Ah, awesome! Thanks @ObscuraBeen waiting for this for a while :P
Certainly seems way simpler. So in this case you are still using floaters, not cutting into the base mesh right? I remember some issues with lightmaps happening before, I assume that would persist with this method also?
They are still floaters, yes. Well, in my case there are no lightmap issues, because I use them on ships, and therefore those are moving objects, so they need dynamic lighting. The guy from Epic who showed me this technique used lightmaps in his breakdown, and he didn't got lightmap issues, so I guess there are ways for solving that. You'll need to try it out
In my theory they are useful on anything hard surface, that is big enough to make the unique texturing impossible, because of the resolution limitations. Or when you want more freedom - because they can be also used as a kit-bash kind of thing.
The guy from Epic who showed me this technique used lightmaps in his breakdown, and he didn't got lightmap issues, so I guess there are ways for solving that. You'll need to try it out
Lots of interesting information in here, awesome. I'm especially curious about that UE4 setup. I found out how to do the UV projection in Blender (data transfer modifier) described in step 4 but I'm not sure I understand the whole process 100% already. Basically you just need to project the decals to the 2nd UV map that are supposed to share the same maps with the base object (albedo in that case). For the rivets in the example it doesn't really matter if they are on the 2nd UV since you masked them in the end, or is that something I misunderstood? How would achieve things like edge wear or dirt, using decals as well? I'm assuming the texture on the base are tiling.
They need to be there because you still need to change their "background" (everything outside of the white part of the mask) to the underlaying textures.
If there will be more requests then I will make one, but as I mentioned, there is a step by step text based tutorial on the previous page so basically you simply need to read it...
If there will be more requests then I will make one, but as I mentioned, there is a step by step text based tutorial on the previous page so basically you simply need to read it...
If there will be more requests then I will make one, but as I mentioned, there is a step by step text based tutorial on the previous page so basically you simply need to read it...
I`ve watch this thread from the beginning but still dont understand the whole process.
So I've spent a fair bit of time trying to replicate this using Modo and UE4. I figured I should post my notes here, for anyone who is using that combo of tools:
Building decals: -Using the edge and polycenter/face snap will make building the decals pretty easy. Snap all the decals perfectly to the underlying model, and then use Model>Deform>Push to push all the decals out by a super tiny amount, to help with zfighting. In a perfect world, this would be done by a special shader in UE4 that allows override of onlyspecific buffers, but that only exists in UE4 on special decal type materials, and not within the mesh usage space...so you have to build it into a single material, as Obscura described. It took me awhile to figure out WHY that UV projection trick was even necessary, as I assumed you could get around it in the material with clever masking, but in the end it finally sunk in. So, to do the second UV transfer in Modo you need to: To Transfer UVS: -Unwrap your decals, unwrap your base model, both to their respective textures. -Select the DECAL mesh polygons and also create a blank, empty UVset (Do this in the list menu. Call it something like DecalNewUVs) for it. Copy the existing DecalOLDUVs (or UVset1, most likely) into it (right click on the UVset in the list menus for copy/paste--you have to have the verts selected). -Have the base object in the background visible -Choose VertexMap>Transfer Select UVMAP as the type and choose the BASE objects UVSet as the Source (it helps to name every UVset in your file to help you sort this, if youve got a complex file). Sample: distance. You SHOULD see the decals all transfer on one of your UVsets to positions that match the UVs of the base object, just like you need. This process is arcane as hell in Modo though--sometimes You have to select polys, sometimes the entire mesh..sometimes the newDecalUVset, sometimes the OldDecalUVset..I haven't quite figured out the rain dance logic here...but enough fiddling and you can get it to work. -Combine objects into one -Heres the kicker: take the UVs from the BASE object, but not the decals, and copy them into the DecalNewUVs set too, jam them in the corner somewhere. It's weird that you have to do this, but you can't have a UVset without data for all verts or sadness happens in UE -ANother kicker: Uvset order is black magic in modo: order seems to be determined by last EDITED uvset (similar with material order)...and whether or not something has multiple UV sets in the FBX export at all is a bit of black magic (i.e....not really intuitive)
In UE4, if using special vert normals: be sure to choose: import normals and tangents on your object on import. Sometimes that can get stuck and it won't REimport changes to the vertex normals as your iterate your models though..which is fun..so you have to sometimes set it to generate normals, reimport, then back to import normals/tangents and reimport again. It's super weird.
