I generated the terrain, stream, and some grass with UltraScenery and then scattered some winter trees with UltraScatterPro. I applied snow and ice from DA Let It Snow and Iray Snow Ice and Ash. The background sky is just a photo I took. It would be nice to have a winter ecology in an UltraScenery addon.
Second is a bit of an experiment. After the discussions about clearings, and something Howie said earlier about json editing, I decided to have a go.
With a massive crib from the Road 2 Feature and adapting the distribution and height maps I came up with this (entirely derivative, so cannot be distributed of course!) [Not to mention not up to full Howie standard ] - but as a proof of what is possible...
So just to verify I am on the correct wavelength. If I set it to restrict to the camera it works like Camera View Optimizer correct? So would be no need to run that afterwards.
Tried the Pond again, and yet again (with random values dialled in) I get the trees and stuff in pond centre:
Yes I get this too. They are the parent items from which the replicated items are Instanced. In the Scene list you should see an UltraScene Group and then a list of items starting USC. It you hide all of these by clicking the eye icons to the left then they will be made invisible. Ideally this should be done when the script runs. It is most obvious when you have a lake as it is clear that they should not be there!
It's odd that that is happening - the script should be scaling all the items down to 10% and placing it a few meters below the terrain so they should ever be seen. What version of Studio are you using and is anything being written to the logs?
The latest public build, 4.12.0.86 64-bit under Win 7 Pro. No errors, closest I could finf to one was:
2020-03-15 14:00:29.440 129428 Instances created in NaN milliseconds.
In context, that was toward teh end of the script execution (I judge from the log) as these (inlucign the messag eabove) are the last from the script that I can see:
2020-03-15 13:52:08.795 Loaded file: USC Daisies 02.duf
2020-03-15 13:52:09.017 File loaded in 0 min 0.0 sec.
2020-03-15 13:52:09.018 Loaded file: USC Daisies 03.duf
2020-03-15 14:00:29.440 129428 Instances created in NaN milliseconds.
2020-03-15 14:00:30.178 File loaded in 0 min 0.2 sec.
2020-03-15 14:00:30.180 Loaded file: USC water MAT 01.duf
So just to verify I am on the correct wavelength. If I set it to restrict to the camera it works like Camera View Optimizer correct? So would be no need to run that afterwards.
Correct, it will only place instances that are within the selected camera's view - except the trees - it will place all of those because off-camera trees can cast shadows, reflections etc and that might still need to be there.
Tried the Pond again, and yet again (with random values dialled in) I get the trees and stuff in pond centre:
Yes I get this too. They are the parent items from which the replicated items are Instanced. In the Scene list you should see an UltraScene Group and then a list of items starting USC. It you hide all of these by clicking the eye icons to the left then they will be made invisible. Ideally this should be done when the script runs. It is most obvious when you have a lake as it is clear that they should not be there!
It's odd that that is happening - the script should be scaling all the items down to 10% and placing it a few meters below the terrain so they should ever be seen. What version of Studio are you using and is anything being written to the logs?
The latest public build, 4.12.0.86 64-bit under Win 7 Pro. No errors, closest I could finf to one was:
2020-03-15 14:00:29.440 129428 Instances created in NaN milliseconds.
In context, that was toward teh end of the script execution (I judge from the log) as these (inlucign the messag eabove) are the last from the script that I can see:
2020-03-15 13:52:08.795 Loaded file: USC Daisies 02.duf
2020-03-15 13:52:09.017 File loaded in 0 min 0.0 sec.
2020-03-15 13:52:09.018 Loaded file: USC Daisies 03.duf
2020-03-15 14:00:29.440 129428 Instances created in NaN milliseconds.
2020-03-15 14:00:30.178 File loaded in 0 min 0.2 sec.
2020-03-15 14:00:30.180 Loaded file: USC water MAT 01.duf
I can not wait for more options!! Not that there arent plenty now. So what I did this time was built everything like i wanted but before hitting the build button I unchecked all but the terrain, then hit build. Positioned my camera where I wanted it to me selected the UltraScene in the scene tab and reran the script making sure all objects were checked this time. Clicked the Restrict intances to Camera, selected my camera and hit build. 144k+ instances, it took longer to run the script than it did to render it on high settings (23 minutes).
I can not wait for more options!! Not that there arent plenty now. So what I did this time was built everything like i wanted but before hitting the build button I unchecked all but the terrain, then hit build. Positioned my camera where I wanted it to me selected the UltraScene in the scene tab and reran the script making sure all objects were checked this time. Clicked the Restrict intances to Camera, selected my camera and hit build. 144k+ instances, it took longer to run the script than it did to render it on high settings (23 minutes).
