[Released] Now-Crowd Utilities [Commercial]

135

Comments

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018
    Fishtales said:
    barbult said:

    I have DS 4.12.1.117 (the latest version) and I don't have a New Billboard Node command on the menu. I did Update and Merge Menus, so I should be able to see anything that was added in the update.  Are you running something other than the release build? 

    Mine is right at the bottom of the Create Menu. All I did was update, nothing else.

    Thanks, I'll have to look harder.
  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,337
    Fishtales said:
    barbult said:

    I have DS 4.12.1.117 (the latest version) and I don't have a New Billboard Node command on the menu. I did Update and Merge Menus, so I should be able to see anything that was added in the update.  Are you running something other than the release build? 

    Mine is right at the bottom of the Create Menu. All I did was update, nothing else.

    Mine too.  And I am using 4.12.1.117 too.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018
    I have a 3rd party plugin option at the bottom of my create menu. I wonder if that is interfering.
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018

    Well, the Create New Billboard is nowhere to be found in my DS 4.12.1.117. Even worse, if I select a New Crowd billboard and run the Now-Crowd Utility - Convert to Billboard.dse, it deletes the Now Crowd billboard from my scene entirely. I'll have to submit a help request.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018

    @Fishtales would you post a screenshot of what your Create menu looks like so I can submit it along with a screenshot of mine in my help request, please?

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018
    edited May 2020

    Some of my billboards are showing as black in the textured preview. This is reminiscent of the reversed normals issue. However this time it seems related to selecting the option to allow duplicates as instances and mirroring. On first look, it appears that if the billboard object is mirrored, the unmirrored instance turns black in textured preview. It renders OK in Iray render, though. 

    black billboards.png
    1343 x 770 - 998K
    Post edited by barbult on
  • Silent WinterSilent Winter Posts: 3,598
    edited May 2020

    If the mirrored versions are made by rotating them (rather than scaling -100%) then that'd be the case. Otherwise something funny's going on.

    Edit: Hang on - the unmirrored instance turns black? That is odd - I've got a render going right now but I'll give it a look in a minute.

    Post edited by Silent Winter on
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018

    If the mirrored versions are made by rotating them (rather than scaling -100%) then that'd be the case. Otherwise something funny's going on.

    Edit: Hang on - the unmirrored instance turns black? That is odd - I've got a render going right now but I'll give it a look in a minute.

    Mirroring is done by scaling X -100%.. If the original billboard object is X scaled -100%, and the instance of it is X scaled 100%, the instance is black. At least that seems to be the pattern I see. Thanks for taking a look.

  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,337
    barbult said:

    @Fishtales would you post a screenshot of what your Create menu looks like so I can submit it along with a screenshot of mine in my help request, please?

    Here is a screenshot of my menu

    2020-05-06_19-38-45.jpg
    344 x 972 - 63K
  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,337
    edited May 2020
    barbult said:

    Some of my billboards are showing as black in the textured preview. This is reminiscent of the reversed normals issue. However this time it seems related to selecting the option to allow duplicates as instances and mirroring. On first look, it appears that if the billboard object is mirrored, the unmirrored instance turns black in textured preview. It renders OK in Iray render, though. 

    As you suspected, this is related to backface lighting (if you turn that on in options and your card supports it, they won't be black).  Mirroring involves setting the X Scale to -100%

    Post edited by RiverSoft Art on
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018
    edited May 2020
    barbult said:

    Some of my billboards are showing as black in the textured preview. This is reminiscent of the reversed normals issue. However this time it seems related to selecting the option to allow duplicates as instances and mirroring. On first look, it appears that if the billboard object is mirrored, the unmirrored instance turns black in textured preview. It renders OK in Iray render, though. 

    As you suspected, this is related to backface lighting (if you turn that on in options and your card supports it, they won't be black).  Mirroring involves setting the X Scale to -100%

    I have backface lighting on already.

     

    Screenshot 2020-05-06 20.01.18.png
    739 x 624 - 44K
    Post edited by barbult on
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018
    barbult said:

    @Fishtales would you post a screenshot of what your Create menu looks like so I can submit it along with a screenshot of mine in my help request, please?

    Here is a screenshot of my menu

    Thanks for that screenshot. I've checked my husbands installation of DS 4.12.1.117 and he doesn't have the New Billboard on his menu either.

    This is what my menu look like

    My Create Menu DS 4.12.1.117.png
    231 x 574 - 28K
  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,337
    barbult said:
    barbult said:

    @Fishtales would you post a screenshot of what your Create menu looks like so I can submit it along with a screenshot of mine in my help request, please?

