Jump to content

Landscape update, wip.


photo

Recommended Posts

Hello,

 

I am working on an update of a project of ours using the new terrain possibilities.

 

The new layer system is so much of a help as I am using 9 Layers instead of 4 for the terrain.

As well the specularity option is so valid to enrich the various materials.

 

Thx for the update, Unigine.

 

I think I still could go and use more but on the other hand at some point it starts to get really difficult to control.

Attached a view onto the landscape at a sunangle, at which there is much volume in the Terrain.

 

As mentioned wip. Still some way to go.

 

Cheers, Werner.

post-767-0-13631300-1435674443_thumb.jpg

post-767-0-89029000-1435674444_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

Here some further impressions, closer to the ground.

 

In the end I am using 8 layers now for the whole Terrain as I really find it hard to control more.

 

Cheers. Werner

 

post-767-0-07561100-1437483340_thumb.jpg

post-767-0-47763600-1437483342_thumb.jpg

post-767-0-03959400-1437483344_thumb.jpg

post-767-0-76670800-1437483345_thumb.jpg

Link to comment

 

In the end I am using 8 layers now for the whole Terrain as I really find it hard to control more.

 

 

What is the problem? We are using cca 25 and no problem at all. Only problem is, it is not possible to change/add mask for some layer, because you cant (re)import only one layer, you must always import all (as was explained in other thread), which is problem once you do some manual changes. You can add other layer, but then you have to paint mask manually. So you have to carefully plan and think many steps in advance to minimize problems in future, once you start to do maual changes, there is no way back (or you lose your manual work).

Link to comment

Hi.

 

I find it pretty difficult to get an understanding of blending many layer over each other using complex masks.

 

It see it straighter forward if you have e.g. areas of different materials seperated from each other.

 

In my case I use masks where most of the time all 4 channels are blended over each other to create a complex surface behavior.

This works as I found some mask results by change which created a good result.

 

More than 4 start to get really confusing, as well as you have to use a different file as well.

 

So I seperated in the end the stone parts from the sandy parts and use seperate mask files, cutting the parts you dont want to see in the opposite mask.

 

I do not manually edit stuff in the editor, which would give hell I guess.

 

best. w.

Link to comment

Ah OK. I am trying to avoid blending more than 2 parent layers (in some cases with child as detail) as much as possible (transition rock to sand, etc...). Sometimes is unavoidable to blend 3 or 4 (theoretical case where 4 different textures  meet each other), but there is IMHO no added value trying to blend more. Far more sense makes using alfa channel in textures in case I have two different textures with same mask.

Link to comment

The alpha channel in the diffuse texture is one of the best features in this case, as it allows really nice transitions without that blurry transparent feeling which always looks really odd.

 

I have used that on every layer (I had pretty much only gravel and sand) and with some playing around I really got places.

 

I didnt test parenting and child.

 

My biggest findings are, that a really good mask makes the day. Together with the correct scaling (tiling) of the textures and nice normals and speculars to get the diversity of the 'surfaces' it is a powerful tool and so much better than the U1 version.

 

My biggest fright is, that you can change the whole apperance with the touch of a single slider.

 

In addition to the landscape I use decals for the 'paths' our character are walking on, which are still not that what I want then to be as the blending with the underlying terrain doesnot work that well for me. (maybe I need to spend more time on that), but it definitely is needed to get structured surface information (like roads have).

 

cool.

Link to comment

In addition to the landscape I use decals for the 'paths' our character are walking on, which are still not that what I want then to be as the blending with the underlying terrain doesnot work that well for me. (maybe I need to spend more time on that), but it definitely is needed to get structured surface information (like roads have).

 

cool.

 

Road/path as decal is proper solution, it would be waste to use terrain materials and you have far more options, you can use tesselation, etc.. Other engines already have tools/plugins for this.

 

Do you use mesh decals or mask based decals? Definitelly we need some road/path/river tool like http://docs.cryengine.com/display/SDKDOC2/The+Road+Tool and http://docs.cryengine.com/display/SDKDOC2/The+River+ToolI can generate road mesh in 3rd party tool, but it is absolutelly ineffective for manual level design (which always comes after procedural one for each 3rd person/FPS game). Level designers need ability to do changes instantly, so some besier curve based road/river mesh generator for creating/re-editing road meshes/decals is must. From my point of view besides asset browser this is second most important feature for level designers.

Link to comment

In this case it was quite 'easy' as we had straight paths, a network.

I used deferred decals which I scaled up and down and changed the UV coordinates for the different lenghts.

This was quite rough, but it worked out very well in the end just to give the idea of a 'human modified' surface, compared to the natural eroded areas.

 

One difficult thing I faced is, to match colors over the different daytimes (we have 24/7/365 cycle).

 

I tested the mesh decal, which seems to be a nice way to design more complex solutions.

 

Tool-wise I agree if Unigine Editor would be a proper level editor, which I think its far off that, but it never wanted to be something like that?

 

cheers.

 

 

post-767-0-64633800-1437641807_thumb.jpg

post-767-0-54719500-1437641808_thumb.jpg

post-767-0-26146800-1437641809_thumb.jpg

Link to comment

 

One difficult thing I faced is, to match colors over the different daytimes (we have 24/7/365 cycle).

 

 

I am usually adjusting colors by additional tracks in day/night tracker system.

Link to comment

I am trying to avoid to adjust colors of materials over time as this can bring you quickly into hells kitchen.

We do colors of lights and scattering as well as hdr settings (this alone is herding cats) but i am pretty happy as we have some nice tracks now.

In the end it is trying to get consistent and believable results, which is some compromise sometimes but our overall aesthetics is pretty.

Its always a balance.

Cheers w.

Link to comment

Well, for objects this issue is now solved by using PBR materials. If you prepare PBR materials properly (especially textures/maps), all objects will behave well no matter of lightning conditions. This is probably main advantage of PBR.

Link to comment

Yes that seems to be solved hopefully.

One method for all is good. Consistent behavior is absolutely necessary and eases production.

We still need to get our hands onto PBR. Next project will use it of course.

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

Well, for objects this issue is now solved by using PBR materials. If you prepare PBR materials properly (especially textures/maps), all objects will behave well no matter of lightning conditions. This is probably main advantage of PBR.

Hi every one ,

@ Jirka: What do you mean by "If you prepare PBR materials properly (especially textures/maps)" ?

My research on the PBR in Unigine are only at the beginning, but I wanted to know where we can find information about that:

> PBR asset (and material) integration in Unigine ?

>the workflow style (metalness vs specular) ? (does it make sense in Unigine)

>how do your organize your cutting textures for an asset? etc...

I know it's a huge topic... btw I regret that we did not have clearer information at this stage, PBR workflow will impact all our graphic prod.

Thx!

Link to comment

Hi every one ,

@ Jirka: What do you mean by "If you prepare PBR materials properly (especially textures/maps)" ?

My research on the PBR in Unigine are only at the beginning, but I wanted to know where we can find information about that:

> PBR asset (and material) integration in Unigine ?

>the workflow style (metalness vs specular) ? (does it make sense in Unigine)

>how do your organize your cutting textures for an asset? etc...

I know it's a huge topic... btw I regret that we did not have clearer information at this stage, PBR workflow will impact all our graphic prod.

Thx!

 

Well, I ve started with this arctile:

 

http://www.marmoset.co/toolbag/learn/pbr-conversion

 

And then read manuals for UE4, there is everything explained. Also implementation on both engines is similar (AO map is in red channel and metalness in green). 

Link to comment
×
×
  • Create New...