Some materials questions.
by Jason Gossiaux · in Artist Corner · 09/17/2008 (11:48 pm) · 4 replies
I've done quite a bit of digging but wasn't able to get the effect I wanted in TGE using the latest Milkshape exporter. I'm creating a slime model and want its skin to be both translucent and slightly reflective to mimic being wet. I've been able to get the translucent working by making a png with transparency, however the reflective is being problematic.
I was told I could export a png from photoshop with an alpha channel, and if I put a 1 in for Environmental mapping in the exporter, it would only be as shiny as the alpha channel allowed. But this doesn't appear to be working. My model is either entirely 100% reflective, or not all all.
Does anyone know of a way I might be able to get the effect I am looking for? Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!
I was told I could export a png from photoshop with an alpha channel, and if I put a 1 in for Environmental mapping in the exporter, it would only be as shiny as the alpha channel allowed. But this doesn't appear to be working. My model is either entirely 100% reflective, or not all all.
Does anyone know of a way I might be able to get the effect I am looking for? Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!
About the author
#2
However, this was in TGEA so perhaps sorting was one of the things that changed with the new renderer. Sorry I can't be more helpful.
09/18/2008 (2:25 am)
Could be a MS3D specific issue. We did our planets this way and never bothered with SORT.However, this was in TGEA so perhaps sorting was one of the things that changed with the new renderer. Sorry I can't be more helpful.
#3
I've had trouble with transparency and SORTING; always...in tge.
Good luck!
09/18/2008 (5:24 am)
Perhaps try building a skeletal chain and parenting the meshes along the render order from start of chain to end...forcing the engine to render in the order you've set up the meshes??I've had trouble with transparency and SORTING; always...in tge.
Good luck!
#4
I guess I'm trying to figure out if moving to 3dmax would fix this issue or not. It will be a large time investment to learn the new tools to correct such a specific issue however... so I need to be sure.
TGEA might have implemented a different sorting algorithm I guess. Maybe I'll post this question in the main forums. Thanks for the advice.
09/18/2008 (7:21 am)
Rex do you have any examples of this by chance? My slime has a skeleton, but its kind of a starfish looking thing. There are only two meshes, and I have tried swapping their order in MS3D without any luck.I guess I'm trying to figure out if moving to 3dmax would fix this issue or not. It will be a large time investment to learn the new tools to correct such a specific issue however... so I need to be sure.
TGEA might have implemented a different sorting algorithm I guess. Maybe I'll post this question in the main forums. Thanks for the advice.
Torque Owner Jason Gossiaux
Indie Dev
First of all photoshop can't save alpha channels, and the first SuperPNG plugin I had was too new so I had to find an older one.
Now my problem is Sorting. I basically have two spheres, one inside the other. The outer sphere is slightly transparent and has the reflective environmental mapping. The inner sphere is solid and has some detail to it. When rendered the transparency from the outer sphere does not translate to the inner sphere, only to the exposed edges of itself.
I've tried adding SORT:: to the name of the mesh with no luck. I've tried various combinations of the SORT checkboxes and things with no luck. Is this a MS3D problem? Might anyone know how to fix it? Thanks!