In the end, the process is a bit too arcane for practical use with Modo, imho..which is a shame. Modo's handling of UVsets, vert normals, and multiple material IDs in its FBX exporter make this a very, very, very, brittle process.
Note: this is all modo 902. I'm very curious if Modo 10 clears up some of the issues here, as theyre pushing UE4 integration hard.
Anyway,figured I'd post all that ...for science! (and posterity)
Why would you need normal map strips along the champered edges? Shading of lowpoly model should look almost same with normal mapped one when using angle weighted normals. Does it really worth the hassle?
Lots of interesting information in here, awesome. I'm especially curious about that UE4 setup. I found out how to do the UV projection in Blender (data transfer modifier) described in step 4 but I'm not sure I understand the whole process 100% already. Basically you just need to project the decals to the 2nd UV map that are supposed to share the same maps with the base object (albedo in that case). For the rivets in the example it doesn't really matter if they are on the 2nd UV since you masked them in the end, or is that something I misunderstood? How would achieve things like edge wear or dirt, using decals as well? I'm assuming the texture on the base are tiling.
Could you maybe post a step by step guide for Blender?
I create a base object, then add a plane as a second object. Unwrap both. Then Use the data modifier (Source: BaseObject, FaceCornerData UVs checked) but this does not project the UVs in the right way. Eventually I have to join the seperate base and decal (plane) objects, right?
The steps you listed are already the same I did. Make sure you set the "Face Corner Data" to "Nearest Face Interpolated" and both object use the same material of course.
Why would you need normal map strips along the champered edges? Shading of lowpoly model should look almost same with normal mapped one when using angle weighted normals. Does it really worth the hassle?
Why would you need normal map strips along the champered edges? Shading of lowpoly model should look almost same with normal mapped one when using angle weighted normals. Does it really worth the hassle?
Maya must have 'face weighted normals' option somewhere. Max has various scripts for that last time I checked. I think this decal technique is really useful for adding panelings etc. but I can't see the benefit of it around the champered edges when using angle/face weighted normals on the mesh.
... I think this decal technique is really useful for adding panelings etc. but I can't see the benefit of it around the champered edges when using angle/face weighted normals on the mesh.
Might be useful when you want to add normal detail which is different from the underlying chamfered edge, like wear or damage.
Hey everyone! This thread has been awesome and some great work has been done here! I posted a question to Epic's AnswerHub. Seems like they are working on an official solution for MeshDecals! Unfortunately it is not a priority currently, so if you are using UE4 and want this feature shoot over there and upvote the post so Epic knows there is demand for the feature. https://answers.unrealengine.com/questions/415091/using-deferred-decal-blend-mode-on-a-mesh.html
in preview 1 of unreal engine 4.13 it is FINALLY possible to have decals almost same way as in SC. It may be my lack of knowledge but i couldn't find a way to achieve effect where my bolt would be shiny in the center and just bent the surface of the underlying material on the edges. If anyone knows how to achieve this effect please advice. There are still some other limitations but this is a very good start.
Obscura, I'm trying your latest method and got a problem If I want to mask decals with alpha, how can I do it in your material? Tried different methods but no luck. Thanks! on the last screen you can see the panel I want to mask. But idealy it must work for all decals because in certain angles you can see mesh edges.
So the main idea is what bac9-flcl was showing on his screens, that decal is overlaying on top of different mats. Now I have it opaque and with base material attributes, but I'm planning to use on that panel 4 different materials and I need to project only normal details and AO without base material attributes. Maybe I lost something in the process.
