CryEd Basics

Torch

Hey all, I have been using the latest build of Cryengine now and loving it so far. Just had a few basic questions to do with materials, etc. I was going through HP's Dvd on CryEd materials, more specifically the video to do with creating a glass material (I noticed in his build of CryEd the slots in 'Shader Params' he uses to set up stuff like Refraction have been renamed in the latest build.)

Firstly, if you wanted to setup a material for a bottle, so that the label on the texture could have a different material (the bottle would have a glass shader, the label would just be a simple diffuse) how could this be done? Also, in production would this typically be done for such a small prop, or would it be considered a waste of resources?


Secondly, is there anyway to turn off Skybox/hide terrain for presentation shots, e.g. to have a dark grey background similar to that of Marmoset's viewport, for displaying props? Thanks!

EDIT: Just saw a message from sltrOlsson in the Master thread on the background issue

e-freak

Bottle question: Depending on how close that bottle would be to the player and the general style you might get away with just a very glossy (but opaque) illum material. If it's close up you would want to go for the glass shader and either put the label on a floater or if its possible in the existing topo just give the faces a different shader (maya) or a different submaterial ID (max). alternatively you could also try to abuse the illum shader and just mask the label with an alpha channel and keep everything else transparent.

Best way to solve those questions is to build them Especially a Bottle is not a too heavy item and it's a great learning experience that you can always profit from it later or go further and write a small page about your findings!

(edit. personally i'd go for the floating geometry on the label, dublicate it and flip the normals and give that a straight color (or some pattern/text) to be visible when looking through the glass from the other side of the bottle).