Problems adding 2D billboards to new library

[Gunnar Garness]

I just purchased the Xfrog 2D plant bundle through iToo Software for Forest Pack Pro (3000 billboards included).   The have been unzipped and I created a new library in the Library browser.  I see the subfolders but none of the tiff files of the actual plant material show up.   I tried using the following instructions to import 2D billboards in this new library but all options are grayed out in the pop up:

http://www.itoosoft.com/forestpack/reference/library_editor.php#billboardadd

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,  Gunnar

[Michal Karmazín]

Hi Gunnar,

First you'll need to build the material library for all billboards you want to have in your library. Attaching screenshot with simple setup of VRay material using XFrog image - in Opacity slot using it's alpha channel with disabled Filtering (speed up the render process significantly).

Once the library build you can follow steps described in "Adding a new Billboard Object to a Library" or "Adding Multiple Billboards to the Library" to add items to your User's Libraries. Just please note in case of editing you have to access the Library Browser by Library button from Geometry tab and not use the one in Forest Creation.

Hope this helps you, but in case of any troubles please let me know.

Kind regards,

[Gunnar Garness]

Thanks, Michal.  A few snags:

1.  I don't have v-ray.  Can I use a Mental Ray or Autodesk Generic material with the alpha channel in the "cutout" map slot instead of v-ray's "opacity"?
2.  Even after I have created these new materials based on the xfrog trees, "Import Billboards" is still greyed out when I right click in the Forest Pack library browser.
3.  Am I correct in assuming that the xfrogs plant library file listed for download at the top of the iToo Xfrog page is only for their 3D tree models, not their 2D billboards?

Best,
Gunnar

[Michal Karmazín]

Hi Gunnar,

1) Sorry to confuse you by mentioning VRay. My material hint was mentioned just to show how you can take advantage of alpha layer in XFrog's images without having to create new opacity textures. Feel free to get inspired from materials in Forest Library - 2D - Trees.

Attaching screenshot showing example of material setup (in this case using Standard material as base for Forest Material) - please take note that for Mental Ray and billboards, we suggest to use exactly this combination. You can find the suggested settings for billboard scenes here.

2) Please try following steps. First right click on User's Libraries folder in Library Browser and choose Create Library (probably before you just created folder). Than right click on black area and select Create Item - Billboard. By right clicking on this newly created item you'll be able to run Import Billboards... wizard. Or by going to Properties... you can edit the item one by one.

3) Yes, you are right. Actually XFrog Catalog supports just 3D XFrog's packages. We have plans to add some more 2D trees soon.

Kind regards,

[Gunnar Garness]

Thanks so much for the quick feedback, Michal.

[Michal Karmazín]

Hi,

You're welcome. Wish you best results. If there will be anything more we can help you with, please let us know. Have a nice day.

Kind regards,