Working Shadow Volume Maps for Reflex?

[ElDiablo (Paul)]

Does anyone have a WORKING shadow volume map? Can you please post it or a link to it so that I can see what a decent one looks like? Probably need to compare it to a disp...so if you don't want to post yours for opportunists to steal...maybe photoshop it and add some red text on top of the map rendering it useless for any practical purposes. THANKS in advance!

[_MUD_Drifter0]

Hey Paul, sorry bit off topic... but was hoping you could give me info for the Reflex Track Editor... bring me up to speed a bit on Reflex track making. I ran UnCorked and really liked it.. 1 of the best Ive seen... really got me wanting to get back into it.... I haven't made any since MX vs ATV when I remade Stingray's "MAVERICK". Any input would be appreciated...   

[ElDiablo (Paul)]

Thanks for the kind words regarding UnCorked!

As for Reflex track making...it is WILDLY different from what you already know. The only real similarity is the displacement map, which you can make as normal. For the rest, first things first. Troll the forums here and download Digital Earthworks, and check the downloads link on the TD main site as well as the ones on ReflexCentral.com.

You will want the Reflex Track making tool kit. Read everything you find and get to know the RGB MaskMap and Zone maps and what they all do before you start making a track.

You want to start off by making a basic displacement map that is rideable with jumps that are makabke fairly easily. Then using the zone maps and softness map you can adjust things like drag and traction to make the jumps a bit tougher and keep things challenging. As you can probably see by now, this is a LOT different from the way we used to do things. This means that you don't have to spend weeks on the displacement to get it riding the way you want as we have a lot of other things that help us control that now.

The Textures are not rendered as we used to do. Instead you make an RGB Mask that tells the game where to render each if up to 4 textures (because you have red, green, blue and black to assign textures to). You can make up your own textures or use the ones from the stock tracks, but you also need bump maps for all the textures...so I would start off using the stock ones.

Also we have the ability to do custom objects, which can have normal (aka bump) maps, and specular (highlight) maps...

You can control the sounds made by the bike on different terrain using zone map 4...

WAY too much to tell right here, and I'm currently on the road to a job interview...so I'll stop for now. If you are on steam add me ElDiablo (Paul) I think...and we can talk more.

Now go download, troll and READ...Lots of it to do!

[Darkslides19]

sorry paul i was in the middle of writing this while you wrote your text above
The programs:

• Digital Earthworks
  Digital Earthworks is the main tool you use to make Reflex Tracks.
  

• Create Topdown
  Create Topdown is uses your RGB mask to create a Topdown image with your Textures which appears after a certain distance away from you
  

• Photoshop(recommended)
  Most Track creators start in Photoshop, which is not free to use, at least not legally 
  

• Gimp
  Gimp is basically the free alternative to Photoshop
  

• Leveller(recommended)
  Leveller is a great tool to make Heightmaps in. However, it's not free.
  

• Viewdispmap
  If you work with Photoshop, Gimp etc.. you will come across "stair steps" when you work with higher elevated tracks. This program will smooth those out for you.
  

Now when you have those setup, I would recommend getting C4Detonators Track building Kit or watching the basics tutorial by AL167 (a bit outdated)


~Darkslides19

[_MUD_Drifter0]

Cool... thanks guys... I will do some reading and DLing... appreciate you guys getting back to me...  Hey Paul... I tried finding you on Steam but there are a few Pauls with the ElDiablo handle... may be easier for you to add me... I am OTHG_MUD_Drifter on steam

[Darkslides19]

You must be the guy who wrote this then:



If you opened the .txt you would see what's up

Btw: HERE is pauls steam

[_MUD_Drifter0]

Yep that was me... what track was that for again?? It looked cool would like to try it out... Thanks for Pauls link... I should be able to find him now c 

[Bulldog]

Paint.net ( https://www.getpaint.net ) I believe is another free alternative to Photoshop.  I haven't used it yet but it looks like a good program.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JamieT]

Shadow volume is essentially the same as your terrain height map.  Except where you want shadows to appear, it will be higher than the terrain.  You need to think of it as creating a volume of space which is casting a shadow on anything inside it.

Hope that helps.