How do I recreate this kind of effect with Vray?

[KushKush]

Hello community,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UwOrl036_A - Reference, 01:08 is excellent example. (Edited reference video to one with less exposure)

I'm working on my fan project where I'd like to recreate the scene shown in the video but I ran into few issues which surpass my knowledge, I'd like to hear opinions about possible solutions.

1. Treads ground imprints. - 01:08
- In the video it seems to me that creators used bump to create tank treads imprint texture on the ground but what are those black outlines? and how do I re create them? Is that diffuse or render element or maybe post effect, any ideas?
I assume I need to create separate tank tread maps in photoshop as a bump map and apply it as different map channel? Is there Vray Render Element which can help me with that?
I've attached pics to show how my bump treads currently look like.

[joconnell]

Have a look at displacement!

[KushKush]

Joconnell, Thanks for quick reply. I did try displace map but to my understanding Displacement is altering mesh which additional calculation and render time. My scene is in meters and plane scale is 1000Mx1000M compared to tank which is 9 meters long including barrel. adding 50 treads textures around the plane would not cause significant increase in render times?

[fixeighted]

Here is something that is easy enough to set up...just multiple bump maps in a composite map. You can then assign them individual UVW mapping and put them where you like, tiled or otherwise.
Ideally, make normal maps from the same bumps to further imrove it and give you what I think you mean by 'black outlines', which to me look like just the shadows in the tracks.
You can of course use displacement if you wanted/needed, though at that speed it's probably not needed.
If you did want it then just split the large ground mesh and only use displacement on the parts you need, so like little patches of interest, for example.

[gadzooks]

'black outlines', which to me look like just the shadows in the tracks.

What I was thinking as well.

[KushKush]

Thanks guys! The bump multiplied seems great, UVW is the placement method that I had in mind. I relocated sun so it does give effect which reminds the black outlines. Now I need to make tread patches map in photoshop to set up comp.

[fixeighted]

Cool. Don't forget the normal maps
And show us the result of course

[KushKush]

(Updated reference Video to one with less exposure so Desert seem to have more detail)
After testing number of options I decided to go with "Displace". Photoshop Png Alpha gave a lot of headache which I solved with using "Super Png".
I uploaded some examples and I'd like to hear opinions on which ones work better and which does not.

Regarding desert texture color, what is the practical way to go, bright sand in 3d software or in Post? By post I mean adding war movie filter and increase exposure.

[Yuhgelin]

Hmm...my initial thinking is that it's hard to judge individual frames, as it's about it working for animation, where many things will be obscured/enhanced/altered by dust, smoke, motion blur, depth of field, lighting effects etc.
Also, depending on your shots, some things may work easily well enough and be faster to render in one way, than in another shot that is maybe resolving to a still frame, where more detail would probably be needed.
Colour-wise, I would get things as correct in the render as possible and then further grade in post. Output cryptomattes ideally for whatever you need and that will give you lots of control.

[KushKush]

"it's hard to judge individual frames, as it's about it working for animation, where many things will be obscured/enhanced/altered by dust, smoke, motion blur, depth of field, lighting effects etc."


Yes, my thoughts exactly, I'll need a working animation with motion blur to assess the quality and necessity of tank track and other minor objects in the scene. Cryptomatte is good idea, forgot about it.
Thanks.