    Here is a screenshot of my menu

    Thanks for that screenshot. I've checked my husbands installation of DS 4.12.1.117 and he doesn't have the New Billboard on his menu either.

    This is what my menu look like

    Wow, I think I made a mistake.  I have something called https://www.daz3d.com/billboard-nodes-plugin  Maybe that is where it is coming from.  I guess I need to add that as an optional prerequisite for Now-Crowd Utilities.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018
    edited May 2020
    barbult said:
    barbult said:

    @Fishtales would you post a screenshot of what your Create menu looks like so I can submit it along with a screenshot of mine in my help request, please?

    Here is a screenshot of my menu

    Thanks for that screenshot. I've checked my husbands installation of DS 4.12.1.117 and he doesn't have the New Billboard on his menu either.

    This is what my menu look like

    Wow, I think I made a mistake.  I have something called https://www.daz3d.com/billboard-nodes-plugin  Maybe that is where it is coming from.  I guess I need to add that as an optional prerequisite for Now-Crowd Utilities.

    Yes! The product page for that product says:

    The plugin adds two interface elements:

    • Entry in the Create menu called "New Billboard Node"
    • New "Billboard" pane

    Neither my husband nor I own that product. The mystery is solved!

     

    Post edited by barbult on
  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,337
    barbult said:
    barbult said:
    barbult said:

    @Fishtales would you post a screenshot of what your Create menu looks like so I can submit it along with a screenshot of mine in my help request, please?

    Here is a screenshot of my menu

    Thanks for that screenshot. I've checked my husbands installation of DS 4.12.1.117 and he doesn't have the New Billboard on his menu either.

    This is what my menu look like

    Wow, I think I made a mistake.  I have something called https://www.daz3d.com/billboard-nodes-plugin  Maybe that is where it is coming from.  I guess I need to add that as an optional prerequisite for Now-Crowd Utilities.

    Yes! The product page for that product says:

    The plugin adds two interface elements:

    • Entry in the Create menu called "New Billboard Node"
    • New "Billboard" pane

    Neither my husband nor I own that product. The mystery is solved!

     

    Whoops.  Sorry about that.  I feel stupid now blush

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018
    barbult said:
    barbult said:
    barbult said:

    @Fishtales would you post a screenshot of what your Create menu looks like so I can submit it along with a screenshot of mine in my help request, please?

    Here is a screenshot of my menu

    Thanks for that screenshot. I've checked my husbands installation of DS 4.12.1.117 and he doesn't have the New Billboard on his menu either.

    This is what my menu look like

    Wow, I think I made a mistake.  I have something called https://www.daz3d.com/billboard-nodes-plugin  Maybe that is where it is coming from.  I guess I need to add that as an optional prerequisite for Now-Crowd Utilities.

    Yes! The product page for that product says:

    The plugin adds two interface elements:

    • Entry in the Create menu called "New Billboard Node"
    • New "Billboard" pane

    Neither my husband nor I own that product. The mystery is solved!

     

    Whoops.  Sorry about that.  I feel stupid now blush

    No need to feel stupid. It's hard to keep track of where all this stuff comes from when you have a few thousand products installed. Especially if you are like me and in the "senior moment" phase of your life!

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018

    The black mirrored billboards only happen to instances. They are black, even when backface lighting is on. Maybe it is a DS bug.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018

    Word to the Wise: In Billboard Crowd Maker, don't accidently click at the right end of the Crowd Size control with Live Preview checked and generate close to 1000 billboard positions. You'll be waiting for a long time..... And then waiting again when you click on the other end to return to a small number..... 

  • Silent WinterSilent Winter Posts: 3,598

    ^Doing a simple test with one source billboard and creating one regular and one instanced, they're both showing normally. Will try with larger crowd in a few minutes.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018

    ^Doing a simple test with one source billboard and creating one regular and one instanced, they're both showing normally. Will try with larger crowd in a few minutes.

    Did you do any mirroring with X scale -100%?

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018

    Well, RTFM! I had only been watching the video, because I learn better with video with voice narration. Now I see there is a PDF manual, and so I looked at that. Guess what. It says:

    "Mirror Strategy specifies when the script will create a mirror image of a billboard in the crowd.The billboard will be flipped on the horizontal axis, helping to make the generated crowd less homogenous. Mirrored billboards appear as black cutouts in the scene until rendered."

  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,337
    barbult said:

    Well, RTFM! I had only been watching the video, because I learn better with video with voice narration. Now I see there is a PDF manual, and so I looked at that. Guess what. It says:

    "Mirror Strategy specifies when the script will create a mirror image of a billboard in the crowd.The billboard will be flipped on the horizontal axis, helping to make the generated crowd less homogenous. Mirrored billboards appear as black cutouts in the scene until rendered."

