[software] SunFlow for BR - bublible's builds + TIPS & TRICKS

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Edited April 26, 2016 by bublible

[raminator]

Thanks for all those tipps :)

Do you know if it is possible to create short sleeve arms or the new boot-legs with the decorations hack?

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Thanks for all those tipps :)

No problem...

Do you know if it is possible to create short sleeve arms or the new boot-legs with the decorations hack?

Yes it is - see my updated stuff at the top, section "Change/replace existing decor to anything you want"

[SylvainLS]

Top is BR0005, about 27min in 1920x1080.

Bottom is BR0005_bublible, about 50min in 1920x1080.

Glasses are way better! Thanks a lot!

A little problem though: there are reflections in the shadows. Look at the reflection of the lattice-pilar on the roof, in the shadow of the antenna. Same inside, under the lattice-pilar, there is a reflection of one of the grey thingies on a all-white wall supposed to be in the shadows. Another visible reflection in shadows is behind the head of the red astronaut.

Is this a problem with the materials? too shiny?

Nevertheless, keep up the good work!

[___]

Top is BR0005, about 27min in 1920x1080.

Bottom is BR0005_bublible, about 50min in 1920x1080.

Yea, my MOD takes in some cases significantly longer cos there is lot more computation that needs to be done and as I am basically still JAVA newbie (mind you I have come from another programming language so I still learn JAVA) so maybe there is some other work around my way that for example msx80 will improve once he find time to look at it (fingers crossed!)

Glasses are way better! Thanks a lot!

A little problem though: there are reflections in the shadows. Look at the reflection of the lattice-pilar on the roof, in the shadow of the antenna. Same inside, under the lattice-pilar, there is a reflection of one of the grey thingies on a all-white wall supposed to be in the shadows. Another visible reflection in shadows is behind the head of the red astronaut.

Is this a problem with the materials? too shiny?

No, not a problem of materials - it is "problem" of how reflections and shadows are actually made in SunFlow, unfortunately...

Nevertheless, keep up the good work!

Thanx - I promise I will!

ONE THING: you should definitely try my newest materials with improved trans dark blue material, cos as you may seein your renders the one that is in official BR release is too light + you can also play with the "transshadow" value (see above in my initial topic)

BTW very nice MOC - is it yours?

It reminds me kind of #6930 (which I am proud owner of, btw )

Edited September 16, 2015 by bublible

[SylvainLS]

No, not a problem of materials - it is "problem" of how reflections and shadows are actually made in SunFlow, unfortunately...

Too bad

Still, very good render. If I were to use Povray (which I won’t ’cause the computer appointed to hard computations is in storage for now ), with all the transparent parts, it would take very very longer (I tend to use photons too ).

ONE THING: you should definitely try my newest materials with improved trans dark blue material, cos as you may seein your renders the one that is in official BR release is too light + you can also play with the "transshadow" value (see above in my initial topic)

In fact, the glasses are Tr. Light Blue. I try to use only recent parts and Tr. Blue are rarer.

That’s also why the windows are panels and not classic-space windows.

Only a few round plates 1x1 are Tr. Blue but rendering in on the way….

(By the way, some of your materials refer to slime_bump.jpg. Maybe you could also pack it in the archive?)

BTW very nice MOC - is it yours?

It reminds me kind of #6930 (which I am proud owner of, btw )

Yep, still in progress. I called it “neo-6930”

Update

Render finished with your latest materials, the materials (mainly white) are a little less bright:

Edited September 16, 2015 by SylvainLS

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Too bad

Yes it is...

Still, very good render. If I were to use Povray (which I won’t ’cause the computer appointed to hard computations is in storage for now ), with all the transparent parts, it would take very very longer (I tend to use photons too ).

