In search of a particular shader function

Ken OBanion

I posed this question many moons ago, and since then, several iterations/incarnations of DAZ Studio have appeared on the scene.

I am looking for a functionality that Poser offers in what they call a 'Blend' node, in its Materials Room.  Essentially, the node accepts two paraameters -- in my scenario, two 2D texture maps -- with another parameter that allows the node to be animated, with a value between zero and one, said value changing, over time, in the course of an animation.

Effectively, using that Blend node, an object can change its surface texture, from one to the other; in short, using that Blend node, you can change a figure's skin texture, from a mortal human, to a frothing-at-the-mouth monster, through the course of an animation sequence.

I have been searching for such a node in DAZ Studio, but I have never been able to find a shader-builder node with similar functionality.

Does such a thing even exist?

And if not, how deeply into DAZScript would I need to delve, to create one of my own?

I'll share, if I can pull it off!

barbult

This might be what you are looking for. ABAS: Animated Shaders System

Video

Richard Haseltine

Or just use a regular mixing arrangement and then use these to set up and restore links with an animatable node property:

http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/referenceguide/scripting/api_reference/samples/elements/post_load_material_proxy_create/start
http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/referenceguide/scripting/api_reference/samples/elements/post_load_material_proxy_link_properties/start

Ken OBanion

Barbult --

I actually have that, and I got it for this very purpose.  And even though I'm finding it extremely useful, it doesn't do quite what I was hoping it would do.

Yes, it will animate textures -- say, for instance, playing a sequential image series; like the other end of a video conference.  (And I've already used it for that!)

The functionality I'm looking for is the ability to exchange the visibility of two texture maps, in a kind of visual segue, from one to the other.

I'll explore Richard's suggestion; and then, if that doesn't solve the issue, well..., I suppose I could always go back to Poser for this particular task!  (Assuming I even remember how to use it!  I haven't fired it up in more than five years!)

By the way, how do you enlarge the text in these forums?  These senior eyes never were what they used to be!  (Or maybe I should just go ahead and have the cataract surgery, like I've been promising myself for the last several years!)

Richard Haseltine

cmd(Mac)/ctrl(Win) plus mouse wheel should adjust the text size (cmd/ctrl 0 to reset). It is a browser not a site setting, and I have had sites where it causes issues if I try to zoom in for soemthing small, but it is useful a lot of the time.

Ken OBanion

Oh, yeah, much better!

Thanks again!