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PARAMETERS |
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A Note About The Parameters : The more flexible versions of TG Slope extend upon the parameters from the simpler versions. This parameters listing starts with TG Slope Basic, then TG Slope Advanced, and finally TG Slope Bands - however, each shader only lists the parameters which are new to it, rather than repeat any parameters that have already been described for one of the simpler versions. |
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Listing : TG Slope Basic : TG Slope Advanced : TG Slope Bands : |
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TG Slope Basic |
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TG Slope Basic is the first of the Slope shaders. Since it has less parameters, it is easier to use, and faster to render, but also offers less control over the results than the other 2 Slope shaders. It always compares the surface point with the vertical, so it always colours an object based on the surfaces which are facing upwards (in the Z direction) in the 3D world. |
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Range : 0 to 100 Sets the overall frequency for the noise, scaling it in all directions equally. Higher values will mean squash the noise pattern, while lower values will stretch the noise pattern. |
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Range : 0, 1 or 2 Sets the type of noise to be used - 0 is Perlin, 1 is Classic, and 2 is Sparse. |
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Range : RGB values (-10 to 10) This sets the parameters for the noise, which affects the boundaries between the colours. The first part sets the Minimum shift, which causes the noise to shift the Shallow Colour toward the Steep Colour. Lowering this value below zero will make the Shallow Colour shift toward the Steep Colour, increasing the amount of Steep Colour in the result. The second part sets the Maximum shift, which causes the noise to shift the Steep Colour toward the Shallow Colour. Raising this value above zero will make the Steep Colour shift toward the Shallow colour, increasing the amount of Shallow Colour in the result. When both Minimum and Maximum shift are set to 0, the noise has no effect on the result, and the noise processing is turned off to optimize the speed of the shader. |
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The third part controls the Octaves of the noise. Higher values result in more detail in the noise pattern (but will result in the shader rendering more slowly). There is little visible effect in increasing the Octaves above a value of 4 or so. Note that Octaves only responds to whole numbers - for example, a value of 2.5 will give the same result as a value of 2. |
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TG Slope Advanced |
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TG Slope Advanced is the second of the Slope shaders. It offers more control than the Basic version, as now the surface of the object can be compared to different angles, which means that the colouring from the shader need not be relative to the vertical. The parameters listed below are those unique to TG Slope Advanced - the descriptions for the TG Slope Basic parameters still apply to this shader, so are not re-listed here. |
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Range : 0 to 100 For more unusual effects, this shader lets you compare the object’s surface with a Local point. If using a Local Slope Point, the Slope Point Distance parameter lets you scale the distance of the point without having to alter the individual settings in the Slope Point Position parameter. See later examples of use of a Local Slope Point. |
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Range : On or Off If this is unchecked, the TG Slope Advanced will calculate the colours in the same way as TG Slope Basic, using an Infinite Slope Point. If checked, then TG Slope Advanced will use a Local Slope Point, and the object’s surface will be compared using its angle relative to a particular point in 3D space. |
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Both of the images below use a Slope Point Position of (1.5, 0, 1.5) |
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Note that the colouring provided by the shader works in much the same way as the illumination provided by a light source, so it may be helpful to keep that in mind. The difference between a Local Slope Point and an Infinite Slope Point is the same as the difference between a Local and Infinite light (this is also the same processing used in TG Virtual Light). |
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Range : RGB values (-10 to 10) For an Infinite Slope Point, this sets the vector (direction) that the surface normal is compared with. For a Local Slope Point, this sets the position in 3D space that the surface normal is compared with. Being able to alter the direction that the shader works from allows you to slant or angle the effects of the shader. For example, this would let you use the shader to place green “moss” on only one side of a tree, or to place white “snow” on a landscape as if blown from a particular angle rather than from “straight down”. |
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TG Slope Bands |
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This is the most flexible, but most complex, of the Slope shaders. It allows you to set 3 different colours, specifying the fade in and fade out points of each. Since these colours can overlap, it is possible to create more than just 3 colours in the result. This can help add more detail to the result, but it does make the shader a little harder to use! The core of the processing remains the same as in TG Slope Basic and TG Slope Advanced, so only the parameters unique to TG Slope Bands are listed here. |
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Setting the blends between the colours can be a bit tricky, but it does give a lot of flexibility and adds a way of adding more detail to the result. |
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Range : RGB values (but see the meaning of the values below) This actually sets the Noise Type (0 Perlin, 1 Classic, 2 Sparse), and Local Slope Point (0 is Infinite Slope Point, any other value is Local Slope Point). The third parameter has no effect. These parameters are the same as in the other 2 versions of the Slope shaders, but have been moved into a “colour” parameter owing to a lack of space in the interface! Note that only the whole number makes any difference to Type - a Type of 0.45 is the same as a Type of 0, and a Type of 1.6 is the same as a Type of 1. For Local Slope Point, 0 sets the shader to use an Infinite Slope Point, and any non-zero value sets the shader to use a Local Slope Point. |
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TG Slope Parameters |
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