Help on Changing Materials of a Group of Objects into One

[Byteman3D]

I have a 3d building plan scene with a hundred materials assigned to the objects. Walls, tables chairs etc. I wish to fade all rooms (to a transparent or wire -technical drawing style- material) except one to reveal its details. The revealed section will be in original materials. Then it will be faded while another room is revealed back to its materials.

I can do it with material morphing, attach several objects then I'll then blend the multi sub object material into the faded material.

I just wonder if it is possible to do it without attaching objects and directly to groups?

A second question is do you have any material recommendation for the faded material type to make it look appealing and not a crowded line mess? Some transparency some wire some falloffs... Wireframe rendering is definitely a mess for what I'm trying to do. :)

Thank you

[jms.lwly]

I'm not 100% sure I understand what you're trying to show - but if I understand right, I would definitely do it in post (e.g. After Effects, Fusion, Premiere, Final Cut Pro... whatever you fancy) - render a version with finished material, and a version with the transparency effect and then transition between them.

You could equally create a wireframe render version and blend that in post...

I'm sure you could = do it all in 3D, it just seems like a long and complicated solution!

[Frood]

If you want to do it straight and quickly, you could cross fade the visibility of two groups (with same geometry but different material sets). The visibility is inherited (if you do not switch that off explicitly) even when having nested groups. Also a box as dummy with linked objects/groups will do and you can create a clearly laid out hierarchy. I would fade the footage most likely in post like James mentioned as well - you simply have more options.

As for tech/wire/transparent environment: You could write a library of books about that, but maybe start with semi gloss light grey with very dark (not black) wires which are set to world scale. Or -depending on what the scene/geometry looks- even colored glass/acrylic or x-ray style. I think this is generally something that has to fit to the project mood, so hard to say without knowing the project. Just a few thoughts,


Good Luck

[Byteman3D]

Thank you for the replies. My major concern was keeping the separate objects intact, instead of attaching them, as that would create a large population of sub materials. I was thinking that I can easily blend materials from a multi/sub object to the faded material. Eventually I have attached all objects in each room that I will highlight by changing materials.

Just today I'm actually surprised to find out that there is a more serious problem: material blending between a Multi/Sub-object material and another one is not possible. Neither Blend Material nor Corona Layered Material works with Multi/Sub-Obj. Mat.

Is there a way to blend that material type?

[Frood]

Oh, right. Haven't even thought of that restriction :( Well, another point for either using visibility where you can leave the materials alone as well (exception: volumetric parts if used) or (do yourself a favour) blending in post :) I know of no option for blending MS materials in Corona currently.

Good Luck

[Byteman3D]

Thank you very much indeed for you time.