looking for methods to create distortion effect in 3dmax

onionhead_o

i m looking to create a animated distortion effect that they used in games like bayonetta, devil may cry and ninja gaiden 2. like the trailing effects of the sword and shockwave when charging for a strong attack in bayonetta.

I ve heard about methods like using motion blur, but thats a post effect.

im looking for a more realtime effect.

Mark Dygert

I say do it in post... but since you can't for whatever reason. You might be able to do it with planes that fan out and stretch mixed with an animated shader? It really depends on the tools you have at your disposal and the engine you're using...

onionhead_o

ok put realtime aside, how do u do it in 3dsmax? im using it for a fight scene

here are some examples of the stuff i want to do

Eric Chadwick

The bottom one can be done with real-time Render To Texture (basically to make the scene into a texture) and dUdV (to distort that texture). I don't know if Max can do this or not, I wonder if Shader FX has a method for this?

The other shots just look like additive-textured extruded planes. Here's a plugin for making them in Max. Usually the game engine handles them for in-game use though.

onionhead_o

thanks a ton Eric. im so excited to try it out.

divi

the distortion on the last screen could probably be done in udk with a translucent material and a strong normal in the distortion channel. if it's for a static shot just make geometry where you want the trail and apply the material to that - if it's supposed to be in motion you might have to use particles that use the material.

onionhead_o

divi wrote: »

the distortion on the last screen could probably be done in udk with a translucent material and a strong normal in the distortion channel. if it's for a static shot just make geometry where you want the trail and apply the material to that - if it's supposed to be in motion you might have to use particles that use the material.

ic but i don no if i can do a fighting cutscene like monty oum inside unreal. i think itd be pretty hard.

onionhead_o

i found that max material editor has the function of distorting the uv in the noise section. now i just need to get the refractive material setup and test it out.

Sage

maybe blurred particles that have a refractive material and leave trails.

onionhead_o

Ive tried the Distortion effect with a mental ray material that has a high IOR for refraction. but it doesn quite distort it the way a DUDV map does. ANy other way to do this?