Right: when it comes to complex renders including trans parts POV-Ray is out of the question - it would take literally several days to render (speaking from my own experience when rather small render like 1280x720 took 8+ days Nonstop /!!!/ ending in BSOD! Gee...! ) yet the result would not be that accurate when it comes to trans parts as with BR...and not even speaking about the time needed for such render (oh, I already did sppeak about it few second before )

In fact, the glasses are Tr. Light Blue. I try to use only recent parts and Tr. Blue are rarer.

That’s also why the windows are panels and not classic-space windows.

Only a few round plates 1x1 are Tr. Blue but rendering in on the way….

Ah, I did not realize it..anyway you could still lower the color in trans parts shadows ("transshadow" attribute) so it is less transparent cos it is transparent too much in your render I guess.

(By the way, some of your materials refer to slime_bump.jpg. Maybe you could also pack it in the archive?)

Well, that is just left over basically as it has no effect on LDD bricks: it would only affect 3D objects having UV mapping present so there is no need for that + it is "switched off" anyway (ratio is 1:0 for color only)

Yep, still in progress. I called it “neo-6930”

As I said good work indeed!

Update

Render finished with your latest materials, the materials (mainly white) are a little less bright:

Actually the only change compared to latest BR v0.005 is the color of that trans dark blue (mat43) and new material called "trans" so if you did not use any of them then you cannot see any change at all...

Edited September 16, 2015 by bublible

[SylvainLS]

Right: when it comes to complex renders including trans parts POV-Ray is out of the question - it would take literally several days to render (speaking from my own experience when rather small render like 1280x720 took 8+ days Nonstop /!!!/ ending in BSOD! Gee...! ) yet the result would not be that accurate when it comes to trans parts as with BR...and not even speaking about the time needed for such render (oh, I already did sppeak about it few second before )

Yeh, I had POV renders that took 9-10 days each to finaly realize there was a small error somewhere ….

Ah, I did not realize it..anyway you could still lower the color in trans parts shadows ("transshadow" attribute) so it is less transparent cos it is transparent too much in your render I guess.

Yep, the ”Trans. Round Tile 1x1”s on the scooters are too transparent (especially for the green astronaut’s: they are barely there), and the base of the Tr. Light Blue panels are too light. I will try it later.

Well, that is just left over basically as it has no effect on LDD bricks: it would only affect 3D objects having UV mapping present so there is no need for that + it is "switched off" anyway (ratio is 1:0 for color only)

Oh, ok.

As I said good work indeed!

Thanks.

Actually the only change compared to latest BR v0.005 is the color of that trans dark blue (mat43) and new material called "trans" so if you did not use any of them then you cannot see any change at all...

The first renders used the materials dated 20150805 you linked in the other thread.

If you look closely between neo-6930.5b and c (“bottom” and “update”), the materials are less reflective and (hence?) less bright.

*sigh* find the right materials, find the right lighting, find the right angle, find find find… Not easier to render than to photograph!

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The first renders used the materials dated 20150805 you linked in the other thread.

If you look closely between neo-6930.5b and c (“bottom” and “update”), the materials are less reflective and (hence?) less bright.

*sigh* find the right materials, find the right lighting, find the right angle, find find find… Not easier to render than to photograph!

I am talking about the materials from the latest BR v0.005 vs. my latest ones bublible_materials20150916 so if you used some other materials even some of mine previous ones it does not count here...maybe we just did not understand each other well

[SylvainLS]

I am talking about the materials from the latest BR v0.005 vs. my latest ones bublible_materials20150916 so if you used some other materials even some of mine previous ones it does not count here...maybe we just did not understand each other well

No, no, I understood you (I think ). I was just explaining why there were differences with the last render and why it was so much better

Now, what I did not understand correctly was about the transshadow parameter: your advice is to lower it whereas I find that the default already makes some parts too bright (lowering the value makes them appear to be casting light). Well, de gustibus…

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Now, what I did not understand correctly was about the transshadow parameter: your advice is to lower it whereas I find that the default already makes some parts too bright (lowering the value makes them appear to be casting light). Well, de gustibus…

No, no: my advice was to set higher number, like "transshadow 0.95" (lower values = more color thus objects behind the glass ar emore visible / higher values = more darkness thus objects behind the glass are less visible)

Edited September 16, 2015 by bublible

[SylvainLS]

No, no: my advice was to set higher number, like "transshadow 0.95" (lower values = more color thus objects behind the glass ar emore visible / higher values = more darkness thus objects behind the glass are less visible)

Ah, okay, so “lower the color” means “up the value.”