    LOL laugh

  • Silent WinterSilent Winter Posts: 3,598
    edited May 2020

    Sorry, that few minutes turned into a longer job. I got the same with a larger crowd.

    Using mirrored and instanced they looked fine and were x-scale -100%.

    Looks like you solved it though. Is rotated version for non-instanced or am I doing something different?

    Edit: Yep, unchecking 'Make Duplicates Instances' gives the flipped normals look (though they're still in parameters as simply x-scale -100%)

    Post edited by Silent Winter on
  • FishtalesFishtales Posts: 6,025
    barbult said:
    barbult said:

    @Fishtales would you post a screenshot of what your Create menu looks like so I can submit it along with a screenshot of mine in my help request, please?

    Here is a screenshot of my menu

    Thanks for that screenshot. I've checked my husbands installation of DS 4.12.1.117 and he doesn't have the New Billboard on his menu either.

    This is what my menu look like

    Wow, I think I made a mistake.  I have something called https://www.daz3d.com/billboard-nodes-plugin  Maybe that is where it is coming from.  I guess I need to add that as an optional prerequisite for Now-Crowd Utilities.

    I have that plugin installed too :)

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018

    Sorry, that few minutes turned into a longer job. I got the same with a larger crowd.

    Using mirrored and instanced they looked fine and were x-scale -100%.

    Looks like you solved it though. Is rotated version for non-instanced or am I doing something different?

    Edit: Yep, unchecking 'Make Duplicates Instances' gives the flipped normals look (though they're still in parameters as simply x-scale -100%)

    So, It's a known issue and documented in the user guide. Here is a scene file that demonstrates the black billboard instances. At least they render OK in Iray.

     

    duf
    duf
    Billboard Instances Black.duf
    13K
  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,337
    Fishtales said:
    barbult said:
    barbult said:

    @Fishtales would you post a screenshot of what your Create menu looks like so I can submit it along with a screenshot of mine in my help request, please?

    Here is a screenshot of my menu

    Thanks for that screenshot. I've checked my husbands installation of DS 4.12.1.117 and he doesn't have the New Billboard on his menu either.

    This is what my menu look like

    Wow, I think I made a mistake.  I have something called https://www.daz3d.com/billboard-nodes-plugin  Maybe that is where it is coming from.  I guess I need to add that as an optional prerequisite for Now-Crowd Utilities.

    I have that plugin installed too :)

    laugh

  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,337
    barbult said:

    Sorry, that few minutes turned into a longer job. I got the same with a larger crowd.

    Using mirrored and instanced they looked fine and were x-scale -100%.

    Looks like you solved it though. Is rotated version for non-instanced or am I doing something different?

    Edit: Yep, unchecking 'Make Duplicates Instances' gives the flipped normals look (though they're still in parameters as simply x-scale -100%)

    So, It's a known issue and documented in the user guide. Here is a scene file that demonstrates the black billboard instances. At least they render OK in Iray.

     

    Yes, they do render ok.  Since the mirroring is somewhat of a hack but adds value, I deemed it an acceptable limitation.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018
    edited May 2020

    Here is a scene with some people wandering the street (pre lockdown, LOL). I learned quite a bit about the tools while creating this. I took advantage of the filter to select "walking" poses and chose top to bottom selection (not random), because I didn't like getting duplicates.

    Urban Sprawl Crowd 3_Default Camera.jpg
    2000 x 1500 - 2M
    Post edited by barbult on
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 23,018
    barbult said:

    Sorry, that few minutes turned into a longer job. I got the same with a larger crowd.

    Using mirrored and instanced they looked fine and were x-scale -100%.

    Looks like you solved it though. Is rotated version for non-instanced or am I doing something different?

    Edit: Yep, unchecking 'Make Duplicates Instances' gives the flipped normals look (though they're still in parameters as simply x-scale -100%)

    So, It's a known issue and documented in the user guide. Here is a scene file that demonstrates the black billboard instances. At least they render OK in Iray.

     

    Yes, they do render ok.  Since the mirroring is somewhat of a hack but adds value, I deemed it an acceptable limitation.

    It only happens with instances, too. Now that I understand what to expect, it doesn't bother me much. 

  • inquireinquire Posts: 2,087
    barbult said:
    barbult said:

    @Fishtales would you post a screenshot of what your Create menu looks like so I can submit it along with a screenshot of mine in my help request, please?

    Here is a screenshot of my menu

    Thanks for that screenshot. I've checked my husbands installation of DS 4.12.1.117 and he doesn't have the New Billboard on his menu either.

    This is what my menu look like

    I don't have that create menu (4.12.1.117, Macintosh version). How does one Update and Merge menus?

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