Your technique worked well. Those horses really add to the scene.
How about an underwater scene? I generated the terrain with the pond with UltraScenery. I scattered some of the included props (river stones and pebbles) on the bottom of the pond with UltraScatterPro. I added the included log prop on the pond bottom and some of the scattered leaves on the pond surface. I added two fish and scattered some sea plants from Ocean Wonders. I even threw in an old boot. Finally I applied some shaders to add moss to the log and some rocks. I increased the murkiness if the water a little, too. The camera is under water.
How about an underwater scene? I generated the terrain with the pond with UltraScenery. I scattered some of the included props (river stones and pebbles) on the bottom of the pond with UltraScatterPro. I added the included log prop on the pond bottom and some of the scattered leaves on the pond surface. I added two fish and scattered some sea plants from Ocean Wonders. I even threw in an old boot. Finally I applied some shaders to add moss to the log and some rocks. I increased the murkiness if the water a little, too. The camera is under water.
I can not wait for more options!! Not that there arent plenty now. So what I did this time was built everything like i wanted but before hitting the build button I unchecked all but the terrain, then hit build. Positioned my camera where I wanted it to me selected the UltraScene in the scene tab and reran the script making sure all objects were checked this time. Clicked the Restrict intances to Camera, selected my camera and hit build. 144k+ instances, it took longer to run the script than it did to render it on high settings (23 minutes).
Nice render. Makes me so happy to what people are coming up with.
How about an underwater scene? I generated the terrain with the pond with UltraScenery. I scattered some of the included props (river stones and pebbles) on the bottom of the pond with UltraScatterPro. I added the included log prop on the pond bottom and some of the scattered leaves on the pond surface. I added two fish and scattered some sea plants from Ocean Wonders. I even threw in an old boot. Finally I applied some shaders to add moss to the log and some rocks. I increased the murkiness if the water a little, too. The camera is under water.
I just ran into a problem. I regenerated my scenery and changed the ecology from Grassland 3 to Woodland 2, and ended up with no texture on the UltraScene. I did not change the Feature when I regenerated. The Feature was still Dirt Track 1. Maybe that is how another use ended up without the water texture being applied. My scattered instances have their texture, but the underlying terrain does not. Does something go awry if we don't go through the Terrain, Features, Ecology each time we build? Scene is attached.
I just ran into a problem. I regenerated my scenery and changed the ecology from Grassland 3 to Woodland 2, and ended up with no texture on the UltraScene. I did not change the Feature when I regenerated. The Feature was still Dirt Track 1. Maybe that is how another use ended up without the water texture being applied. My scattered instances have their texture, but the underlying terrain does not. Does something go awry if we don't go through the Terrain, Features, Ecology each time we build? Scene is attached.
Thank you for reporting this. If you've got time could you test if this is reproducable? I followed your steps and did not see a problem with loading the material the second time around. I have a suspicion that this might just be a random intermittant failure to load materials - gonna be hard to track down why.
Tried the Pond again, and yet again (with random values dialled in) I get the trees and stuff in pond centre:
Yes I get this too. They are the parent items from which the replicated items are Instanced. In the Scene list you should see an UltraScene Group and then a list of items starting USC. It you hide all of these by clicking the eye icons to the left then they will be made invisible. Ideally this should be done when the script runs. It is most obvious when you have a lake as it is clear that they should not be there!
It's odd that that is happening - the script should be scaling all the items down to 10% and placing it a few meters below the terrain so they should ever be seen. What version of Studio are you using and is anything being written to the logs?
DS 4.12, the latest release version. I'll run it again and check the logs (and see if I still get the source objects appearing).
Update: I got lots of warnings in the log file (see below) but couldn't see anything that would prevent the USC items being scaled and moved - they are still there in the middle of the lake. (Pond function with Grassland 3).
2020-03-16 11:43:02.563 Loaded file: USC Daisies 03.duf
2020-03-16 11:55:36.540 126634 Instances created in NaN milliseconds.
2020-03-16 11:55:36.654 WARNING: ..\..\..\..\..\src\sdksource\cloud\dzcloudtasknotifier.cpp(178): Unexpected exception in CloudFIle::lookupFromDb: Unable to connect to the database
2020-03-16 11:55:36.724 WARNING: ..\..\..\..\..\src\sdksource\cloud\dzcloudtasknotifier.cpp(178): Unexpected exception in contentGetByRelativePathAndFilename: Unable to connect to the database
2020-03-16 11:55:37.730 File loaded in 0 min 0.4 sec.