So we agree then

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Ah, okay, so “lower the color” means “up the value.”

So we agree then

Yes, that's how it's meant to be.

BTW you can see it also on one of the pictures above in the first initial message.

Edited September 16, 2015 by bublible

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THERE IS NEW VERSION UPDATE (v20150918) at the top of this topic in my first initial message...

Edited September 21, 2015 by bublible

[mrbradford]

Thanks for doing this! I'm at a loss as to where to enable brick seams. I downloaded your modified SUNFLOW and dropped it in the correct place and downloaded your modified scene file, copied and pasted your updates into the default scene file (leaving lights set to default) but I don't see where/how to modify seams in scene file and rendering using your modified files doesn't produce any seams. I'm not a programmer so I assume I'm doing something wrong. Thanks!

[SylvainLS]

Edit scene.sc and add this block at the beginning:

system {
   brickseams on
   brickseams_adujstGap 15
}

AFAICT, it doesn’t yet apply to plates or slopes, so choose your test model with lots of bricks

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Thanks for doing this! I'm at a loss as to where to enable brick seams. I downloaded your modified SUNFLOW and dropped it in the correct place and downloaded your modified scene file, copied and pasted your updates into the default scene file (leaving lights set to default) but I don't see where/how to modify seams in scene file and rendering using your modified files doesn't produce any seams. I'm not a programmer so I assume I'm doing something wrong. Thanks!

You don't need to enable it anywhere as the brick seams are enabled by default.

In my initial "brickseams" release I only added "normal", round and Technic bricks, so if your model has any other types then you won't see any seams yet. As I said I am adding them sequentially hoping that today evening there will be new version with added plates and slopes.

Edit scene.sc and add this block at the beginning:

system {
brickseams on
brickseams_adujstGap 15
}

AFAICT, it doesn’t yet apply to plates or slopes, so choose your test model with lots of bricks

Yes and no, your advice is 50% right: that syntax is OK anyway you do not need to use it for enabling brick seams as they are enabled by default so the line "brickseams on" do not need to be there + line "brickseams_adjustGap" should be used only if one is not satisfied with default values cos its number is bassically added to scale percentage of all brick type scales therefor be aware of that value (15 is really probably quite high cos on bigger brick it could make a mess - it is better practice to inform me and I can adjust such brick parameters individualy ).

[SylvainLS]

Yes and no, your advice is 50% right: that syntax is OK anyway you do not need to use it for enabling brick seams as they are enabled by default so the line "brickseams on" do not need to be there + line "brickseams_adjustGap" should be used only if one is not satisfied with default values cos its number is bassically added to scale percentage of all brick type scales therefor be aware of that value (15 is really probably quite high cos on bigger brick it could make a mess - it is better practice to inform me and I can adjust such brick parameters individualy ).

Oh, okay.

I had tried without anything, and didn’t see anything.

So, then I added a bigger gap (5) and “brickseams on” (not wanting to burn my laptop’s CPU for another run just because of that line) and saw only a very small seam, surely because the model I tried has few bricks and they are sandwiched between parts that have no seam yet

I thought I had told about 15 being a “you’re sure to see something”-value but apparently not

Hey, what do you expect at 8AM?

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Oh, okay.

I had tried without anything, and didn’t see anything.

