The Intersection Zone...

[dandelO]

I really struggle trying to get to grips with the intersect underlying functions in a surface layer.

Here's what I'm stumbling on and can't find any solid explanations in the forums:

I think the 'intersection zone' is the point connecting the underlying layer and the surface layer itself, the zone is measured outwards in both directions from this point? If there's an intersection zone of, say 2, does this mean the zone is 1m into each layer from the mid-point?

Is 'intersection shift' the displacement amount of the intersecting parts of the layers, with 'minimum intersection shift' being the smallest it's allowed to displace?
These settings, when used in conjunction with the displacement/offset options in the displacement tab just get me lost in a mindriot.

Just a general discussion, piecing together what we all know should bring some results and understanding on this, it usually does, anyway.

[Mandrake]

I haven't played with it much as it gives me a headache.. I wondered if it only intersected child layers or only from that point down on the hierarchy. Well I had to jump in here somehow,because I'd like to see what everyone's found out about this.

[rcallicotte]

It's the point where the surfaces (this one and the one above in the node structure) intersect.  That's all I know and I realize how simple that sounds.

[FrankB]

I wrote something about these a few threads back.
That being said, the following are just my guesses, no real knowledge about facts:

Intersection zone: the minimum (or average?) size of the area on which either favour depressions, rises or intersect underlying will be applied to
Shift: height in meters by which the top layer will be lifted (or depressed) compared to the lower layer.
Min Shift: I'm not clear on this one... but I believe it specifies how deep/high depressions/rises have to be before either favour depressions or favour rises kicks in.

Furthermore, I think that favour depressions, rises and intersect underlying are essentially the same function, but depressions limits its effect to depressions, and rises limits it to rises, whereas intersect underlying doesn't differentiate between rises and depressions.

Beware: all just wild guesses.

Frank

[dandelO]

Min Shift: I'm not clear on this one...

I think that this and intersection shift work similarly to how the scale settings in a fractal shader work(not the same as but as an idea), the range that the 'intersection shift' can displace from(min), and up to(Intersection shift).
If I was to compare it it'd be like this: 'Lead in scale' and 'smallest scale' is to a fractal what 'intersection shift' and 'minimum intersection shift', are to the intersected layer. It gives the range of displacement, in other words.

That's probably not correct, I'm guessing.

[rcallicotte]

Hopefully, someone will tag in from Planetside to better explain.  This is the same trouble I had with lead-in and feature scale - partial grasp.

[RArcher]

No solution for you here, but trying to work it out I can say I now know how to make ice cubes out of fake stones.

[rcallicotte]

LOL  How cool, Mr. RArcher.   

[Volker Harun]

Meanwhile I believe the following:

What I observed is, that values of shift and minimum which are like 5|-5 or 1|-1 keeps the original distribution.
Otherwise values of i.e. 5|-2 pushes the original distribution to the sides.

And I like to be proofed wrong - still believing ... that the intersection zone .... nah, that is too absurd.

The porblem is ... any time I am sure with those settings, it turns out to be vice versa

Volker

[dandelO]

The porblem is ... any time I am sure with those settings, it turns out to be vice versa

Exactly! It's a very confusing feature for me, especially when it's combined with seperate displacements or offsets in the other tab of the same surface layer. Should I even need to add any displacement in the other tab, if intersection shift is doing it already? Aarrgghh! Brain knot! 

[Kevin F]

Call for Mr Fairclough, call for Mr Fairclough.

[Tangled-Universe]

Call for Mr Fairclough, call for Mr Fairclough.

Exactly. As long as this feature is working there have been many questions about it and still no response from Planetside.

Would be nice if Matt could elaborate on the individual settings and how certain things are inter-related, which is probably the most difficult part of using the intersect underlying feature.

[Seth]

may I said : "+1" on calling Matt ? 

[hughbee]

You have to press "9" first to get a outside line.

[Mandrake]

You found that button?