NK data file previews - FINISHED

[Zsolt]

Okay, so I decided to go through the NK data files that come with Indigo, and see which ones work. I'll use this thread to post previews of the materials that do work. As this is a long rendering task, it'll probably take 2 weeks or so, so this is a continually updated thread.

Format: I decided to render in groups for several reasons. One is it's faster to set up, though rendering itself takes longer (interreflection between the balls). Two is that one-by-one renderings are hard to compare, as tonemapping "kills the differences", ie: darker materials will have higher exposure, and lighter ones less.

I used HDR lighting instead of a studio setup (ie: black background with one meshlight), as it approximates a real life scene better.

Instructions:
paste this code into your xml, with the proper nk data file name:

Code: Select all

	<material>
		<name>Aluminum</name>
		<phong>
			<nk_data>nkdata/al.nk</nk_data>
			<exponent>10000.000</exponent>
		</phong>
	</material>

The exponent variable gives the glossyness of the material (0=non-glossy/dull, 10000=glossy)

EDIT:
------------------------------
NK PREVIEWS - now done
------------------------------
Available here: http://deeppixel.uw.hu/projects/NK_materials.html

[manitwo]

wow .. thank you zsolt !!!
good idea to render it in groups

[Zom-B]

Hey Zslot... Great work

Previews of the NK Materials would enchance the workflow with Indigo a lot!
But you have to think about the usabilty of your work...

For a quick rough overview of the NK Files group rendering is a nice idea,
but thats it!

The "Big Idea" is to use such Rendered Material to enable a Preview of this Materials
in Indigo GUI or even inside your 3D Prog using PlugI/Exporters.
Ergo: Bulding up a Database, that can be used for many Projects,
giving you a maximum of information reduced to a simple (visual) dialog!

Take a look >here< for some earlier aproaches to this Topic...

At the moment building up a Preview Database isn't a good Idea,
because Indigos Light system (or the color correction) is >buggy<

Use Linear tonemapping to avoid the difference Kill

Finaly its the main question is: what do the user need?
the second question is: what kind of Product could satisfy alle needs of the user
(yeah its not only "show me the mat!" )

BTW:
On your website you wrote:

"the glossiness needs to be set, with the exponent variable.
Set it to 0 for dull or 10000 for totally glossy reflection."

This isn't right... you can set this value much higher to get MUCH better glossiness

[Zsolt]

Zom-B:
Yes, I think you're right. Grouping is more of an eye candy
Unfortunately it does take more work for seperate pictures, all 280 of them. Anyways, I think I'll go with that version, it is more useful after all as a material preview. I already have the letter "C" in this version, I'll post it this night. Plus its easier to add to later.
Ah yes, linear mapping, thanks, forgot about that!

Its just those "algaas", and the other series that are bothering me, they are completely superfluous. Seeing the same material at 25 different temperates, and they all look -almost- the same!!! Anyways, I'll render those last


radiance: I hate to disagree, this is a question of semantics, but as far as I know most 3d programs use the term "glossy" to mean sharp reflections and small, sharp specular highlights (plastics, glass, polished metal). Non-glossy means very spread out reflections and specular highlights, aka diffuse.
My Oxford Thesaurus gives the following synonyms for glossy: "shiny, glassy... shimmering, polished... ", and thats a higher exponent in Indigo.
I also checked 3DSMax. It has a Glossyness slider used for the same thing as Blender's Hard slider: the higher the glossiness setting, the more concentrated the specular highlight is, which is translated into a higher exponent in Indigo. So as far as I see, Blender's higher Hardness = Indigo's higher Exponent = more "glossy". Lower = less glossy = more diffuse, at least as far as most 3D programs use the term Glossy.
See also Jeremy Birn Digital Lighting and Rendering, pp. 194-195.

Zsolt

[Zsolt]

Okay, update today:
with a few exceptions, I'm done up to the letter D, almost one-third of the materials - yay!
Plus a facelift, getting things organized:
http://deeppixel.uw.hu/projects/NK_materials.html

What do you think?

Zsolt

[Xman]

Hi Zsolt,
Great work

This exactly I need,thank very much!

[mrmoose]

Thanks!!! You have done something very useful, great idea

[mrmoose]

i am currently setting up a new section on our site,
'Indigo Materials Database'.

It's a fully automated system like our gallery,
in fact, i'm modigying a gallery2 installation to suit our needs for materials, textures and HDRi maps.

Users will be able to upload a material, with special fields for type, xml paste, etc...

These will then be moved into a tree based database by the admins (like our gallery uploads...

i'll post and update links in our header when i'm finished...

Greetz,
radiance

This is a GREAT new!!!

[Zsolt]

when your page is finished,
can i modify it's style to fit our indigorenderer.com style
and host it here ?
(in our docs section)

Sure, go ahead! Actually I was going to request something like this...

Just finished with the letter I, that's just over halway through! Should be up on the webpage in an hour or so... But man, I am getting sick of reflecting balls

Also: material gallery: very good idea! Expecially xml paste will become very useful.

[Camox]

Can me only the other comments attach. Very nice !

[Zsolt]

Phew, finally, all done!

Note:
- transparent NK materials don't render correctly, they show up as black materials

[manitwo]

thank you for your effort zsolt!! very usefull

[mzungu]

Awesome effort! Thanks Zsolt! Your nk page should be linked from this site's menu or doc page for sure! It will be a huge resource! (Wonder if Ono plans to flesh out the implementation of nk support, so they all work properly?)

[afecelis]

This is simply amazing! Your efforts are priceless. Thank you!

[Pinko]

Thanks!!!!!!!
Pinko.