Author Topic: a better CoronaSelectMtl  (Read 4153 times)

2019-11-05, 16:37:17

Naxos

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Hello there,

The CoronaSelectMtl is very usefull for me, as i often create products configurators for my customers.
To semi-automatize the output of all colors (for ex), i usually use a multi/sub materials, then i animate the MaterialID with the material modifyer.
It works, but on simple objects / materials.
When i need some multi/sub materials for complex objects, then i can't really animate this way, at least hardly.

So i wish as a request a better CoronaSelectMtl on 2 ways :
- The possibility to have an aditional parameter for the selected material : a spinner so we could animate it and so output all possible materials on a raw;
- a CoronaSelectedMaterial modifyer, so i could animate the SelectedMtl ID, object by object, so i can output more complex raws of pictures with several combinations of materials...

Can you do that ?

Best regards.

2019-11-05, 17:22:37
Reply #1

Place

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Hi,

+1

and I'd like to suggest another addition: the possibility to "fade" a material to another, usefull in an animation of a shot.
Thank you,
Man

2019-11-05, 17:59:50
Reply #2

Naxos

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Hi,

+1

and I'd like to suggest another addition: the possibility to "fade" a material to another, usefull in an animation of a shot.
Thank you,
Man

+1 also ;-)

2019-11-05, 19:33:26
Reply #3

romullus

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- The possibility to have an aditional parameter for the selected material : a spinner so we could animate it and so output all possible materials on a raw;

Already perfectly possible with controllers, just expose additional parameters of CoronaSelect material/map, hook bezier float controller into selected slot and animate it to your heart content ;]

- a CoronaSelectedMaterial modifyer, so i could animate the SelectedMtl ID, object by object, so i can output more complex raws of pictures with several combinations of materials...

I think it would be too complicated and confusing - what would happen if you assign CoronaSelect material to an object with CoronaSelect modifier? Which one should override the other?

and I'd like to suggest another addition: the possibility to "fade" a material to another, usefull in an animation of a shot.

That's exactly why we have Corona layered material - you can blend and fade up to 10 materials with it!
I'm not Corona Team member. Everything i say, is my personal opinion only.
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2019-11-06, 09:41:43
Reply #4

Frood

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I agree with romullus, there are enough options to achieve all of this. Even good old native max blend material (only for 2 materials though) works. Btw: you do not need to add any controller to the CoronaSelectMaterial manually, this is done internally anyway when you animate it. So just hit "Auto Key" and animate the slot to use as you like.


Good Luck



Never underestimate the power of a well placed level one spell.

2019-11-06, 14:48:14
Reply #5

Naxos

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Already perfectly possible with controllers, just expose additional parameters of CoronaSelect material/map, hook bezier float controller into selected slot and animate it to your heart content ;]

Oh, ok then, no need.
- a CoronaSelectedMaterial modifyer, so i could animate the SelectedMtl ID, object by object, so i can output more complex raws of pictures with several combinations of materials...

I think it would be too complicated and confusing - what would happen if you assign CoronaSelect material to an object with CoronaSelect modifier? Which one should override the other?

There is already a "Matrial" modifyer for Mat IDs... I guess the modifyer would take the lead.



2019-11-06, 15:54:44
Reply #6

romullus

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There is already a "Matrial" modifyer for Mat IDs... I guess the modifyer would take the lead.

That is completely different things. Material ID is essential property of every mesh's face. You can't get rid of them and there's no confusion - materials always do what material IDs tell them. In case of hypothetical CoronaSelect modifier, things wouldn't be such straightforward. Your propsed "modifier overrides material" method may work against someone else workflow. But more importantly, it would inevitably lead to confusion, just imagine what would happen when you collapse modifier stack and bake modifier into mesh. Next time you might not remember why CoronaSelect material doesn't work on some of your objects. The forum would be filled with false bug reports.
I'm not Corona Team member. Everything i say, is my personal opinion only.
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2019-11-06, 15:59:36
Reply #7

Naxos

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There is already a "Matrial" modifyer for Mat IDs... I guess the modifyer would take the lead.

