[SOLVED] Dynamic reflections & Transparency

[kbuerger]

Hi,

 

we have an issue with the dynamic reflection feature, as soon as transparent materials are involved.

 

On https://developer.unigine.com/en/devlog/20151009-unigine-2.0in the Environment Probes section,  you state that "[...] they can also work with transparent objects, rendered in the deferred pass."

 

However, as soon as we change the common->Transparency->Preset from Opaque to Deferred alpha blend, surface reflections use the "Render settings -> Environment" texture resource instead of nearby dynamic environment probes. See attached image for an example, both objects use an identical material and differ only wrt. to the transparency preset parameter.

 

Could you please clarify if this is in fact the intended behavior--contradicting the documentation statement mentioned above--or a bug? If this feature is available in the Unigine Sim 2.1 version, I would be thankful if you could elaborate how environment probes are used in conjunction with transparent object (rendered in the deferred pass). If it need code changes we would also be thankful if you could point us in the right directions.

 

Many thanks in advance.

[cryunreal]

Hi! You need use console command: render_deferred_transparent 1 for activation environment probes for deferred transparent materials.

[kbuerger]

Fixed. Thanks for the fast reply!

[kbuerger]

One more question:

Is it possible to restrict the application of an environment probe to an object by using bit masks ?

E.e.: I want to have some surfaces/materials within the env probes radius that should be affected by it, while others should not be lit by this cube map.

 

(So far I was only able to use the reflection mask of a (dynamic) env probe to steer which objects will be rendered during cube map creation. But i wasnt able to selectively de/active specific env probes per surface.)

 

Many thanks in advance!

[cryunreal]

Unfortunately it will be really expensive effect for performance.

[kbuerger]

Can you be a bit more specific?

Does that mean the only way to solve this problem is by using a separate Camera (with their respective viewport masks) for each of all existing permutations of material<->env probes combinations?

[silent]

Hi Kai,

 

Render environment probes selectively on specific objects is very expensive operation in realtime. Probes are rendered on all objects by default and there is no mask option that will allow you to specify the objects that will or will not be affect by environment probe.

 

I've added this task (special mask for environament probes) in our internal TODO list  (no ETA right now,  sorry).

 

In the meantime, I'm afraid, you will have to use different cameras.

[kbuerger]

Thanks again for the fast reply!

Imho masking env probes would be a great feature in the future.

[f.reichl]

Hi,

 

is there any update on this matter? We're currently evaluating 2.2.1, and restricting environment probes for certain objects would be a killer feature.

Maybe it would be sufficient to have certain surfaces only affected by a single global reflection - this works if we set the material to Forward, but we would like to stick with deferred. Is this possible somehow?

[silent]

Hi Florian,

 

Unfortunately, this feature is really complicated technically (especially for deferred rendering pipeline). We surely will not implement it in the nearest updates (2.3, 2.4). After that we will continue our R&D in that direction.

 

Sorry for the inconvenience caused.