VC Windshield Rain Effect - Prepar3D v4.2 SDK
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 9:19 pm
Hello LMT,
We are having issues implementing the VC windshield rain effect in our interior aircraft model. We are following the procedures described in the Prepar3D v4.2 SDK (New Aircraft Procedures -> The Interior Model -> Virtual Cockpit Specific Materials -> Windshield Effects) very carefully but we cannot make it work properly. This is what we get:
1) When we set the Framebuffer Blend (in the material parameter editor) to Source Blend = One and Destination Blend = Zero, as shown in the example in the SDK, we can see the animated rain effect on the windshield. Great, it works! However, because this is the default setting for an opaque material, the windshield remains opaque and in it we can see the diffuse map (that we use as a "simulated reflection" of what's inside the cockpit in our model) under the rain effect.
2) To simulate glass however, the windshield material must be made transparent and the Framebuffer Blend must be set to Source Blend = ScrAlpha and Destination Blend = InvScrAlpha (the default setting for a transparent material, as shown in the SDK for the glass material). With this setting, the windshield becomes transparent as it should be and the diffuse map, that also contains an alpha channel mask, can be barely seen in the windshield to produce the "simulated reflection" effect we want to create. Unfortunately, with this setting, the windshield rain effect (UV mapped on channel 2 of the geometry) disappears completely.
The bottom line is this: When we make the material transparent, the rain effect disappears. When we make the material opaque, the rain effect is displayed normally but the windshield stays opaque.
Are we missing something?
Why is the material Framebuffer Blend set to "Default Opaque" in your example when glass should be transparent?
How should the maps be organized/set in the material parameter editor for a transparent windshield with a "simulated reflection" from the diffuse map in addition to the animated rain effect (similar to what can be seen in the VC of the stock Mooney Bravo in P3Dv4.2)?
The procedures described in the SDK are incomplete because they don't show the upper part of the material parameter editor so we cannot see how the maps are organized. Would it be possible to show the entire content and all the settings in the material parameter editor for a transparent (glass) windshield material with a diffuse map "reflection" and a rain effect (Mooney_Bravo)?
As always, thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter and for adding this exciting new feature to P3D!
Best regards,
-Alain
We are having issues implementing the VC windshield rain effect in our interior aircraft model. We are following the procedures described in the Prepar3D v4.2 SDK (New Aircraft Procedures -> The Interior Model -> Virtual Cockpit Specific Materials -> Windshield Effects) very carefully but we cannot make it work properly. This is what we get:
1) When we set the Framebuffer Blend (in the material parameter editor) to Source Blend = One and Destination Blend = Zero, as shown in the example in the SDK, we can see the animated rain effect on the windshield. Great, it works! However, because this is the default setting for an opaque material, the windshield remains opaque and in it we can see the diffuse map (that we use as a "simulated reflection" of what's inside the cockpit in our model) under the rain effect.
2) To simulate glass however, the windshield material must be made transparent and the Framebuffer Blend must be set to Source Blend = ScrAlpha and Destination Blend = InvScrAlpha (the default setting for a transparent material, as shown in the SDK for the glass material). With this setting, the windshield becomes transparent as it should be and the diffuse map, that also contains an alpha channel mask, can be barely seen in the windshield to produce the "simulated reflection" effect we want to create. Unfortunately, with this setting, the windshield rain effect (UV mapped on channel 2 of the geometry) disappears completely.
The bottom line is this: When we make the material transparent, the rain effect disappears. When we make the material opaque, the rain effect is displayed normally but the windshield stays opaque.
Are we missing something?
Why is the material Framebuffer Blend set to "Default Opaque" in your example when glass should be transparent?
How should the maps be organized/set in the material parameter editor for a transparent windshield with a "simulated reflection" from the diffuse map in addition to the animated rain effect (similar to what can be seen in the VC of the stock Mooney Bravo in P3Dv4.2)?
The procedures described in the SDK are incomplete because they don't show the upper part of the material parameter editor so we cannot see how the maps are organized. Would it be possible to show the entire content and all the settings in the material parameter editor for a transparent (glass) windshield material with a diffuse map "reflection" and a rain effect (Mooney_Bravo)?
As always, thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter and for adding this exciting new feature to P3D!
Best regards,
-Alain