[WIP][1.8.x] SSTULabs - Low Part Count Solutions (Orbiters, Landers, Lifters) - Dev Thread [11-18-18]

[vossiewulf]

14 minutes ago, Temeter said:

Typical, you point out a critical flaw, next moment ShadowMage says he already solved it xD

I know. I wish my guys at work were that fast.

BTW, very close Mage, but center glow needs to be stronger

Edited November 15, 2017 by vossiewulf

[Temeter]

I'm not sure if we should increase the glow *that* much, though. The sun in KSP is still kinda dark compared to real suns.

[vossiewulf]

3 minutes ago, Temeter said:

I'm not sure if we should increase the glow *that* much, though. The sun in KSP is still kinda dark compared to real suns.

Good point. That's probably how it works now, glow is relative to light output, and maybe he's already set a correct baseline so those images are a bit less glowy.

[Kaa253]

These glossy metallic textures look great. Well done.
I however, have always liked the "cloth" preset. Are there any high-res plans for it?

Or else perhaps - does my question make no sense

 

[tater]

7 hours ago, Temeter said:

Typical, you point out a critical flaw, next moment ShadowMage says he already solved it xD

"Sorry, you cannot add any more reactions today."

 

[Shadowmage]

9 hours ago, vossiewulf said:

I know. I wish my guys at work were that fast.

BTW, very close Mage, but center glow needs to be stronger

 

9 hours ago, Temeter said:

I'm not sure if we should increase the glow *that* much, though. The sun in KSP is still kinda dark compared to real suns.

 

9 hours ago, vossiewulf said:

Good point. That's probably how it works now, glow is relative to light output, and maybe he's already set a correct baseline so those images are a bit less glowy.

 

Yeah, when doing some comparisons I noticed that the lighting in many of those real images appears far brighter than the lighting in KSP.  If I keep the glow relative to the incoming light, you end up with something much closer to the glow from the old setup -- more orange and subdued.  The other bit(s) that are missing are the obvious bloom and HDR lighting (which I'm really not sure that I can solve).

Also looks like I might need to turn the polarization stuff into a texture input, as there is obviously two different effects going on between the bright-yellow stripes on the end and edges (which catches more light regardless of angle) and the rest of the paneling (which is darker when not directly back-lit).

Probably do a bit more playing around with the settings this evening.  Need to find a way to duplicate and test the setup right in the Unity Editor, as having to launch KSP between tests is very time consuming.

In the end it will all be configurable... so if what I set up as the defaults are not desirable, it can be adjusted with some config edits and/or patches.

Edit:  While reading up on Sub-surface scattering rendering techniques, it has come to light that I've implemented a nearly identical solution to that used in Crysis for back-lighting of foliage. 

 

8 hours ago, Kaa253 said:

These glossy metallic textures look great. Well done.
I however, have always liked the "cloth" preset. Are there any high-res plans for it?

Or else perhaps - does my question make no sense

 

I currently do not have plans for any high-res cloth textures.  They currently exist only in the recoloring system.

(though I would like to do a high-res pass over the Soyuz parts at some point they really need a geometry update as well; same with the DOS parts -- they could benefit from high-res textures, but really need better models)

Edited November 15, 2017 by Shadowmage

[Nightside]

18 hours ago, Shadowmage said:

If you are not interested in any of the PBR stuff, there should be no functional difference from the previous SSTU releases -- all of the shaders and plugin code are the same, only the packaging has changed.

 

As far as the PBR stuff being usable on Intel -- very good question.  I think it would depend on just how old/new your Intel GFX are.  If it supports DX10/11, you are probably fine.  If it only supports DX9... it will likely still work, but look bad and probably have not-so-stellar performance.

@Shadowmage I installed the full packange with PBR, and it works great even on Intel Graphics (DX11), with no noticeable change in performance.

I have to turn off anti-aliasing to keep the clock green (but I have to do that even in a stock install), so I will spare everyone's more refined eyeballs and not post pics. 

I could probably turn the anti-aliasing back on just for screenshots, but I didn't try that.

Thanks for your work!

[Shadowmage]

Working on adjusting the solar-panel shader to be a more generic SSS shader (Sub-Surface-Scattering), based on the work presented here, used in the Frostbite2 engine:

https://colinbarrebrisebois.com/2011/03/07/gdc-2011-approximating-translucency-for-a-fast-cheap-and-convincing-subsurface-scattering-look/

Should give an 'industry standard' interface to the parameters used, and allow for adoption of the shader for other models/materials as well.

 

[Jimbodiah]

How many presets can you have? 

Working on lots of variants atm like aluminium, chrome, a few gold colors, copper, bronze... so much fun!!!!

