terms

[ccb]

I've used TG2 and a few other 3D programs but there are options I never use because I have no idea how they affect TG and don't have the time to render to find out what each one does.  How did the rest of you learn how terms affect TG - such as lead-in octaves, microvertex jittering, preallocate subdivide cache, unclamped multifractal, multi-scale modulator?  (It would be wonderful if someone wrote a big manual with lots of illustrations.)

[reck]

It would be wonderful if someone wrote a big manual with lots of illustrations.

That would be wonderful. Some of the parameters in this software can be quite hard to understand by description alone so example images showing how the different parameters affect the scene would really help. Unfortunately apart from a few exceptions this doesn't exist.

I have no idea if a full detailed manual will ever be available but in the meantime you'll have to manage with what we have. I think most people picked up information by reading these forums, downloading example files and, yes, trail and error.

[Tangled-Universe]

I've used TG2 and a few other 3D programs but there are options I never use because I have no idea how they affect TG and don't have the time to render to find out what each one does.  How did the rest of you learn how terms affect TG - such as lead-in octaves, microvertex jittering, preallocate subdivide cache, unclamped multifractal, multi-scale modulator?  (It would be wonderful if someone wrote a big manual with lots of illustrations.)

You're absolutely right that it would be wonderful if some time a big manual with precise descriptions would be released. The node-reference is quite poor in some ways.

To my understanding the features you mentioned do this:

Lead-in-octaves: I think each octave consists of a certain range of scales. A kind of subdivision. Hence that the bigger the difference in feature and smallest scale, the greater the octave. See it like octaves on a piano where each octave spans a range of notes. The more octaves, the greater the ranges of scales generated by the powerfractal. Be aware that it is also heavier to compute.

Microvertex jittering: reduces the appearance of parallel lines in the subdivison pattern of surfaces. This was often a problem on water, for example. (straight copy paste from a release note)

Preallocate subdiv cache: Specify whether the entire quota of memory for subdiv caches is allocated at the start of each render, rather than only allocated in increments when needed. This usually increases memory use, but may help to identify memory allocation errors sooner rather than later during the render.
(straight copy paste from a release note)

I think the clamped multi-fractal is the same as the unclamped-multifractal, but with the output clamped between 0-1.
The multi-scale-modulator is probably another way of generating the (un?)clamped multifractal, but I admit that I have no clue what it exactly is.

Hope some of this helps.

Cheers,
Martin

[ccb]

Thanks, Martin!  I'm impressed - those terms are so arcane I never expected to have them defined!

I do hope someone feels like writing a manual sometime.  Even the free Blender has a nice big one.  Some of the tutorials help but some give settings for these strange terms but you don't know what they do.  I suppose to the pros, it is all self-evident.

[Oshyan]

More complete Node Reference is in the works, but will take time. We'll be enlisting your help (clearly Martin could contribute, for example).

- Oshyan

[ccb]

That's great news.  TG, in my opinion, is the very best 3D program around.