2D Billboard Object - no shadows rendered

Started by moodflow, November 13, 2008, 07:54:02 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

moodflow

I'm not sure if this is a bug or not, but I have a 2D billboard object that simply will not project a shadow.  Would anyone else have any insights on this?

Files are attached.

http://www.moodflow.com
mood-inspiring images and music

sjefen

ArtStation: https://www.artstation.com/royalt

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
128 GB RAM
GeForce RTX 3060 12GB

moodflow

I "assumed" it was, but you might be right... maybe its only 1 sided! 
http://www.moodflow.com
mood-inspiring images and music

Matt

I've tried it and it looks like there is a bug we'll need to fix.

Matt
Just because milk is white doesn't mean that clouds are made of milk.

moodflow

Quote from: Matt on November 13, 2008, 01:30:40 PM
I've tried it and it looks like there is a bug we'll need to fix.

Matt


Or maybe a bug.  ;-)
http://www.moodflow.com
mood-inspiring images and music

bigben

I loaded the obj into Poseray and it displays an error when you try and add an image to the material.

http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=1477.msg14731#msg14731 contains a good object for billboard trees

moodflow

Hi BigBen,

Unfortunately, this file doesn't display any textures attached to it properly.  They are unusually dark, and it requires you use luminosity (which emits light), rather than diffuse color (which would just reflect ambient light).  You can try boosting the diffuse color by increasing the number and this does not resolve the issue with that model.  It took me forever to figure this out.  There is something wrong with the way its trying to display the image, which is inherent in the model itself.

The obj I posted works perfectly, other than not casting a shadow.  But as Sjefen stated, it may be a 1 sided object, or as Matt stated, might even be a bug in TG2.

We definitely need a "working" billboard object (or built in system in TG2 for this).  Though I know TG2's popular works nicely with 3D objects, having the ability to use 2D objects opens up even more doors.  I know there was mention this might possibly be included in future releases (or at least that was the gist I got). 
http://www.moodflow.com
mood-inspiring images and music

Mohawk20

Wouldn't it be easiest just to make it possible to rotate the internal plane object?
Howgh!

dandelO

#8
You can rotate the plane. The vector edge (A-B) boxes control it. To flip a plane (so you can render it from below, you can't see it from above this way, TG2 planes seem to be one sided) just alternate the default values in the 'X+Z' parameters. Zeros for ones and ones for zeros. Raise it above the camera to see the surface.

To tilt it use the 'Y' values. '0.1' is a small tilt, '90' is full vertical. :)

[attachimg=#]

[attachimg=#]

[attachimg=#]

EDIT:

I've already tried the 'underwater' camera ;)... It still doesn't work. :(

dandelO

#9
I note a couple of issues using planes in a population... One half-plane near the front, I wonder if microvertex jittering would help this? Nope, it doesn't.

Maybe more importantly, no shadows, just like the object above.

[attachimg=#]

moodflow

http://www.moodflow.com
mood-inspiring images and music

bigben

#11
Quote from: moodflow on November 14, 2008, 09:25:22 AM
Hi BigBen,

Unfortunately, this file doesn't display any textures attached to it properly.  They are unusually dark, and it requires you use luminosity (which emits light), rather than diffuse color (which would just reflect ambient light).  You can try boosting the diffuse color by increasing the number and this does not resolve the issue with that model.  It took me forever to figure this out.  There is something wrong with the way its trying to display the image, which is inherent in the model itself.


Had another look at this object. 
[attachimg=#2]

Try turning off smooth normals (not needed anyway)
[attachimg=#1]

The object is set up with luminosity to reduce the shadows the object casts on itself which can make it look a little odd when seen close up with the ligh behind the camera.  In the sample images I set luminosity to 0 and colour intensity to 0.5.

The advantages having 2 perpendicular planes are that the shadows are more realistic and they work well in an animation. The luminsoity was probably set to try and reduce the shadows that the object casts on itself with the sun behind the camera. (see the foreground trees to the left and right in the image above)

Mohawk20

Quote from: dandelO on November 14, 2008, 07:55:52 PM
I note a couple of issues using planes in a population... One half-plane near the front, I wonder if microvertex jittering would help this? Nope, it doesn't.

Maybe more importantly, no shadows, just like the object above.


Only that one in the front has a shadow...


And for the underwater camera, try what happens if you flip a plane upside down, and apply the water shader to that... You won't get the right lighting I'm afraid, but that might be 'fixable' with lights?
Howgh!

dandelO

#13
The one in front is the population object maker, the original model. The others are instances that aren't casting shadows. At least Moodflow's issue seems to be resolved though.

QuoteAnd for the underwater camera, try what happens if you flip a plane upside down, and apply the water shader to that... You won't get the right lighting I'm afraid, but that might be 'fixable' with lights?

That's what I was meaning I'd already tried up there, Mohawk. ^^. It doesn't work with this method. ;)

bigben

I duplicated the object shader from the 2D card object in my post above and applied it to a population of TG planes to get this:
[attachimg=#1]

Which consists of  single shadow of the master object.  Do TG planes support UV mapping?  Applying the same shader to a sphere works as expected.