Terrain decal and deferred decal ignores Normals of Terrain

[werner.poetzelberger]

Hello,

 

iam testing with the terrain_decal.

 

I already saw at the samples, that you are using the terrain's normal map in the base material for the terrain_decal.

 

Is this the way it is thought to be designed?

 

This works while using an ortho terrain decal for a complete terrain, assigning the NM of the terrain.

 

The way I use it, the decal ignores the terrain's NM completely.

That make the terrain decal kind of ... lets say difficult to use if not spread all over the whole terrain.

 

Also the deferred does not respect the terrains normals.

The only one which does it, is the standard Decal, which is not satisfiing in terms of visibilitz terms.

 

How can I use them, respecting the normals of the terrain?

 

Did I miss something?

 

Thx,Best.

 

Werner

[werner.poetzelberger]

Hi,

 

is there an answer for that behavior explained above, or is this meant to be that way?

Or am I missing something?

 

I am hoping to work with the new decals, creating our detailled terrain.

It looks very promising, but I need to have shading on the decals as well, especially when using large decals.

 

Thank you.

 

Best.

 

Werner

[werner.poetzelberger]

Hello,

 

i am following up the issue.

Opened a sample for the decals, which looks like that, now.

 

It looked well when I first installed the new sdk.

 

Strange.

 

 

[werner.poetzelberger]

I unpacked the SDK frehsly ......

 

Now it works again.

 

This is all a bit crazy.

Again i messed something up, but it's not clear what I messed.

 

Now i have to test my scene.

 

Best.

 

w.

 

[werner.poetzelberger]

So,

here is a comparison of 3 positions of the same decal on a terrain from the sample : DecalTerrain Proj.

 

I assigned a differnt NM to see a defference to the DT and turned up specularity.

 

Please notice, that the decal does not respect the underlying terrain in terms of shading

It only reacts to the specularity.

 

Then I assigned a different DT and turned down specularity to 0. (samples/decals/textures/terrain_maze_1_d.dds)

 

Please notice, that the terrain shading is totally obscurred by the dacals lying on top of the terrain.

 

 

I would be happy about any ideas.

 

 

Thank you.

 

Best.

Werner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[frustum]

This modification will be available in the next SDK.

decals.zip

[werner.poetzelberger]

Yes! Thank you. Rocks.

 

Shouldnt be a thing to put it into the terrain decal as well?

 

Looking forward to SDK. Lovely.

 

Best.

Werner

[frustum]

I can implement underlying normal map reading for the terrain decals. But deferred normal map will be unmodified. We can't read and write to the same texture... In that case all post-processing effects like SSAO will use unmodified normals. With this restriction the quality of terrain decals will not be great. So I recommend to use deferred decals.

[werner.poetzelberger]

If one decal system has all the features implemented I think we can be very happy.

 

Atm I am not sure what I would use the terrain decal for. I think it makes sense to use it the way you showed in the example. I will give it a try that way.

 

I am still learning to understand the best way to design terrains. What I see so far, and you underlined it as well, is to generate vast terrains using automatic methods. For this, the terrain decal makes perfect sens as it adds 'Layers'. 

I was more thinking to use those decals locally, but this task in fact the Deferred decals will fullfill much better.