So, then I added a bigger gap (5) and “brickseams on” (not wanting to burn my laptop’s CPU for another run just because of that line) and saw only a very small seam, surely because the model I tried has few bricks and they are sandwiched between parts that have no seam yet

I thought I had told about 15 being a “you’re sure to see something”-value but apparently not

Hey, what do you expect at 8AM?

BTW slopes are ready now...moving to plates

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THERE IS NEW VERSION UPDATE (v20150921) at the top of this topic in my first initial message...

Edited September 21, 2015 by bublible

[Dilvish]

Stupid question, but how do we render *.SC files created by LDraw2Sunflow?

[SylvainLS]

Stupid question, but how do we render *.SC files created by LDraw2Sunflow?

Bluerender renders LDD’s files (.lxf).

Bublible here provides an alternative for sunflow.jar that Bluerender and LDraw2Sunflow both use.

I don’t know if it would work but you can try to replace the sunflow.jar file that comes with LDraw2Sunflow with the one in the .rar file linked at the top of this thread.

I get a lot of

ERROR BCKT: NaN shading sample!

while trying to render a simple palette of plates 1x1.

Top is the result with mx80’s version, bottom is the (interrupted) one from Bublible:

Same results with the previous version, with or without brickseams. (The problem seems to occur at a different “block” each time.)

Edited September 22, 2015 by SylvainLS

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THERE IS NEW VERSION UPDATE (v20150922) at the top of this topic in my first initial message...

Stupid question, but how do we render *.SC files created by LDraw2Sunflow?

You got it a bit wrong: .sc files themselves are not renderable - they only telling BlueRender in which condition your LDD model should be rendered (that is: what lights, what background, what image dimensions etc.

Bluerender renders LDD’s files (.lxf).

Bublible here provides an alternative for sunflow.jar that Bluerender and LDraw2Sunflow both use.

I don’t know if it would work but you can try to replace the sunflow.jar file that comes with LDraw2Sunflow with the one in the .rar file linked at the top of this thread.

It actually could work as from what I saw author of Ldraw2Sunflow did not changed anything important BUT he may have some actual important changes in his code for his SW that interacts with the Sunflow, but yea: he can try it - why not? I am all for that idea...

Bluerender renders LDD’s files (.lxf).

Bublible here provides an alternative for sunflow.jar that Bluerender and LDraw2Sunflow both use.

I don’t know if it would work but you can try to replace the sunflow.jar file that comes with LDraw2Sunflow with the one in the .rar file linked at the top of this thread.

while trying to render a simple palette of plates 1x1.

Top is the result with mx80’s version, bottom is the (interrupted) one from Bublible:

Same results with the previous version, with or without brickseams. (The problem seems to occur at a different “block” each time.)

OK: can you send me both your .ldd and .sc files you have used for your test, please?

Edited September 22, 2015 by bublible

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I don’t know if it would work but you can try to replace the sunflow.jar file that comes with LDraw2Sunflow with the one in the .rar file linked at the top of this thread.

I get a lot of

ERROR BCKT: NaN shading sample!

while trying to render a simple palette of plates 1x1.

Top is the result with mx80’s version, bottom is the (interrupted) one from Bublible:

Same results with the previous version, with or without brickseams. (The problem seems to occur at a different “block” each time.)

So I tested it and found out the reason: my materials probably do not like some of my newest additions...gee

Therefor you have to wait till I find out what exactly is wrong with them.

Temporary solution:

A.) DO NOT USE MY MODIFIED COLORS TOGETHER WITH MY SF MOD - so just find BR v0.004 (the previous version) and use its colors defined in its Scene.sc

B.) IF YOU WANT RATHER MY COLORS THEN DO NOT USE MY SF MODS FOR NOW - I have to find out what's going on

Edited September 22, 2015 by bublible

[Dilvish]

You got it a bit wrong: .sc files themselves are not renderable - they only telling BlueRender in which condition your LDD model should be rendered (that is: what lights, what background, what image dimensions etc.

Okay, how do you edit the .sc files and then rerender the scenes with the updated settings?