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Author Topic: Possible to affect distribution with vertex map? and Vray dirt or mr AO?  (Read 3741 times)

MN4869

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I'd love to be able to control placement of objects as per the title. Especially with a vertex map. It gave me strange results when I tried - I'm new to itoo though.

Can then use a script to paint vertices in concave and/or convex edges.

Vray dirt placement or another AO method would be cool too.

iToo

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Vertex map is a very special type of texture, it cannot be used as distribution map. VRayDirt and AO don't work either because are generated at render time, but Forest items are scattered just before rendering (when the map doesn't exist yet).

But i think you would bake VRayDirt/AO map in a standard texture, and then use it in Forest. Haven't tried it, though.
Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

MN4869

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Ok I figured that might be the case - cool plugin though so far - and it's great that you're active on the forum too. Thanks

Asplan Viak

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Vertex map is a very special type of texture, it cannot be used as distribution map. VRayDirt and AO don't work either because are generated at render time, but Forest items are scattered just before rendering (when the map doesn't exist yet).

But i think you would bake VRayDirt/AO map in a standard texture, and then use it in Forest. Haven't tried it, though.

I'm pretty sure vrayscatter and multiscatter support using vertex colours as distribution  maps, and for many other parameters too. I used to use them all the time in landscapes before I switched to Forestpack. VRayDirt though I understand, as you explained, cant be used, but your reason for vertex colours is rather lacking. Why can't FP do this when the inferior multiscatter can?

iToo

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You are right: as i said, Vertex Color are handled by Max in a very particular way. But there is a workaround for that (copied from Multiscatter reference):

Quote
Vertex Paint (Important note! Use texture channels - for example the 2nd - for keeping colour parameters since the MultiScatter Vertex Color channel is not applicable due to certain peculiarities of scatter creating algorithms.)

Setting Vertex Paint->Map Channel does the trick. Just be sure to use the same map channel in Distribution Map->Map Channel, and enable Surface->Auto if you want to paint interactively.

Anyway, if the idea is to use VC for painting, i suggest using Forest Painting areas instead.

Thanks for your contribution.


Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

Paul Roberts

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I believe Jonny Allen demon strated using vertex color painting to control the rotation of wheat in a Boston AAUGA presentation - Forest Pack Pro Presentation with Jonny Allen - AAUGA Boston

Might be of interest.

Thanks,

Paul
Paul Roberts
iToo Software

MN4869

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Ive not use FPP for a littlr while and not checked back here. Thanks for the suggestions. I will try this next week :)