Multiscatter

[glorybound]

Since the support over there is not existent, for the most part, I was hoping someone here might know. How do you randomize colors? I see the slot, and I know about the multiscattertexture, but I can't seem to get it to do anything. I pick use object color, but nothing seems to look any different.

[cgrant3d]

"Use Object Color" is for when you want to control the "randomness" with a UV map on the object (ie field of grass mapped from above). So you don't need to use that for basic random colors...

Just stick a multiscattertexture in the diffuse map or ideally composite/mix map. That should be it...

[glorybound]

I guess the mix map would allow you to control bitmaps? I'm wanting more control over leaves.

[Donald2B]

What I have done in the past is use an element select script to select a percentage of leaves and then assign them different IDs. Create 2-5 different materials to give the leaves on a single tree some variation.

Then I use the multiscattertexture to then add variation to the individual trees scattered about so they didn't all look the same. I use this same concept with Forest Pack Pro also. Worked well here.

[cgrant3d]

Yes - if you layer in the multiscattertexture (shades of leaf colors) into a composite map (i prefer this map instead of mix as its more powerful) on top of a leaf map at say 30% you'll get the appearance of varying leaf color. Within the composite map you can also affect layer mode which can lead to some really useful effects.

EDIT: the multiscattertexture is for variation at the object level not element level. I use the same approach as Troy where I'll use multiple materials to vary the color of leaves per tree but multiscattertexture will allow you to vary all of those colors across the hundreds/thousands of trees you have scattered in the scene. Powerful stuff.

[Donald2B]

Exactly as Christopher stated. Sorry for any confusion, I was in a hurry.

Definitely love using the composite map, almost a staple of all my materials lately.

[glorybound]

object color, or mix with color. Is the object color using the material, or the objects color (like an object id color)? What blending mode have you found works best?

[cgrant3d]

object color, or mix with color. Is the object color using the material, or the objects color (like an object id color)? What blending mode have you found works best?

There are some great examples images in the MS manual - I'm linking directly the MSTexture section. http://docs.rendering.ru/en:multisca...scattertexture

Both "Object Color" and "Mix with Color" are for when you want to influence / blend the MS color swatches with a (commonly planar mapped) large image like a field of grass from afar.

[glorybound]

Okay. it is starting to make sense. I was expecting it to randomly increase/decrease the saturation/brightness. But, what this is doing is mixing the color you chose in the MSTexture swatches. So, what I need to do is change those MSTexture swatches to darker/lighter colors of my main diffused material; in this case, different shades of green. Is this correct? I can do a blur average in PS, of the leaf color, and lighten/darken that color. If it's a fall scene I can add reds and yellow.

[cgrant3d]

Ahh but that's why I love using MSTex with the composite map. If you want to affect saturation / brightness you could just put Black / White into the MST map and change your layer mode of the MSTex. Personally I prefer using normal mode and using colors I want to introduce in MSTex. Just seems more controllable / predictable to me but that'd vary based on your preferences/workflow...