That is completely different things. Material ID is essential property of every mesh's face. You can't get rid of them and there's no confusion - materials always do what material IDs tell them. In case of hypothetical CoronaSelect modifier, things wouldn't be such straightforward. Your propsed "modifier overrides material" method may work against someone else workflow. But more importantly, it would inevitably lead to confusion, just imagine what would happen when you collapse modifier stack and bake modifier into mesh. Next time you might not remember why CoronaSelect material doesn't work on some of your objects. The forum would be filled with false bug reports.

ok, i see.

2019-11-07, 10:30:45
Reply #8

Place

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and I'd like to suggest another addition: the possibility to "fade" a material to another, usefull in an animation of a shot.

That's exactly why we have Corona layered material - you can blend and fade up to 10 materials with it!

Shame on me! I never thought to use it for that pourpose...
But wait: what are the benefits to have a material select node? Only the ability to rapidly switch from a material to another?
And what about a serie of glass material? If I use a layered material to fade from one to the other they are just... "faded" (blended) from start!
I.e. I can't animate a window with a fading effect of different glass type with layered material...
Or am I missing something?

2019-11-07, 10:46:53
Reply #9

romullus

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But wait: what are the benefits to have a material select node? Only the ability to rapidly switch from a material to another?

I see that as more of convenience and simplified workflow, rather than a speed gain. With select mat/map you don't need to use overcomplicated and broken 3ds max scene states anymore, if the only thing you need, is rendering of the same model with different materials. You just animate CoronaSelect and render animation. Simple as that!

And what about a serie of glass material? If I use a layered material to fade from one to the other they are just... "faded" (blended) from start!
I.e. I can't animate a window with a fading effect of different glass type with layered material...

I'm not sure if i understand you on this one. With layered material you can animate fading between different materials as gently or as abruptly as you want, whereas with coronaSelect, you can only animate instant switching.
I'm not Corona Team member. Everything i say, is my personal opinion only.
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2019-11-07, 11:10:01
Reply #10

Place

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Thank you for your answer Romullus, I was making a wrong reasoning!

2019-11-07, 11:38:39
Reply #11

romullus

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No prob!
I'm not Corona Team member. Everything i say, is my personal opinion only.
My Models | My Videos | My Pictures

2019-11-07, 17:39:28
Reply #12

maru

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@Naxos - instead of figuring out what could be done with Select map or Layered Mtl or MultiMap, or anything else, could you please instead explain what exactly you would like to achieve? I think then it would be easier for us to help you and/or implement some new features if needed.

So what would work better would be describing what kind of scene you are working on, and what kind of effect/result you need. You can do it here, or even better, contact us about this at support@corona-renderer.com

Thanks!
Marcin Miodek | chaos-corona.com
3D Support Team Lead - Corona | contact us

2019-11-07, 18:44:54
Reply #13

Naxos

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@Naxos - instead of figuring out what could be done with Select map or Layered Mtl or MultiMap, or anything else, could you please instead explain what exactly you would like to achieve? I think then it would be easier for us to help you and/or implement some new features if needed.

So what would work better would be describing what kind of scene you are working on, and what kind of effect/result you need. You can do it here, or even better, contact us about this at support@corona-renderer.com

Thanks!

Hello Maru !

In fact what i was asking in the first place is already possible, with hidden params of the material and a linearFloat connected to it.

I'm creating a lot of online configurators now (see below), and i'm always looking at some ways to automatize the png output, taking in account all the possibilities : for ex. if you look at the 8pool billards tables, there are colors for the frame, the balls, the feet, the fabric and so on : instead of rendering one after one all the needed pngs, i often set an animation : untill now using MaterialIDs, next using CoronaSelectMtl.

As i'm animating the MaterialIDs into a Material modifyer, (because it was the only way), i though about a CoronaSelectMtl modifyer. But not a so good idea after thought, because of possible confusion between modifyer and material, and not really needed, with the possibility to animate the "selected mtl".

Is that more clear ?

Some configurators i've made for my customers :
Billards tables : https://configurateur.billard-toulet.com/
Mini Football tables : https://configurateur.babyfoot-toulet.com/
other one : https://stella-babyfoot.com/fr/content/28-Personnalisation-babyfoot-stella