Tile Sample Color pattern sorting?

Clark Coots

Hey,

Came across a problem for a material I'm working on. With Tile Sample Color the pattern distribution with multiple Inputs Sorts via the pattern number on top of each other and not sort based off pattern position. Example Image of 3 pattern inputs, and Random Input Distribution. Notice Green circles are ALWAYS ontop red and blue, and Red is ALWAYS ontop of blue.

They type of sorting I want is the below image, but with RANDOM pattern, not rows of blue, red, green. Rows of Random color but still overlapping in this fashion. This was achieved with a vertical gradient in Pattern Distribution Map Input and Pattern Input Distribution set to Distribution Map.

Is there a way to achieve the effect I'm looking for?

Thanks

poopipe

You'll need to either mess with the tilesampler itself or feed in more input images and give it a noisy distribution map I think 

Clark Coots

@poopipe I believe I've looked into every possibility with the tile sampler color. Distribution map effects the position of the inputs but not the sorting, so you get a similar result to my first image above. Results are the same regardless of how many input images I have. In my test here there are 3, but in my actual material I'm using the maximum a Tile Sample Color supports which is 6 and neither have the sorting I'm looking for with random pattern.

Did a test with FX maps too, and result is the same. Tried to iterate a Quadrant that has an Input image index function to randomly select an image input index (1-6) and it would sort based off of that. But it seems the input image index has the priority of sorting not the iteration. For instance index 1 will always be on top index 2 etc regardless of when the index is chosen. rather than iteration 1 being ontop of iteration 2 etc regardless of index chosen.

poopipe

I'd have to look at the tile sampler functions that distribute the patches in order to work it out but I suspect the best approach would be to randomise the input selection as its fed into the position function rather than  trying to change the order in which they're displayed. 

It's probably not a big change,  I'm actually tempted to take a look myself instead of doing what I'm supposed to be doing at work tomorrow as it'll help us out long term

Clark Coots

I support that decision to look into it haha. Right now I'm considering doing a long work around by blending singular random Rows of the pattern on top of each other....

poopipe

It doesn't look like a trivial change sadly,  the render order and position are pretty thoroughly interlinked. 

it would be possible to make the change but frankly it's not something I'd want to do for fun