Here is my technique - ask if you have any q's but it should be pretty self-explainatory. The roughness map is just a combination of ambient occlusion & curvature map. You can blend the effect down by using a parametric node to darken the alpha map in instances should you want to do so.
got a problem, that my decals are simply black. I wasn't using Obscura method now, what I did simple metal tile material, decal material, single mesh with 2 materials (for base metal and decals), 1 UV map channel for the base mesh without 2nd UV channel for the decals projection.
Are you using the 4.13 preview? It looks like the blend mode is greyed out for some reason. The technique will only work in that specific version of Unreal at the moment.
For those who have tried and, have succefuly reproduce this technique. Can someone please explain how did you do it by following obscura explications. Because when I have taken a shot I'didn't get it about the part with the projection and uvs. What I have done didn't get the result I wanted...
@sayoend - With matched uvs, yes. I did that.There is an explanation about how to do, on the previous page, @agitori - If you are planning to use this technique with Unreal, then I'd suggest to simply grab 4.13 and use the technique that Millenia showed. Way simpler...I don't really understand why they didn't made this earlier, but at least now its there... Anyways, if you can tell and show what you did and what you got, I might have a better idea about whats the problem.With this amoubt of information, I can only shoot in the dark.
thank you @Obscura this is what I've got so I did like you have explained making main mesh, and decals meshes. Then for main mesh minimize the uv for uv chan2 and then again recreate new uv for albedo map and such on uv chan1 for the main mesh. and as for the preview I don't know if it's important but I have used dx shader.
@agitori As far as I understand, unless 3ds Max viewport is using deferred rendering (which it isn't), it's not possible to make this technique work with 3ds Max surface shaders.
I think in this case it's not revelant to rendering the texture project on the mesh, but it's about his Uvs. Otherwise how did Obscura have his decal with normal map showing on his video.
Depending on your material setup, you might not see an effect in the vp....Are you displaying the normal map using uv channel 2? how does that uvmap looks after the projection.
If you are not getting any success, I can record the whole process after I went home from my vacation. Around the beginning of the next week.
Can you please do that?(recording the whole process(after your vacation ofc)) , I have tried again this morning but it's the same mess. And here are my uvs
@cptSwing I got it to work with Unity, but using a different approach to Obscura. It's not possible to do that with Shader Forge since SF has no support for finalgbuffer functions required to make it work. See previous pages, posted examples there.
Replies
Certainly seems way simpler. So in this case you are still using floaters, not cutting into the base mesh right? I remember some issues with lightmaps happening before, I assume that would persist with this method also?
I'm especially curious about that UE4 setup.
I found out how to do the UV projection in Blender (data transfer modifier) described in step 4 but I'm not sure I understand the whole process 100% already.
Basically you just need to project the decals to the 2nd UV map that are supposed to share the same maps with the base object (albedo in that case). For the rivets in the example it doesn't really matter if they are on the 2nd UV since you masked them in the end, or is that something I misunderstood?
How would achieve things like edge wear or dirt, using decals as well? I'm assuming the texture on the base are tiling.
Building decals:
-Using the edge and polycenter/face snap will make building the decals pretty easy. Snap all the decals perfectly to the underlying model, and then use Model>Deform>Push to push all the decals out by a super tiny amount, to help with zfighting. In a perfect world, this would be done by a special shader in UE4 that allows override of onlyspecific buffers, but that only exists in UE4 on special decal type materials, and not within the mesh usage space...so you have to build it into a single material, as Obscura described. It took me awhile to figure out WHY that UV projection trick was even necessary, as I assumed you could get around it in the material with clever masking, but in the end it finally sunk in. So, to do the second UV transfer in Modo you need to:
To Transfer UVS:
-Unwrap your decals, unwrap your base model, both to their respective textures.
