[Bug 1.1B1] Static mesh silhouettes visible through terrain - RESOLVED
by Dusty Monk · in Torque 3D Professional · 07/06/2010 (12:31 pm) · 10 replies
This is something I'm seeing in 1.1B, and I've searched the forums for evidence of anyone else seeing this, but so far haven't found any other references. I will admit though, my searc-fu is fairly weak when it comes to these forums for some reason.
So here's the deal. Building a level, standard scattersky turned on, fog turned completely off and visible distance set to ungodly, so that I can see the whole level while editing. And I'm noticing that I can see the silhouettes of static mesh pieces through the terrain.
Screenshot 1, I'm looking over the edge of a high cliff, at a road network layed out below. This was not built with road tool, but is rather just a collection static mesh pieces.
www.flickr.com/photos/41449258@N02/4768303567/
Screenshot 2, backing away from the cliff edge, you can see the silhouettes of the road pieces through the terrain:
www.flickr.com/photos/41449258@N02/4768304841/
Note that once the distance through the terrain reaches some value I've yet to determined, the silhouettes do eventually get culled out.
If anyone is aware of this issue, knows about it, and knows if it's been fixed or if there's an update on it, any information or link is much appreciated.
Thanks!
Dusty
[EDIT - Additional Information]
This condition only occurs under the advanced lighting model. In Basic lighting, the terrain occludes statis meshes correctly.
Terrain material does not seem to effect this condtion. It has been observed under a variety of terrain materials, both with and without detail and normal map textures.
[EDITED AGAIN - System Spec added to bug report: ]
Here are the most salient bits from dxDiag:
So here's the deal. Building a level, standard scattersky turned on, fog turned completely off and visible distance set to ungodly, so that I can see the whole level while editing. And I'm noticing that I can see the silhouettes of static mesh pieces through the terrain.
Screenshot 1, I'm looking over the edge of a high cliff, at a road network layed out below. This was not built with road tool, but is rather just a collection static mesh pieces.
www.flickr.com/photos/41449258@N02/4768303567/
Screenshot 2, backing away from the cliff edge, you can see the silhouettes of the road pieces through the terrain:
www.flickr.com/photos/41449258@N02/4768304841/
Note that once the distance through the terrain reaches some value I've yet to determined, the silhouettes do eventually get culled out.
If anyone is aware of this issue, knows about it, and knows if it's been fixed or if there's an update on it, any information or link is much appreciated.
Thanks!
Dusty
[EDIT - Additional Information]
This condition only occurs under the advanced lighting model. In Basic lighting, the terrain occludes statis meshes correctly.
Terrain material does not seem to effect this condtion. It has been observed under a variety of terrain materials, both with and without detail and normal map textures.
[EDITED AGAIN - System Spec added to bug report: ]
Here are the most salient bits from dxDiag:
------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 7/8/2010, 21:32:55
Machine name: NYTERAVEN
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.100226-1909)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model: EP35C-DS3R
BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz (2 CPUs), ~3.0GHz
Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 4094MB RAM
Page File: 2460MB used, 5726MB available
Windows Dir: C:Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7600.16385 32bit Unicode
---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+
About the author
Dusty Monk is founder and president of Windstorm Studios, an independant game studio. Formerly a sr. programmer at Ensemble Studios, Dusty has worked on AAA titles such as Age of Empires II & III, and Halo Wars.
#2
I've not seen anything like this on my Win7-32bit, GTS250(galaxy).
07/08/2010 (4:08 pm)
Dusty, you might want to add your systems specs. I've not seen anything like this on my Win7-32bit, GTS250(galaxy).
#3
I ask because I have found some mesh who render very odd shadows, wrong size, wrong place, transforming with view angle. I had found this with mesh who i built using multiple applications, and several types of mesh exporting methods (conversion from 3Dmax to .obj and back a few times).
My solution was to use the old Box Trick.
I have not tested T3D1.1B1 with similar 'freak' meshes, so my older problem/solution may not be helpful at all.
07/08/2010 (5:02 pm)
Is that road network ONE mesh or a compilation of multiple mesh? (I realize you say : "but is rather just a collection static mesh pieces. ", but that could mean you use a few BIG meshes.I ask because I have found some mesh who render very odd shadows, wrong size, wrong place, transforming with view angle. I had found this with mesh who i built using multiple applications, and several types of mesh exporting methods (conversion from 3Dmax to .obj and back a few times).
My solution was to use the old Box Trick.
I have not tested T3D1.1B1 with similar 'freak' meshes, so my older problem/solution may not be helpful at all.
#4
www.flickr.com/photos/41449258@N02/4775628251/in/set-72157624437163510/
Additionally, I don't think it's the mesh. Here's a very simple .DIF interior file, exported through constructor. I've rotated it, and you can see the silhouette of the part that is below the terrain.
www.flickr.com/photos/41449258@N02/4775628691/in/set-72157624437163510/
@Steve: An excellent suggestion. I'll update the post.
07/08/2010 (7:42 pm)
@Caylo: It's made of many small mesh pieces. Here's another screenshot in which you can see a single piece of the road pulled aside. Even in this screenshot you can see the bottom edge of the road through the terrain - which should be obscurred.www.flickr.com/photos/41449258@N02/4775628251/in/set-72157624437163510/
Additionally, I don't think it's the mesh. Here's a very simple .DIF interior file, exported through constructor. I've rotated it, and you can see the silhouette of the part that is below the terrain.
www.flickr.com/photos/41449258@N02/4775628691/in/set-72157624437163510/
@Steve: An excellent suggestion. I'll update the post.
#5
Have you checked your sun object to be sure the azimuth and elevation are IN the sky( I know it sounds kinda silly)? Thats about all i can think of from the evidence posted of your problem.
07/08/2010 (8:45 pm)
Yes, i see now. Nothing related to the problem i had experienced at all. Have you checked your sun object to be sure the azimuth and elevation are IN the sky( I know it sounds kinda silly)? Thats about all i can think of from the evidence posted of your problem.
#6
07/08/2010 (9:29 pm)
Yeah I'm using a scattersky with the default parameters, so yeah the sun is up in the sky. On a hunch though I completely deleted the scattersky and replaced it with an old fashioned sun and sky box, and still saw the same effect. 
#8
Under 1.1B1, I was eventually able to determine that this behavior was reproduced only when I had activated the "advancedLightmapSupport" flag in TheLevelInfo. I was able to work around it by not activating that flag.
In 1.1B2, I'm happy to report I am not seeing the behavior at all, both with and without advancedLightmapSupport activated.
Dusty
09/07/2010 (3:08 pm)
As an update to this bug:Under 1.1B1, I was eventually able to determine that this behavior was reproduced only when I had activated the "advancedLightmapSupport" flag in TheLevelInfo. I was able to work around it by not activating that flag.
In 1.1B2, I'm happy to report I am not seeing the behavior at all, both with and without advancedLightmapSupport activated.
Dusty
#9
09/07/2010 (3:14 pm)
Thanks Dusty, that's the news I like to hear. 
#10
I posted a fix for terrain rendering when advanced lightmap support is enabled in this thread.
02/15/2011 (2:19 pm)
FYI. I posted a fix for terrain rendering when advanced lightmap support is enabled in this thread.
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