue.
Ring out the Old.
Bring in the New
Bobby Stahr, Paracosmologist