I am trying to set up a feather system that uses both multiple per-strand textures and ALSO pull color from the base mesh below. I would like the color of the feathers to come from the base mesh which has a gradient of color across the surface. I would then like each feather to have one of 5 randomly applied opacity maps applied per-strand to clip the feather out. Ideally I need some sort of texture switch node, but vray does not have one.
Using shader scattering almost works, as I am able to use 5 different shaders with the 5 different opacity maps and have them scatter randomly across the feathers...the problem then is that I am unable to get those feathers to pull color from the base mesh...since each shader is using per-strand coordinates.
I have achieved this same effect in modo using a texture switch node but I cannot figure out how to do this with Ornatrix and Vray in maya...
Hi and thanks for the reply. I'm familiar with that tutorial and it is a good general start, but doesn't quite cover the extent of what I am trying to do. If you go to the 7:40 mark in the video he uses a feather alpha to mask the feathers out on a per-strand level. Since feathers do not all have one shape I think most artists might want to randomly seed several different alpha textures on a per-strand basis so that the feather shape varies all over the character...yet still pulls color from the larger underlying color. This is what I am trying to accomplish.
I was able to do this exact thing in modo by using what they call a texture switch node...but I am not sure how I would approach this in maya / ornatirx / vray and unfortunately that is what I am tasked with doing. It would involve mixing uv maps but also scattering multpile textures...not shaders...
Umm... I will have to think about this, let me investigate, I'll get back to you soon. I think this can be done using the vrayhairsampler but this does not work if you convert the hair/feathers to mesh.
I'd be happy to scatter the shaders like the tutorial (I assume you mean this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzNdLYhyygI) except then I am unable to have the color of those shaders come from the base mesh from which they are growing from. If I set up my 4 or 5 different shaders, each with their own unique feather alpha for variation...how do I then get the colors of those feathers to come from the uvs of the base mesh like in the above video? If I mix UV maps with mapping channels (as per the OTHER video) my problem goes back to the fact that with that method I can't use 4 or 5 different alpha maps to clip the feathers...I can only use one because vray does not seem to have a texture switch.
If you take a look at the image I have attached you can imagine the scenario. I've set up 4 shaders with unique feather opacity maps...but then I want those shaders colors to come from the gradient on the model that they are growing from...
So there must be a way to not only mix UV maps like in the above video...but to then have the per-strand textures be mixed or scattered as well.
Here is a better example of what I am trying to accomplish. I set this example up quickly in modo (only because I know this program best) but I have to use maya / ornatrix / vray for work. There has to be a way to do this in maya / ornatrix / vray...I already tried mapping a bunch of alpha maps into a ramp in the hypershade to see if it would feed them randomly into the vraymaterial opacity channel. It didn't work. I can't mix shaders becasuse I can't get the color to come from the base mesh then unless there is a way to do so that I have not thought of.
Disregard my last post and thanks for your patience with me. I will test out pointing the multiple shaders to the different uv sets soon and that should do the trick. I was overthinking this. Thanks!
Hi there! Just wanted to report that I got this effect working perfectly with mixed shaders and multiple uv channels and I was indeed overthinking things. Thanks so much for the help. I have yet to try the new generate guide data node but we are going to update Ornatrix here at work shortly and I will take a look at that as well. Ornatrix is really great, thanks again.