Aluminium with blue anodized accents on my 1.25m probe core 

Edited November 15, 2017 by Jimbodiah

[Shadowmage]

8 minutes ago, Jimbodiah said:

How many presets can you have? 

Working on lots of variants atm like aluminium, chrome, a few gold colors, copper, bronze... so much fun!!!!

Aluminium with blue anodized accents on my 1.25m probe core 

Isn't it great fun playing with all the new options?   For how simple and plain the textures are for the recolorable parts... they still end up working very well and looking good.

 

What mod/config are you using to change the editor skybox?

(I've been trying to figure out how/where it is rendered for awhile, as for some reason the reflection camera does not capture it;  whatever mod is doing the replacement will likely have code I can look at to tell me where the editor skyboxes are stored/setup)

[RedParadize]

@Shadowmage @Jimbodiah Does The VAB Skybox change affected the reflection? If it did, a "relatively simple™" mod could allow user to see what ship looks like under different environement. Might be possible to alter the lightning as well. So we could finally have our cake and eat it too.

[Jimbodiah]

24 minutes ago, Shadowmage said:

Isn't it great fun playing with all the new options?   For how simple and plain the textures are for the recolorable parts... they still end up working very well and looking good.

 

What mod/config are you using to change the editor skybox?

(I've been trying to figure out how/where it is rendered for awhile, as for some reason the reflection camera does not capture it;  whatever mod is doing the replacement will likely have code I can look at to tell me where the editor skyboxes are stored/setup)

So much fun!!!  :)))    So many options and combinations to try out. The greatest thing since sliced bread!

 

 

I use this mod for the skyboxes (has 4 different ones at 4K)...  https://spacedock.info/mod/1589/4k Resolution skyboxes for KSP

You will need TextureReplacer Replaced at 

 

@RedParadize   I use LightsOut which shows the skybox in night-mode, but it just get's a little darker; the VAB is still reflected. It would be cool to get a space preview. But the biggest culprit for having black ships is the Metallic slider. Keep that under 100 and you should be good-to-go for ships that are visible in space.

https://spacedock.info/mod/1006/Lights Out

Edited November 15, 2017 by Jimbodiah

[Shadowmage]

10 minutes ago, RedParadize said:

@Shadowmage @Jimbodiah Does The VAB Skybox change affected the reflection? If it did, a "relatively simple™" mod could allow user to see what ship looks like under different environement. Might be possible to alter the lightning as well. So we could finally have our cake and eat it too.

You know... it might be not too difficult to add in a pre-rendered environment map that represented a basic 'in LEO orbit' scene.  Possibly two; one for sun-lit, one for shadowed.  Finally a small in-editor GUI would let you swap between the 'live' cubemap or the pre-rendered ones.  (adding/using the pre-rendered cubemap would be dead simple.  Getting a good pre-convolved one....much more difficult, but doable with the techniques that I currently know)

(if someone wants to open an issue ticket under TexturesUnlimited repo on the subject, it will ensure it doesn't get forgotten about)

11 minutes ago, Jimbodiah said:

I use LightsOut which shows the skybox in night-mode,

Holy cow... apparently the VAB skybox is literally the actual Unity skybox.  Mind. Blown.  (seriously, that is like the only place in KSP that Unity code is used as it is intended; everywhere else is full of hacks and workarounds)

https://github.com/Real-Gecko/LightsOut/blob/master/LightsOut/LOAmbient.cs#L31

Now that I know what I'm looking for, should be -very- simple to fix (simply assign the skybox from RenderSettings to the camera that I'm using, set the camera to use skybox as the 'clear flag', and done).

(now I want to include an editor-skybox fix in TU to reflect the current outside conditions... darn me for researching things...)

[Jimbodiah]

I sense another mod being born? 

[Ogre1983]

@Jimbodiah how do you load in presets? I have been messing with the sliders and can't seem to get a metal look or textures. Thanks

[Shadowmage]

Just now, Ogre1983 said:

@Jimbodiah how do you load in presets? I have been messing with the sliders and can't seem to get a metal look or textures. Thanks

1.)  Install the PBR-expansion:  https://github.com/shadowmage45/SSTULabs/releases/tag/PBR-0.1.0.3

2.) Profit.

3.)  Wait, why is there a step 3?

[vossiewulf]

2 hours ago, RedParadize said:

@Shadowmage @Jimbodiah Does The VAB Skybox change affected the reflection? If it did, a "relatively simple™" mod could allow user to see what ship looks like under different environement. Might be possible to alter the lightning as well. So we could finally have our cake and eat it too.

Agree this is a good idea. Then you can invoke zero G also so we can test our decoupling and other vessel transitions.

 

[Jimbodiah]

14 minutes ago, Shadowmage said:

1.)  Install the PBR-expansion:  https://github.com/shadowmage45/SSTULabs/releases/tag/PBR-0.1.0.3

2.) Profit.