-Select the DECAL mesh polygons and also create a blank, empty UVset (Do this in the list menu. Call it something like DecalNewUVs) for it. Copy the existing DecalOLDUVs (or UVset1, most likely) into it (right click on the UVset in the list menus for copy/paste--you have to have the verts selected).
-Have the base object in the background visible
-Choose VertexMap>Transfer Select UVMAP as the type and choose the BASE objects UVSet as the Source (it helps to name every UVset in your file to help you sort this, if youve got a complex file). Sample: distance.
You SHOULD see the decals all transfer on one of your UVsets to positions that match the UVs of the base object, just like you need. This process is arcane as hell in Modo though--sometimes You have to select polys, sometimes the entire mesh..sometimes the newDecalUVset, sometimes the OldDecalUVset..I haven't quite figured out the rain dance logic here...but enough fiddling and you can get it to work.
-Combine objects into one
-Heres the kicker: take the UVs from the BASE object, but not the decals, and copy them into the DecalNewUVs set too, jam them in the corner somewhere. It's weird that you have to do this, but you can't have a UVset without data for all verts or sadness happens in UE
-ANother kicker: Uvset order is black magic in modo: order seems to be determined by last EDITED uvset (similar with material order)...and whether or not something has multiple UV sets in the FBX export at all is a bit of black magic (i.e....not really intuitive)
In UE4, if using special vert normals: be sure to choose: import normals and tangents on your object on import. Sometimes that can get stuck and it won't REimport changes to the vertex normals as your iterate your models though..which is fun..so you have to sometimes set it to generate normals, reimport, then back to import normals/tangents and reimport again. It's super weird.
In the end, the process is a bit too arcane for practical use with Modo, imho..which is a shame. Modo's handling of UVsets, vert normals, and multiple material IDs in its FBX exporter make this a very, very, very, brittle process.
Note: this is all modo 902. I'm very curious if Modo 10 clears up some of the issues here, as theyre pushing UE4 integration hard.
Anyway,figured I'd post all that ...for science! (and posterity)
edit: here is champered mesh with averaged normals(quality normals)
http://i.imgur.com/Nhouqhq.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/BwI182W.jpg
Could you maybe post a step by step guide for Blender?
I create a base object, then add a plane as a second object. Unwrap both. Then Use the data modifier (Source: BaseObject, FaceCornerData UVs checked) but this does not project the UVs in the right way. Eventually I have to join the seperate base and decal (plane) objects, right?
I would greatly appreciate some help here
Make sure you set the "Face Corner Data" to "Nearest Face Interpolated" and both object use the same material of course.
edit: I found this link maybe helpful to you in maya http://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYALT/2015/ENU/?guid=GUID-232E99F8-96B4-4870-8BA0-4887C1C8F0F2
I posted a question to Epic's AnswerHub. Seems like they are working on an official solution for MeshDecals!
Unfortunately it is not a priority currently, so if you are using UE4 and want this feature shoot over there and upvote the post so Epic knows there is demand for the feature.
https://answers.unrealengine.com/questions/415091/using-deferred-decal-blend-mode-on-a-mesh.html
It may be my lack of knowledge but i couldn't find a way to achieve effect where my bolt would be shiny in the center and just bent the surface of the underlying material on the edges. If anyone knows how to achieve this effect please advice.
There are still some other limitations but this is a very good start.
Tried different methods but no luck.
Thanks!
on the last screen you can see the panel I want to mask. But idealy it must work for all decals because in certain angles you can see mesh edges.
@agitori - If you are planning to use this technique with Unreal, then I'd suggest to simply grab 4.13 and use the technique that Millenia showed. Way simpler...I don't really understand why they didn't made this earlier, but at least now its there... Anyways, if you can tell and show what you did and what you got, I might have a better idea about whats the problem.With this amoubt of information, I can only shoot in the dark.
and as for the preview I don't know if it's important but I have used dx shader.
If you are not getting any success, I can record the whole process after I went home from my vacation. Around the beginning of the next week.