An important question for the OTOY Development Team

[gordonrobb]

I'm sorry to start a new thread for this, but I have asked this question repeatedly as various updates have been released. And, as far as I can see, have received no answer.

Is there anything being done to address the issue that Octane has with displacement maps created in ZBRush?

I know about using the shift parameter to compensate for the fact that ZBrush uses mid grey as 0, but it simply doesn't work. Octane does a great job of displacing geometry out the way, but as soon as you use the shift parameter, it invariably creates tears in the geometry.

This is a show stopper for use with Octane assets.

Can someone please answer this question with at least an update about what you are doing about it, or even planning to do about it? I don't think that is an reasonable request. The lack of answers is dissatisfying me significantly more thank the problem itself

[Karba]

I'm sorry to start a new thread for this, but I have asked this question repeatedly as various updates have been released. And, as far as I can see, have received no answer.

Is there anything being done to address the issue that Octane has with displacement maps created in ZBRush?

I know about using the shift parameter to compensate for the fact that ZBrush uses mid grey as 0, but it simply doesn't work. Octane does a great job of displacing geometry out the way, but as soon as you use the shift parameter, it invariably creates tears in the geometry.

This is a show stopper for use with Octane assets.

Can someone please answer this question with at least an update about what you are doing about it, or even planning to do about it? I don't think that is an reasonable request. The lack of answers is dissatisfying me significantly more thank the problem itself

Could you please show some renders how it looks like?

[gordonrobb]

I'll sort that out, but it will be tomorrow night as I'm away from my render machine till then. Perhaps someone else who has an example of the problem can do it before then?

Does the fact that you're ask me to do that suggest that you don't know/think there's a problem and therefore aren't currently working on fixing it?

[Rikk The Gaijin]

What gordonrobb is referring to, is the known (I hope) issue with displacement files that have gray color as 0, white as 1 and black as -1, like the displacement maps created from zBrush.
Currently, Octane's displacement works very well only if you push forward the Height value, but if you need to compensate with the Offset, you will get black triangles appearing in some areas.

I'm far from being an expert on the matter, but it seems like the math behind the Offset slider is perhaps incorrect?
I know Karba said that GPU programming is much harder than CPU, but there must be a way of doing it, since VRay works fine, even on RT.

[Karba]

since VRay works fine, even on RT.

it works only in CPU mode
http://docs.chaosgroup.com/display/VRAY ... d+Features

[Karba]

I am working on new voxel geometry type, potentially it can build more complex displacement geometry with mix and procedural textures, but I can't promise anything. It is completely new technology.

[Rikk The Gaijin]

I am working on new voxel geometry type, potentially it can build more complex displacement geometry with mix and procedural textures, but I can't promise anything. It is completely new technology.

Interesting, I look forward to that!

[gordonrobb]

I am working on new voxel geometry type, potentially it can build more complex displacement geometry with mix and procedural textures, but I can't promise anything. It is completely new technology.

Thanks for jumping in Rikk. My Pc is currently all disconnected due to the office getting painted.

So, Karba, are you therefore saying, that until this new type of geometry comes to fruition, ZBrush displacements are not really supported?

[xxdanbrowne]

@Gordon,

Something occured to me:

Is it not possible to use e.g. xnormal to get a displacement map that follows the current implementation of displacements in Octane?

(I don't know the answer but I asked myself the question as idle speculation). I also cannot get displacement to work (looks a mess) and I also use Zbrush to generate the displacement. But I'm wondering now if it's not possible to use xnormal to make a displacement map that Octane can use. i.e. something like a straight up height map.

[MOSFET]

I am working on new voxel geometry type, potentially it can build more complex displacement geometry with mix and procedural textures, but I can't promise anything. It is completely new technology.

Hey Karba, would this new voxel geometry type be compatible with OpenVDB files from outside sources such as Realflow and Houdini?

Docs > http://www.openvdb.org/documentation/doxygen/
Github > https://github.com/dreamworksanimation/openvdb
Example files > http://www.openvdb.org/download/