SSS map for vegetation?

grimsonfart

Hi there.

Im wondering on techniques to create a SSS map for branches. Please share it if you got one

ZacD

I usually start with a solid color until I like the look of the leaves/grass. Then I darken the center steam on the leaves, veins, branches, etc.

grimsonfart

ZacD wrote: »

I usually start with a solid color until I like the look of the leaves/grass. Then I darken the center steam on the leaves, veins, branches, etc.

Thats what im trying to do in 3Ds right now, more or less. I made the opacity map in Photoshop and switched my diffuse texture on my leaves with it in 3Ds, but im having trouble rendering it out. Most of the time it just ends up completely invisible/white. Im using RTT, but if i try using the normal viewport render it usually just turns gray, seems like it cant render solid colors correctly.

Eric Chadwick

A little OT here but Render To Texture can't render opacity, if that's what you're trying to do. To make tree foliage maps, I recommend modeling a fully leaved branch, then using RTT to bake that to diffuse and alpha.

Olli.

i dont want to derail further but you can render your branch using an orthogonal camera, which basically works just as well as RTT. Also you can download this material which will let you render normals.
http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/scripts/normaltexmap

grimsonfart

Eric Chadwick wrote: »

A little OT here but Render To Texture can't render opacity, if that's what you're trying to do. To make tree foliage maps, I recommend modeling a fully leaved branch, then using RTT to bake that to diffuse and alpha.

Im aware of this, when i said opacity map i ment the black and white map which should decide where light goes trough and not etc.

grimsonfart

Just for the record, what type of lighting do you guys recommend? I usually use skylight and sometimes omni for some other effects!

Eric Chadwick

I recommend exporting it to a game engine and setting up your lighting there.

Unless you're doing architectural rendering or something non-game, then I'd suggest checking out the materials that come with the 3ds Max renderer you choose... mental ray, or Corona, or V-Ray, etc. They each have materials for SSS type effects.

Don't call this map an opacity map, that just leads to confusion. Call it a SSS map.