2020-03-16 11:55:37.731 Loaded file: USC water MAT 01.duf
2020-03-16 11:56:21.798 Script executed successfully: C:/Users/Public/Documents/My DAZ 3D Library/Environments/Landscapes/UltraScenery/UltraSceneCreator.dse
I am also getting the issue that running the script again seems to make all the instances vanish. They are still listed in the Scene panel but do not show in a render.
I am also getting the issue that running the script again seems to make all the instances vanish. They are still listed in the Scene panel but do not show in a render.
You didn't hide or delete the actual objects that the instances are based on, did you? If the objects are hidden, instances of those objects won't be visible.
I am also getting the issue that running the script again seems to make all the instances vanish. They are still listed in the Scene panel but do not show in a render.
You didn't hide or delete the actual objects that the instances are based on, did you? If the objects are hidden, instances of those objects won't be visible.
No, the Build script when run for a second time takes hardly any time at all, and then all the instances are no longer visible in a render. I am wondering if when run a second time, it is somehow in the background so it appears to have completed and the DS interface is active, but it is still running away in the background and if I left it long enough, it would re-generate the scene. If I get time, I'll check that.
I am also getting the issue that running the script again seems to make all the instances vanish. They are still listed in the Scene panel but do not show in a render.
You didn't hide or delete the actual objects that the instances are based on, did you? If the objects are hidden, instances of those objects won't be visible.
No, the Build script when run for a second time takes hardly any time at all, and then all the instances are no longer visible in a render. I am wondering if when run a second time, it is somehow in the background so it appears to have completed and the DS interface is active, but it is still running away in the background and if I left it long enough, it would re-generate the scene. If I get time, I'll check that.
Ooh, never seen that happen. No if the script is finished it's finished - the only background process it has is the code that draws the heightmap noise which only takes a few seconds.
How was it installed on your machine? Through DIM or SmartContent?
"It's magic" - Again, sooooo great product. BUT, same problem as above. After positioned the camera and then rebuild the scene - it's complete empty. Installed with dim and newest beta of DS.
I am also getting the issue that running the script again seems to make all the instances vanish. They are still listed in the Scene panel but do not show in a render.
You didn't hide or delete the actual objects that the instances are based on, did you? If the objects are hidden, instances of those objects won't be visible.
No, the Build script when run for a second time takes hardly any time at all, and then all the instances are no longer visible in a render. I am wondering if when run a second time, it is somehow in the background so it appears to have completed and the DS interface is active, but it is still running away in the background and if I left it long enough, it would re-generate the scene. If I get time, I'll check that.
Ooh, never seen that happen. No if the script is finished it's finished - the only background process it has is the code that draws the heightmap noise which only takes a few seconds.
How was it installed on your machine? Through DIM or SmartContent?
Installed through DIM.
I am noticing strange behavious after running the script a second time - basically the Viewport is not updating at all. The tabs etc all seem functional but I can't see any change on the Viewport, and when I collapse the tabs on the right hand side (which for my screen partially overlays the Viewport), it looks like they are still there as the Viewport does not refresh. Also when I then close DS it reports a fatal error - I have saved the error log from this if that is useful to either you or Daz.
What is supposed to happen when we uncheck the water checkbox? I thought I would probably get a dry pond or riverbed. I just did a grassland with pond and uchecked the water checkbox, but I still have water in the pond.
Comments
Not snowy but this one is wintery.
double post
Second is a bit of an experiment. After the discussions about clearings, and something Howie said earlier about json editing, I decided to have a go.
With a massive crib from the Road 2 Feature and adapting the distribution and height maps I came up with this (entirely derivative, so cannot be distributed of course!) [Not to mention not up to full Howie standard ] - but as a proof of what is possible...
Ah the critters have come out to play! Is that a Cassini HDRI I see?
So just to verify I am on the correct wavelength. If I set it to restrict to the camera it works like Camera View Optimizer correct? So would be no need to run that afterwards.
The latest public build, 4.12.0.86 64-bit under Win 7 Pro. No errors, closest I could finf to one was:
In context, that was toward teh end of the script execution (I judge from the log) as these (inlucign the messag eabove) are the last from the script that I can see:
Correct, it will only place instances that are within the selected camera's view - except the trees - it will place all of those because off-camera trees can cast shadows, reflections etc and that might still need to be there.
OK thanks, will see what I can investigate.
MelanieL: Actually it's the recent Oblivion: https://www.daz3d.com/orestes-iray-hdri-skydomes--oblivion
My stuff: https://www.daz3d.com/oso-ammonoids and https://www.daz3d.com/cephalovore-hd-for-daz-dog-8
I can not wait for more options!! Not that there arent plenty now. So what I did this time was built everything like i wanted but before hitting the build button I unchecked all but the terrain, then hit build. Positioned my camera where I wanted it to me selected the UltraScene in the scene tab and reran the script making sure all objects were checked this time. Clicked the Restrict intances to Camera, selected my camera and hit build. 144k+ instances, it took longer to run the script than it did to render it on high settings (23 minutes).
