Vector Displacement Shader - Revision history

Redmaw: Added Fun with Vector Displacement and linked to dropbox content files.

2021-12-11T00:42:45Z

Added Fun with Vector Displacement and linked to dropbox content files.

Redmaw: Updated descriptions and example images. Will link to tutorial and content momentarily.

2021-11-19T22:46:36Z

Updated descriptions and example images. Will link to tutorial and content momentarily.

Jo: Created page with "'''Node Description and Purpose:'''
The Vector displacement shader can be used to displace a surface in any direction using a vector. This vector can be a vector taken fro..."

2012-11-08T01:05:26Z

Created page with "'''Node Description and Purpose:''' The Vector displacement shader can be used to displace a surface in any direction using a vector. This vector can be a vector taken fro..."

New page

'''Node Description and Purpose:''' 
The Vector displacement shader can be used to displace a surface in any direction using a vector. This vector can be a vector taken from a function input, a constant vector offset or a combination of both.

The node parameters are in two main groups. The Function Vector parameters apply to the vector obtained from the '''Vector function''' input. The second group is the Offset Vector parameters. You can use these parameters by themselves to apply a constant offset to displacement. You don't need to specify a '''Vector function''' for them to have an effect.

This node is especially useful when you want to apply displacement to a surface using a function network. Normally if a function network was connected to a shader input used for displacement you would not see any effect because the function nodes are not able to directly modify displacement like a shader can. The Vector displacement shader is able to bridge that gap and can take the output of a function network and convert it to displacement.

'''Node Type:''' Displacement shader 

'''Settings:'''

<ul>
<li>
'''Vector function:''' This input is where you connect the function you want to convert to displacement. The input expects a vector but will convert other input types according to the type conversion rules described [[Node Input Type Conversion|here]].
</li><li>
'''X function multiplier:''' This value is multiplied with the X value obtained from the '''Vector function''' input.
</li><li>
'''Y function multiplier:''' This value is multiplied with the Y value obtained from the '''Vector function''' input.
</li><li>
'''Z function multiplier:''' This value is multiplied with the Z value obtained from the '''Vector function''' input.
</li><li>
'''Reverse function:''' If this is checked the value obtained from the '''Vector function''' input is reversed. In other words each component of the vector has its sign changed. This happens after the vector value has been multiplied by the function multiplier values above.
</li><li>
'''X offset:''' This value can be used to shift displacement along the X axis.
</li><li>
'''Y offset:''' This value can be used to shift displacement along the Y axis.
</li><li>
'''Z offset:''' This value can be used to shift displacement along the Z axis.
</li><li>
'''Reverse offset:''' If this is checked the offset vector is reversed. In other words each component of the vector has its sign changed.
</li><li>
'''Final multiplier:''' The calculated displacement vector (the vector function and/or the offset) is multiplied by this value as the last step before being added to the current surface displacement.
</li>
</ul>

[[Category:Displacement Shader]]

@@ Line 83: / Line 83: @@
-== Tutorials and Resources ==
+== Fun with Vector Displacement ==
-Vector displacement shader - Terragen to Zbrush and back!  Coming shortly.
+Try saving out a Terragen terrain as a vector displacement EXR image and then modifying it in a third party application, like Zbrush, adding details.  Reload the modified image back into Terragen.
 <br /n>

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Node Description and Purpose:''' <br />
+[[File:VDS_00_GUI.png|none|470px | Vector Displacement Shader]]
-The node parameters are in two main groups. The <u>Function Vector</u> parameters apply to the vector obtained from the '''Vector function''' input. The second group is the <u>Offset Vector</u> parameters. You can use these parameters by themselves to apply a constant offset to displacement. You don't need to specify a '''Vector function''' for them to have an effect.
 This node is especially useful when you want to apply displacement to a surface using a function network. Normally if a function network was connected to a shader input used for displacement you would not see any effect because the function nodes are not able to directly modify displacement like a shader can. The Vector displacement shader is able to bridge that gap and can take the output of a function network and convert it to displacement.
-'''Settings:'''
+*'''Y offset:''' This value can be used to shift displacement along the Y axis.
 <ul>
-<li>
+{|
-'''Vector function:''' This input is where you connect the function you want to convert to displacement. The input expects a vector but will convert other input types according to the type conversion rules described [[Node Input Type Conversion|here]].
+|-
-</li><li>
+| [[File:VDS_10_XZOffset.jpg|none|800px|Offset vectors applied to X and Z component values.]]
-'''X function multiplier:''' This value is multiplied with the X value obtained from the '''Vector function''' input.
+|-
-</li><li>
+| [[File:VDS_11_YOffset.jpg|none|800px|Offset vectors applied to Y component value. Note, that the dark grey value is constrained to an altitude of 0 and below.]]
-'''Y function multiplier:''' This value is multiplied with the Y value obtained from the '''Vector function''' input.
+|}
 </ul>
 [[Category:Displacement Shader]]

Vector Displacement Shader - Revision history

Redmaw: Added Fun with Vector Displacement and linked to dropbox content files.

Redmaw: Updated descriptions and example images. Will link to tutorial and content momentarily.

Jo: Created page with "'''Node Description and Purpose:''' The Vector displacement shader can be used to displace a surface in any direction using a vector. This vector can be a vector taken fro..."

Jo: Created page with "'''Node Description and Purpose:'''
The Vector displacement shader can be used to displace a surface in any direction using a vector. This vector can be a vector taken fro..."