3.)  Wait, why is there a step 3?

Step 3 is to force DX11 prior to step 2 so that you get the full benefit of your crayon pack instead of some hack legacy version forced on you by KSP    

 

@Ogre1983  Check my JPL patches, there is a presets file there with all my personal favorite (no pink, I swear!).  You can't save presets in the game, you have to change the .cfg file in order to use a color you like later on. But if you want to make a color here are some tips:

- First make the base color you want in a metal version using the three RGB sliders
- Use the Specular slider to set the matte/gloss effect to your chosing. Abover 200 you will get a mirror surface with reflections
- Use the Metallic slider to change the contrast between the lightest and darkest reflection. Darker means it looks more like a mirror/metal but will also be a lot darker in space.
- What you see in the HAB is not what it will look like in space, as the HAB is lit from all directions, and there is nothing in space to reflect.

I found the optimum to be 200 specular and 100 metallic, start from there and play around. You can always download my color file to get a start and see where the file is located so you can change your own file. Just be carefull not to remove any of the original colors, as a lot of parts refer to there colors and you bork the game if you remove them. (been there, done that, reinstalled SSTU).

 

Edited November 15, 2017 by Jimbodiah

[Ogre1983]

You guys are awesome thought I'd share I was so excited to download, that while my game was re-loading I went to make a cup of coffee and hit the pour button and when I came back I found I forgot to put a cup under.... hahaha so now thats cleaned up Imma go color my spaceship. 

[RedParadize]

43 minutes ago, vossiewulf said:

Agree this is a good idea. Then you can invoke zero G also so we can test our decoupling and other vessel transitions.

 

Well then... just launch and you will see.

[Jimbodiah]

Is it thing where ships explode when seperating fairings?

 

 

@Ogre1983 @RedParadize   I've got my construction crew standing by for you guys.

Edited November 16, 2017 by Jimbodiah

[Ogre1983]

3 hours ago, Jimbodiah said:

Step 3 is to force DX11 prior to step 2 so that you get the full benefit of your crayon pack instead of some hack legacy version forced on you by KSP    

 

@Ogre1983  Check my JPL patches, there is a presets file there with all my personal favorite (no pink, I swear!).  You can't save presets in the game, you have to change the .cfg file in order to use a color you like later on. But if you want to make a color here are some tips:

- First make the base color you want in a metal version using the three RGB sliders
- Use the Specular slider to set the matte/gloss effect to your chosing. Abover 200 you will get a mirror surface with reflections
- Use the Metallic slider to change the contrast between the lightest and darkest reflection. Darker means it looks more like a mirror/metal but will also be a lot darker in space.
- What you see in the HAB is not what it will look like in space, as the HAB is lit from all directions, and there is nothing in space to reflect.

I found the optimum to be 200 specular and 100 metallic, start from there and play around. You can always download my color file to get a start and see where the file is located so you can change your own file. Just be carefull not to remove any of the original colors, as a lot of parts refer to there colors and you bork the game if you remove them. (been there, done that, reinstalled SSTU).

 

Absolutely amazing work, If I could only have I part pack it would be SSTU. When you save as a sub-assembly it keeps all the color and metal settings witch is awesome too. Thanks...

and I thought I spent most of the game engineering before this

[Shadowmage]

[vossiewulf]

5 hours ago, Shadowmage said:

 

Think we can score that one a win.

And like I said, there's your other killer splash screen. nothing in KSP looks like that.

Edited November 16, 2017 by vossiewulf

[Shadowmage]

13 hours ago, Jimbodiah said:

Is it thing where ships explode when seperating fairings?

 

 

@Ogre1983 @RedParadize   I've got my construction crew standing by for you guys.

 

(well, thankfully I got that bug fixed yesterday, but good to know the guys were well equipped to help clean up the debris  )

I think you are having entirely too much fun with the new features

 

4 hours ago, vossiewulf said:

Think we can score that one a win.

And like I said, there's your other killer splash screen. nothing in KSP looks like that.

Getting there.. very close anyway.

I'm about 50-50 on the back-lit effect.  It is certainly novel, and interesting at first view (and even second view).  But I also feel it looks a bit tacky -- like its missing something (probably bloom/hdr/actual light-emission from the emissives).  Tempted to make it an optional patch (regular = subdued or no glow, enabled = as in screenshot above).

That image also shows the back-lit effect on the DOS panels -- which with their non overly-boosted emissive, look a bit more natural and believable.  Might still tone those down slightly as well; at least make their textures a bit less lower contrast.

 

(Hmm... wonder how all of this would work and look if I turned on HDR lighting everywhere...if its even doable)