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![]() New Styles for Optipustics |
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There are several new styles
available for Particle Brushes (Optipustics) in this version 3.5 of PD
Pro. One major new feature is that the particles can not only draw into the color channels (red, green and blue) as before. They can now also draw into the Alpha channel at the same time. |
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The Style Menu has several new items to select from:
Below are samples of bushes created with either the simple, original 'Line' style, and either of the new styles. |
click for full screenshot
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You'll notice that the Shrinking
Lines cases have a variable line width. They start fairly thick and
gradually get slimmmer until the point where they disappear and the
particle reaches the end of its lifespan. This is great for new types
of thick shrubbery, underwater vegetation and more. |
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In two of these cases ("Line +
alpha" and "Shrinking lines +") the
alpha channel will also be affected by the particles drawn into the
color channels. This is a great new feature for users of 3D software
for illustration or for games. When you make textures of foliage, for
instance, the alpha transparency mask will automatically be generated
with the particles and exactly where they are. No more need to use the
Magic Wand and manually work on alpha-masking. |
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Making Foliage Textures for Sprites
in Games and 3D |
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Here's for example a standard 3D
scene found in Carrara 4. It's a
Mesa/Canyonlands setting with snow on the tops. this is the rendered scene >
Below is a snapshot of the same 3D scene in the assembly room (aka scene editor). |
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We've placed a few rectangular polygons in the scene. They carry a picture of the bush image which was created with Alpha along the lines (Line + Alpha). The original Targa files created in PD Pro 3.5 are here: ![]() ![]() |
And here is the same scene, rendered with light through transparency as set by the alpha channel on the textured rectangles. You can see that the opaque parts show the branches and also cast the shadows. Note that these wwere very simple and quick cases at fairly low resolution. The textures could obviously be created at much higher resolution for added detail and content such as flowers, bugs and birds, lizards and other painted object's silhouettes. ![]() |
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More New Parameters: Tint color, Fog
color,... |
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At the bottom of the Optipustics
panel, there are a few more options and check boxes.
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Here are some comparitive examples. From left to right: using shrinking lines, then with 'Shading' checked, then without shading but with 'Tinted' checked, then without Tinted but with Fog color set and light greyish, then with 'Tinted' checked again. More examples: ![]() |