6 replies to this topic

[gtxjoe]

Here is a comparison test of VP lightmapping using combination light inserts and decals

 

Test 1)  Lights have off image = light insert only, on image = lightmap.  Decal layer on top of light element for the text - Text color = black(5,5,5) with pure black (0,0,0) background

-> Nice light effect.  Black text but text is not crisp/clean

 

Test 2)  Lights consist of off image = light insert only, on image = lightmap.  Decal layer on top of light element for the text - Text color = black(5,5,5) with no background

-> Nice light effect.  Black text.  Text is better, but there are artifacts (gray around the "SPECIAL" text).  DX9 text is not as good as DX7 render. Tried decal with Text color = black(0,0,0) - same result

 

Test 3) Lights consist of off image = light insert with text already, on image = lightmap.  No Decal layer

-> Nice light effect, black text.  Text is crisp, but color washed out due to lightmap

 

What is the recommended approach for using the lightmap feature on inserts that have text?  Text decals (doesn't seem widely used)?  Or can the image decal artifacts be resolved? Or stick with Photoshop to create all the combined insert/lighting/text images instead of lightmaps?

 

 

 

Edited by gtxjoe, 02 March 2014 - 11:52 PM.

[mukuste]

For your second test, make sure that

• the decal has only two alpha values, 0 and 255,
• also the portion of the decal which has alpha value 0 (the background) has color value (0,0,0). Otherwise the white/gray color of the background will bleed into the text due to texture filtering.

[gtxjoe]

Will give it a try.

I think you mentioned this before but I am not familiar with use of alpha channel settings. google search should fix that...

Thanks

[mukuste]

How exactly it works depends on the image editor you use. Basically, if you delete the background of an image to make it transparent, all it does it set the alpha to 0. 0=transparent, 255=fully opaque. You can have inbetween values for partial transparency, but for a decal you shouldn't.

[85vett]

I'm not really feeling any of them.  The off images look great but the on's just don't look right. 

 

- first and second one - The black just looks to bold with the lights on.  There should be some wash out when the lights come on.

- the third one - To much wash out.

 

You should also try this with colored inserts to see if the lettering changes colors.  I prefer the photoshop route with the 4 light routine (JP's routine).  When I build a table I create a layer for the insert itself and then a layer for the insert art work/ letters.  I can then add a lighting effect to the insert and also adjust the transparency of the insert art layer to get the right look of the light shining through that thicker paint but not so much it completely changes the color or washes out the lines.

[gtxjoe]

Mukuste - I am using Photoshop. I create the text with black (0,0,0), no background layer, and save as PNG-24 with transparency checked, and I get the results of 1 and 2 above. Text is not as crisp as if I combine it all (insert, lighting, text) in Photoshop. Am I doing this wrong? Also, I will test some more with different font to see if results improve any.

85vett - The lightmap approach is compatible with the fading light routines, but you see the possible results above. I am leaning towards full Photoshop route here, but I would like to figure out this DX9 decal quality first.

DX9 fading routines will be easy to understand, something like sequencing through this
light1.OnImage="light100"
light1.OnImage="light66"
light1.OnImage="light33"
light1.OnImage="light0"

or maybe automatically sequence through a LightBank or Light collection would be nice

[mukuste]

Make sure that you set the Antialiasing to None in Photoshop for decals. It's been forever since I've used Photoshop, so I can't give you more detailed instructions, sorry. Maybe this helps: http://answers.yahoo...07205445AAanjt6

Edited by mukuste, 04 March 2014 - 08:13 AM.