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[WIP] Distingo + Vertex Tools Pro - High Quality Terrain Rendering

Discussion in 'Assets and Asset Store' started by NemoKrad, Mar 15, 2016.

  1. NemoKrad

    NemoKrad

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2014
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    632
    This thread is for the collaboration between Distingo and Vertex Tools Pro

    Distingo already gives you great control over your terrain textures, giving you the ability to control texture tiling, alter normals and apply occlusion maps, but when combined with Vertex Tools Pro, it will take your terrain render to another level with height blending, parallax mapping and much more.

    Overview

    What is Dinstingo Standalone used for?

    Distingo as a standalone is used for terrains. It gives you way better control about the tiling of the textures, esepcially in term of far distance tiling. It also comes with a slight PBR approach.

    What is Vertex Tools Pro Standalone used for?
    Vertex Tools Pro as a standalone is used to paint meshes. You can just paint different textures on a mesh (not a terrain) and they get blended according to heightmaps etc. This way you can greatly increase the integration of props on the terrain.

    So what are the benefits if I own both, Vertex Tools Pro and Distingo?
    If you own both, you will get access to a new shader in Distingo - Remember this is currently WIP and we are aiming for the update next week. This new Shader has access to Vertex Tools Pro Shader Algortihms and Techniques. So it basically brings the Heightbased Blending, Parallax and PBR from the Vertex Tools Pro Shaders to the Distingo Shaders. The painting of the terrain stays as it is. So basically Vertex Tools Pro just supplies Distingo with the needed library to further increase visual quality of the terrain itself and also use the benefits of better visual integration of props into the environment (Mesh Painting with VTP Standalone).




    Distingo Overview Video
    Vertex Tools Pro Tutorials

    Distingo Forum Thread
    Vertex Tools Pro Forum Thread

    The collaboration between Distingo and Vertex Tools Pro will therefore greatly enhance the visual quality of any terrain.

    Screen shot terrain created with Gaia
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2016
    frbrz, TheSeawolf and BackwoodsGaming like this.
  2. PitHeimes

    PitHeimes

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    Just going to leave a quick 'Hello' from my side here too.

    And a little reminder: This is currently Work in Progress. But we aim for a release next week.

    If you have any questions about usage or anything, feel free to ask.
     
  3. dogmachris

    dogmachris

    Joined:
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    Can't wait to see how they perform together. :)
     
    NemoKrad and BackwoodsGaming like this.
  4. BackwoodsGaming

    BackwoodsGaming

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    Looking forward to testing this alongside my Gaia terrain stamp packs. :) I need to get that VTP transparent logo from you Pit.. ;)
     
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  5. TheSeawolf

    TheSeawolf

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    What's this Gaia that everyone speaks of? :)

    A very good idea to have a combined forum for those of us who will have both assets. One question I need answered with reference to Gaia, Distingo and now Vortex terrain creation and manipulation; is do I create the terrain a a unity terrain or a mesh?

    In all the discussion I'm rather confused about what approach will offer the best performance (fps) and texture quality? I'd really appreciate some advice guys.
     
    BackwoodsGaming likes this.
  6. NemoKrad

    NemoKrad

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    So, with Distingo + VTP, you can use VTP on your Unity Terrain, VTP on it's own you can use on Mesh's.

    So, in summary you can use Gaia to generate your terrain, Distingo to improve the render quality over the stock Unity terrain shader, and with VTP, you can then have height based blending and paralax on both your terrain and the objects in your world too.
     
    frbrz, BackwoodsGaming and TheSeawolf like this.
  7. PitHeimes

    PitHeimes

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    You can use the Unity Terrain System as usual.

    Best performance you will definitly want to use a Standard Dinstingo Shader. Enhances visual quality greatly compared to Unity Standard Terrain Shader and has nearly zero impact on performance.
    If you then want a even better visual experience you can combine Distingo with VTP. With both assets installed, you have access to a new Distingo Shader. This Shader is a full PBR Shader (roughness, metallic, occlusion) and enables you to use heightbased blending (crispier edges when blending textures) and parallax (better feel for the depth). In addition you can use Tri-Planar Mapping to avoid stretched textures.
    Lastly, with VTP installed, you are able to better integrate the other enviroment (props, buildings, etc) in the terrain.
    First, this is because if you use the Distingo-VTP Shader you get the exact same Shading technique on terrain and props. Second, you can use VTP natively on the meshes (props, building) to paint the edge between the terrain and the mesh and create a more natural blend between Terrain and Objects.
     
