Itoo Software Forum

Author Topic: ForestPack still overrides materials by default  (Read 2063 times)

Rawalanche

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 49
    • My portfolio
ForestPack still overrides materials by default
« on: September 12, 2018, 11:50:28 AM »
Hello,

a few years ago I've very strongly complained about a completely ridiculous behavior of ForestPack where it overrides materials by default, so that when you tweak materials on source objects, the changes won't propagate on instances scattered by ForestPack.

About two years ago, the issue was very lazily addressed by adding an .ini file entry to change the behavior. An entry, which gets wiped out with every new FP installation. On top of that, it's an extra mile one has to go and constantly remember it.

I have now, again, wasted about 3 hours tweaking materials and wondering why my changes impact my scene so little, just to remember that I've reinstalled FP.

I can not comprehend who could ever possibly think it's a good idea to override materials by default. To break a direct link between materials user has in their material editor and materials on the scattered instances. As I said previously, it makes sense to have an OPTION to override material, but no override should ever happen by default.

This needs to be addressed now, but properly. ForestPack must preserve links between scattered objects and their materials. Always, and by default.

iToo

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4388
    • iToo Software
Re: ForestPack still overrides materials by default
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2018, 10:02:31 AM »
Hi, please understand that we cannot change a Forest feature by the feedback of a single user. We must must consider carefully any change, because it may affect the experience of many customers.
Anyway, i just discussed this issue with our team, to have several opinions:

- Although the "Material" parameter may be redundant for scene objects, it's useful for library items. It's more convenient to get the material from the FP object, that search it on objects stored in the hidden layer.
We could set the material parameter only for library items, and not  for scene objects... but then some FP would have materials assigned and others not. That may be more confuse for less expercienced users.

- Forest doesn't create a copy of the material, but an instance of it. You should get the same result picking the material for the Geometry rollout,  or from the object.
A different issue is if you assign a new material to the object. In this case the link is lost, and the material parameter has preference.

- As you know, the material behaviour can be overrided setting copyMaterialFromObjects=0 in forestpack.ini.
In old Forest versions several variables (including this one) were reset when Forest is reinstalled, but we changed this in recent updates (i'm not sure what version exactly, but for sure in FP6).

I just did a quick test upgrading FP 5.4.1 to FP6, and the variable keeps unchanged. I don't know why it changed in your case... may be you reinstalled from FP5.x to FP5.x ?

- We have plans to expose most of the forespack.ini variables to the interface, specifically to the new General->Settings dialog. It will be done in upcoming updates.

Thanks for your understanding.
Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

Pierre

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 108
    • Studiosezz
Re: ForestPack still overrides materials by default
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2018, 01:21:33 PM »
Hello,
I have a similar issue: I assigned a new material to the object and before I overrided the copyMaterialFromObjects to 0 but Forest still keep the instanced material. Is it normal?
I'm working with 3dsmax 2019 sp2 and forest 6.1.2
Best
Pierre
Studiosezz PARIS
www.studiosezz.com

Rokas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3324
Re: ForestPack still overrides materials by default
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2018, 02:21:55 PM »
Hello,
I have a similar issue: I assigned a new material to the object and before I overrided the copyMaterialFromObjects to 0 but Forest still keep the instanced material. Is it normal?
I'm working with 3dsmax 2019 sp2 and forest 6.1.2
Best
Pierre
It should keep material instancing. Changing "copyMaterialFromObjects = 0" prevents ForestPack from putting Objects current material to Material override Setting:

Rokas