Wave sets and Environment Maps

[D'Lanor]

As you can see ripple falloff is not listed in libHSPlasma either.

Code: Select all

      <TexState>
         <WaveState MaxLen="1.200000048" MinLen="0.6000000238" AmpOverLen="0.009999999776" Chop="0.05000000075" AngleDev="1" />
      </TexState>


Neither is noise %. Spread deg must be angledev then.

Are you sure this actually does something in Uru:CC? Could it be a MOUL only option?

Edit: I'm thinking those parameters could be:

Noise % = specnoise
Ripple Falloff Start = specstart
Ripple Falloff End = specend

Which when I look in in libHSPlasma end up in a vector:

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      <SpecVec>
         <hsVector3 X="0.009999999776" Y="50" Z="100" />
      </SpecVec>


X=specnoise, Y=specstart, Z=specend

[ZURI]

Ok, here's what I came up with.

I tried it 4 different ways. I'm by no means an expert, and since the tutorial is for static meshes - I'm just winging it here.

First, I simply added the envmap line to the waveset alcscript:

Btw, the object listed here is a second object that I tried referencing later to no avail. In my first attempt, I reference the waveset object.

Code: Select all

            
Waveset:
    type: waveset
    visual:
        waveset:
            envradius: 200
         envmap: Wavesetenvmap
            depthrange:
                opac:
                    start: 0
                    end: 0.5
         winddir: winddir                  
         windspeed: 0.1
    

I recieved an error, but I don't know how to copy the command output to post it here.

So, the second thing I tried was to create an Envmap as a second texture to the waveset mesh itself - using the same alcscript. I got the same error a second time. Third I duplicated the waveset mesh, renamed it, then removed the material and and UVMap. Then, created a new UVMap then unwrapped the mesh. During export I got the same error a third time.

Lastly, I removed the Envmap from the duplicate object, added a texture and UVMapped the texture. I then followed Andy's tutorial again, added the Envmap to the object, as well as the independent Alcscript to the object. I then pointed the waveset script to the corresponding Envmapped object. Exporting gave the same error.

I'm assuming the error is the same. Each time the last lines read: ~\PyPRP\prp_MatClasses.py", line 2216, in write self.fFaces[i].write<stream,0> # "Really" is set to 0, to avoid writing hskeyedObject code
IndexError: list index out of range

Any ideas?

[andylegate]

Ripple Falloff has a huge impact on how your waveset looks. I really hate that I lost that tutorial now, as I talked about it.

The numbers for it that you see in my other post, are set up for Neolbah (which looks much better now than it did, and I need to update the UAM).

Basically I had said that you want to set the End number to your width, and made the Start number approx. 1/4 of the End number.
Those are Max Units (which are the same as Blend units, 1=1 foot). In my picture, I put in the width of the water of Neolbah's cave (not the long length that you walk,) which is about 70 feet.

In Zephyr Cove, I set those numbers to 1500 and 250, as the width of Zephyr's beach is about 1,000 blender (max) units, and 250.

I've found, that in Max anyway, if you set those numbers wrong (I mean way off, like using Neolbah's number for Zephyr or the other way around), it makes the waveset look horrible, you can't see the ripples well at all.

The Mute in the reflective box also dramatically affects the visibility of the Waveset.

Zuri: that looks like it's having a big issue with your material you set up for the waveset, not your scripting for it.

[N. Sigismund]

Okay, I've done a lot of work on figuring out Wavesets, basically so I could copy over most of the values from Noloben... D'lanor is 100% correct, however just to be clear Spread Degree is not exactly Angle Dev - Angle Dev is Spread Degree converted to radians!

Three values - Water Depth and the Y and X of Wind Direction - are taken from the position of the pivot, because the wind flowing over the water is flowing in the -y direction, in a similar way to the way the avatar points on link-in.

[D'Lanor]

ZURI, I believe that error message is trying to tell us that the reference for an alternate envmap should NOT be the object but its envmap texture.

[ZURI]

D'Lanor, ok, I'm a bit confused here.

By Envmap texture, are referring to the box in the material settings where you can name the texture block? I'm referring to the Texture tab by Map Input and Map to. Should I try giving the envmap a specific name "eg envmap1 or something," then referencing that name in the alcscript?

[D'Lanor]

By Envmap texture, are referring to the box in the material settings where you can name the texture block? I'm referring to the Texture tab by Map Input and Map to.

Yes, that is what I thought but it refuses to export for me as well.

Contrary to what I thought you DO have to reference the object. And you have to make sure to select Texture Type EnvMap and point it to the correct image. Then PyPRP will create a file with the .qmap extension in the TexCache folder. That is a sure sign it has at least tried to process the texture.

Unfortunately in the end I still get that "Really" is set to 0... error. So for now I am going to assume that this is broken. Unless anyone did succeed in making an alternate envmap with that waveset AlcScript.

[ZURI]

Thanks for the input D'Lanor. At least I know now what "isn't" an option. I've spent some time adjusting the object center, and reduced the Depthrange End to 0.25. It has helped some to get ride of the aberrant reflections, but it still doesn't look quite right. I think I'm going to rebuild the waveset mesh again from scratch. Right now it's a fairly simple plane - and nowhere near as complex as Andy's waveset mesh in Zephyr Cove. Perhaps that's part of my problem. I don't know for sure, but it's something I've been thinking about doing for a while. Unfortunately, the geometry there is very complex - and will take a lot of time to redo.

Afterwards, I'll post pics of the results here.

@N. Sigismund. Thank you for the input. Could you rephrase your post so that someone as clueless as myself can understand it? Is Spread Degree the distance between the waves?

Also, one more thing. I read through the article at GPU Gems at http://http.developer.nvidia.com/GPUGems/gpugems_ch01.html. While, admittedly, most of the techinical jargon went over my head - I tried to learn as much as I could.

One of the things that caught my eye was how a technique was described that mentioned 2 major types of wavesets. One was linear and the other radiated out from a central point - in a circular fashion. Is it possible to have a circular waveset with our current plugin? Or even with Max?

If it were possible with Max, but not blender - could the data from Max somehow be merged with the output from Blender to produce the same effect? Perhaps with one of the utilities?

[Lontahv]

The circular waveset effect has been used in no publicly released Cyan ages to date. And from what I know about wavesets I don't believe there is any way to set them to be circular.

[ZURI]

Thanks for the confirmation Lontahv. I figured that to be the case, but it never hurts to ask!

I fiddled with the object center, as well as the end depth and a few other settings for my waveset. It looks much better than before, but will still require more tweaking. I guess I was getting too caught up with it being "perfect. " Last night and the night before, I spent a considerable amount of time in Zephyr Cove looking at the waveset and reflections there. I can see now that even when someone as good as Andy makes a waveset - some things don't look quite "right." I guess it's just the nature of the beast.

When I have enough time on my hands, I may use a backup copy of Taygahn to play with a static Envmap and see how it looks. I've been batting around the idea of a placid ocean with crystal clear water. My guess is that it won't be as good as a real waveset - but it never hurts to try.