OTOY Forums

Features request :

Output pin for camera transform.

Fog is a great step forward, but is very dependent of camera parameters. Adding a simple output pin to the camera node for its transform values would allow to chain the sphere object node allowing the parenting of the medium sphere to the selected camera inside Octane. This would allow to move the camera everywhere without requiring to copy paste the Position coordinates of the camera into the position transform of the sphere each time you move the camera !

It is just one more pin on a node for an already present parameter, and would make the fog feature much more usable ! Without, intead of a pin on a node, it is a needle in the foot for the user !

Hi Roubal,

If i understand you correctly, this is already possible. (Perhaps we could simplify this in the future to be automated or easier).

What you need to do is attach the camera's position node to the location of the placement's transform. (Please see attached image).
So when you move the camera, the position is updated, which is also used for the position of the "camera bubble" mesh.

The only problem with this technique is that when the camera exits the fog volume the render is not correct (because the box is still around the camera). Also the picking tools (camera target, focus, materials) will always require using a right click, because there is a mesh right in front of you that will always be selected with left click.

I hope this makes sense.

Thanks
Chris.

Oh, that's very useful, thank you FooZe! (but yeah, it can be made simpler for the user)

Nice!

Never thought of this, I like the way the octane tree works, as it allows backward flow of information.

@Fooze : Thank you very much for this answer and solution. I would never have thought about camera transform data usable backward !

The only problem with this technique is that when the camera exits the fog volume the render is not correct (because the box is still around the camera).

I don't use a limited fog volume, and if I used one, I would also parent it to the camera.

As I use a sphere with external medium, I think that my setup will be simpler.
My camera is always outside the medium (inside the sphere), and it worked fine with a static camera. I see no reason that could prevent it to work. I will try that asap !

EDIT : Tested : It works fine !

The scale of the sphere allows to adjust the fog distance. There is a slight dark limit visible on light ground (snow in my example), probably due to AO where the sphere intersects with other meshes. Otherwise, it works as expected !

Thanks again !

Hey ROUBAL, how did you make the smoke in that scene? Is it sculpted geometry?

@Rikk The Gaijin :
No, sorry, only the atmosphere fog (mist) is volumetric. The chimney smoke is a texture on a plane with alpha !

Oh ok, I was impressed how good is looking and I though it was 3D...