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Understanding the PHXmapper

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  • Understanding the PHXmapper

    Hey there, somehow I missed the very interesting PHXmapper...

    I checked out the manual, but I got a bunch of questions about it:

    1. First of all: What kind of maps can I use and what mapping should those maps use? I´m guessing it works best with procedural noise maps (noise, cellular, smoke etc.). But what mapping should I use for them? WorldXYZ or ObjectXYZ?
    Or can I also use bitmaps and if so...what mapping would they use?
    2. Can I also combine the different maps with, lets say, a composite map and use that composite map in the PHXmapper?
    3. The manual mentions the typical ranges for the different channels, but how do I use this info? Lets say I have a noise map with 0=black and 1=white...how do I remap those values for lets say, temperatures between 300 and 2000? You mention the output map later in that article to boost velocity, are there exact values with which I can remp the noise map through and output map, or is that just trial and error?
    4. The time constant works kind of like a drag to the mapping, Example: If I use an animated noise and set the time constant to 1, the channel would follow that map with a delay of 1 second, right?
    5. Right now the only way to manage the amount or influence of the mapper is to add another map in the mask channel, right? While that is great for control, maybe it would be nice to have an extra option to simply specify the influence by a percentage?

  • #2
    You can use vraycomptex + vraycolor map to multiply whatever you need
    I just can't seem to trust myself
    So what chance does that leave, for anyone else?
    ---------------------------------------------------------
    CG Artist

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    • #3
      Hey,

      1. Object XYZ is the size of the simulator.
      2. Yes
      3. You need to know in advance what you want to do. If you use a green map, output-scale it 300 times, you will get 300 voxels/sec velocity along the X axis. It's up to you to decide whether this is what you need. Similarly, you can map a checker with smoke from 0-1, or you can run the checker through an output map and generate smoke in 0-10 - this is again something you should decide. If you will use this smoke just for rendering, it doesn't matter if you emit 10 times thicker smoke or render 10 times higher density via 10 times higher simple smoke, or 10 times higher smoke diagram.
      4,5 - The time constant is not a delay, it's an influence. time constant of 0 make the mapper instantly map its full value. Higher values mean the mapper gradually affects the channel values over time.

      The mask determines where the mapper will work (white areas), where it wouldn't (black areas), and where it would work with a lesser effect (gray).

      Cheers!
      Svetlin Nikolov, Ex Phoenix team lead

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      • #4
        Ok, thanks, gotcha...looking forward to some R&D time now...

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        • #5
          ben_hamburg , there's also this tutorial on the docs page for Max:
          https://docs.chaosgroup.com/display/PHX3MAX/Simulation+RGB+Workflows#SimulationRGBWorkflows-Chapter5:ChangingtheRGBcolorafteremissionwithaMapp erandaV-RayDistanceTexture

          The last chapter covers the Mapper and how it can be used with the Distance texture.
          gosho.genchev@chaosgroup.com

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