  8. TheSeawolf

    TheSeawolf

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    Thanks NemoKrad and PitHeimes for clarifying my questions again. Apologies to you both, but I had asked a very similar question in the Distingo thread two weeks ago :)
     
  9. PitHeimes

    PitHeimes

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    Some more tease of the Heightbased Blending.

     
  10. wolfen231

    wolfen231

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    Apr 22, 2014
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    Hey guys. I am totally loving this POM effect you have. Talk about popping out!

    POM off.


    POM on.


    Excellent stuff!
     
  11. Brity

    Brity

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2016
    Posts:
    116
    Hello Guys,

    I have both tools but now I'm getting a little confused.
    Can you show me how you would use VTP on terrains?

    do you mean create a separate object (rock mesh) and then paint on it as usual or do you mean paint using VTP directly on the terrain?

    if you're going to use this thread for the two working together I would have thought you should make it clear on how these work together, not just pictures of what looks cool.

    does VTP have a terrain shader? shader combiner?
     
  12. PitHeimes

    PitHeimes

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2015
    Posts:
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    What is Dinstingo Standalone used for?

    Distingo as a standalone is used for terrains. It gives you way better control about the tiling of the textures, esepcially in term of far distance tiling. It also comes with a slight PBR approach.

    What is Vertex Tools Pro Standalone used for?

    Vertex Tools Pro as a standalone is used to paint meshes. You can just paint different textures on a mesh (not a terrain) and they get blended according to heightmaps etc. This way you can greatly increase the integration of props on the terrain.

    So what are the benefits if I own both, Vertex Tools Pro and Distingo?

    If you own both, you will get access to a new shader in Distingo - Remember this is currently WIP and we are aiming for the update next week. This new Shader has access to Vertex Tools Pro Shader Algortihms and Techniques. So it basically brings the Heightbased Blending, Parallax and PBR from the Vertex Tools Pro Shaders to the Distingo Shaders. The painting of the terrain stays as it is. So basically Vertex Tools Pro just supplies Distingo with the needed library to further increase visual quality of the terrain itself and also use the benefits of better visual integration of props into the environment (Mesh Painting with VTP Standalone).

    Hope this helps a bit. If there are still any questions left, do not hesitate to ask :)
     
  13. wolfen231

    wolfen231

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    Apr 22, 2014
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    Couldn't have explained it better myself. Then again you guys wrote them haha.
     
    dogmachris and NemoKrad like this.
  14. Brity

    Brity

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    Feb 27, 2016
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    ok thanks for detailed explanation :)

    Are you planning on making a youtube video on these two assets working together?
     
  15. dogmachris

    dogmachris

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    This kind of effect is great! Does it increase the amount of texture channels on the shader or is there any other way you keep it at one pass?
     
  16. wolfen231

    wolfen231

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    Here is some Distingo + VTP in action on the terrain. Mainly the big deal here is the tri-planar mapping. It does wonders for mesas.

    Tenkoku, Distingo+VTP terrain stuff, and a few of Backwoods desert stamps.


     
  17. PitHeimes

    PitHeimes

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    We are using 3 Textures per Layer. An Albedo, a normal map and the Combined Map, which is also used in the VTP (standalone) shaders. VTP comes with a tool to generate whose "combined Maps" for you. :)
     
    NemoKrad likes this.
  18. wolfen231

    wolfen231

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    Posted all the pics in the Gaia thread, but here are a few showing off Distingo + VTP. Triplanar, and some height based stuff. Look for the cracked dirt on the ground. That's height blended. Triplanar mapping should be pretty objects.

     
  19. PitHeimes

    PitHeimes

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    Lovely Wolfen :),

    I am afraid, but release is a bit delayed. :( nevertheless, it's coming :)
     
    NemoKrad likes this.
  20. wolfen231

    wolfen231

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    You've been a busy guy huh? Look forward to the update. Good luck! :)
     
  21. Wizard-Games

    Wizard-Games

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    Any updates on this?
     
    frbrz likes this.
  22. haywirephoenix

    haywirephoenix

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    May 17, 2017
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    Hey, does this work with distingo now?