Your technique worked well. Those horses really add to the scene.
How about an underwater scene? I generated the terrain with the pond with UltraScenery. I scattered some of the included props (river stones and pebbles) on the bottom of the pond with UltraScatterPro. I added the included log prop on the pond bottom and some of the scattered leaves on the pond surface. I added two fish and scattered some sea plants from Ocean Wonders. I even threw in an old boot. Finally I applied some shaders to add moss to the log and some rocks. I increased the murkiness if the water a little, too. The camera is under water.
Wow, cool!
Nice render. Makes me so happy to what people are coming up with.
Love it! Never thought to use it like that!!
Just testing Pond 1 and Woodland 2 at default script settings. This is such a wonderful scene generator! Looking forward to the add-ons!!
I just ran into a problem. I regenerated my scenery and changed the ecology from Grassland 3 to Woodland 2, and ended up with no texture on the UltraScene. I did not change the Feature when I regenerated. The Feature was still Dirt Track 1. Maybe that is how another use ended up without the water texture being applied. My scattered instances have their texture, but the underlying terrain does not. Does something go awry if we don't go through the Terrain, Features, Ecology each time we build? Scene is attached.
Thank you for reporting this. If you've got time could you test if this is reproducable? I followed your steps and did not see a problem with loading the material the second time around. I have a suspicion that this might just be a random intermittant failure to load materials - gonna be hard to track down why.
Does that means, that we could edit the generated Ultra Scenery with that included script?
My impression is, that whenever I run the script it goes with all the steps again from the beginning
and does not preserve height map choosen if any - one need to browse again to it.
DS 4.12, the latest release version. I'll run it again and check the logs (and see if I still get the source objects appearing).
Update: I got lots of warnings in the log file (see below) but couldn't see anything that would prevent the USC items being scaled and moved - they are still there in the middle of the lake. (Pond function with Grassland 3).
2020-03-16 11:43:02.563 Loaded file: USC Daisies 03.duf
2020-03-16 11:55:36.540 126634 Instances created in NaN milliseconds.
2020-03-16 11:55:36.654 WARNING: ..\..\..\..\..\src\sdksource\cloud\dzcloudtasknotifier.cpp(178): Unexpected exception in CloudFIle::lookupFromDb: Unable to connect to the database
2020-03-16 11:55:36.724 WARNING: ..\..\..\..\..\src\sdksource\cloud\dzcloudtasknotifier.cpp(178): Unexpected exception in contentGetByRelativePathAndFilename: Unable to connect to the database
2020-03-16 11:55:37.730 File loaded in 0 min 0.4 sec.
2020-03-16 11:55:37.731 Loaded file: USC water MAT 01.duf
2020-03-16 11:56:21.798 Script executed successfully: C:/Users/Public/Documents/My DAZ 3D Library/Environments/Landscapes/UltraScenery/UltraSceneCreator.dse
I am also getting the issue that running the script again seems to make all the instances vanish. They are still listed in the Scene panel but do not show in a render.
No, the Build script when run for a second time takes hardly any time at all, and then all the instances are no longer visible in a render. I am wondering if when run a second time, it is somehow in the background so it appears to have completed and the DS interface is active, but it is still running away in the background and if I left it long enough, it would re-generate the scene. If I get time, I'll check that.
Ooh, never seen that happen. No if the script is finished it's finished - the only background process it has is the code that draws the heightmap noise which only takes a few seconds.
How was it installed on your machine? Through DIM or SmartContent?
@barbult "How about an underwater scene?"
Clever, very well done! Don't think I would have tried that, but this is inspirational!
"It's magic" - Again, sooooo great product. BUT, same problem as above. After positioned the camera and then rebuild the scene - it's complete empty. Installed with dim and newest beta of DS.
Installed through DIM.
I am noticing strange behavious after running the script a second time - basically the Viewport is not updating at all. The tabs etc all seem functional but I can't see any change on the Viewport, and when I collapse the tabs on the right hand side (which for my screen partially overlays the Viewport), it looks like they are still there as the Viewport does not refresh. Also when I then close DS it reports a fatal error - I have saved the error log from this if that is useful to either you or Daz.
What is supposed to happen when we uncheck the water checkbox? I thought I would probably get a dry pond or riverbed. I just did a grassland with pond and uchecked the water checkbox, but I still have water in the pond.