UltraScenery - new territory [Commercial]

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Comments

  • blosseblosse Posts: 46

    barbult said:

    blosse said:

    After a company goes out of business or moves to another place, "What's Left Behind".

    After so many renders in this thread, people still come up with something brand new! This is great. I like the way you used that toxic water. That is very timely here in Florida right now.
    Thank you barbult
  • sandmanmaxsandmanmax Posts: 992

    I just updated UltraScenery.  What version am I supposed to be seeing?  The UI still showing 1.3, the accelerator dll is dated 12/31/2020, and all the resource folders are dated 3/31/2020.  I thought I saw a while back that the version was supposed to be 1.3.1, before DAZ messed up the download files.  Are those not fixed yet??  Is this the correct version?

  • HowieFarkesHowieFarkes Posts: 606

    sandmanmax said:

    I just updated UltraScenery.  What version am I supposed to be seeing?  The UI still showing 1.3, the accelerator dll is dated 12/31/2020, and all the resource folders are dated 3/31/2020.  I thought I saw a while back that the version was supposed to be 1.3.1, before DAZ messed up the download files.  Are those not fixed yet??  Is this the correct version?

    I have no idea what the dates should be but the latest script version number is 1.3.2.2 and the accelerator is 1.0.1.2 - However sometime very soon there will soon be an update to the accelerator to 1.0.2.3
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,223
    @sandmanmax look in the lower right corner of the Build tab to see the UltraScenery version number details.
  • I just started with US and tried a picnic scene.
    But my first problem is, that the grass and flowers go through the picnic blanket and the genesis body.

    In another discussion https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/5464316/#Comment_5464316 they suggest either use InstaEdit or render two images, with and without grass and stitch them in Photoshop.

    I do not like the idea of the two-render-stitch solution. So I purchased InstaEdit and tried.
    It do what it promised, but the flower meadow from UltraScenery generates a mass of nodes. I limited it by only convert the instances overlapping with my picnic scene but even with that it generates 10-thousands of nodes.

    Is there any other possibility?
     

    daz-us-picnic.jpg
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  • sandmanmaxsandmanmax Posts: 992

    Oh cool!!  I'm good.  Off to render, hopefully something nice...

  • Hmm, my script version is 1.3.1 and accelerator is 1.0.1.2

  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,105

    HowieFarkes said:

    sandmanmax said:

    I just updated UltraScenery.  What version am I supposed to be seeing?  The UI still showing 1.3, the accelerator dll is dated 12/31/2020, and all the resource folders are dated 3/31/2020.  I thought I saw a while back that the version was supposed to be 1.3.1, before DAZ messed up the download files.  Are those not fixed yet??  Is this the correct version?

    I have no idea what the dates should be but the latest script version number is 1.3.2.2 and the accelerator is 1.0.1.2 - However sometime very soon there will soon be an update to the accelerator to 1.0.2.3

    Thank you Howie for the version numbers. I checked both of my computers and found both were out of date and my desktop had somehow downloaded through DAZ Connect, not through DIM. So I took remedial action to fix them. Found a few other products also, fixed them too. So I know I am now up to date for now.  

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,223

    krysis163 said:

    I just started with US and tried a picnic scene.
    But my first problem is, that the grass and flowers go through the picnic blanket and the genesis body.

    In another discussion https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/5464316/#Comment_5464316 they suggest either use InstaEdit or render two images, with and without grass and stitch them in Photoshop.

    I do not like the idea of the two-render-stitch solution. So I purchased InstaEdit and tried.
    It do what it promised, but the flower meadow from UltraScenery generates a mass of nodes. I limited it by only convert the instances overlapping with my picnic scene but even with that it generates 10-thousands of nodes.

    Is there any other possibility?
     

    @ krysis163 Yes, there is a much better option. What you need is a layer mask in the Build tab. The layer mask tells UltraScenery to NOT put any instances in the masked out area. What I would do is place the picnic blanket in the UltraScene and then view the scene with the built in Top View (not just looking top down from a perspective camera). Frame the scene so you see the entire terrain. Then take a screenshot of the terrain area. Then in an image editing program, make a mask with black where the blanket is, white every place else and a tiny bit of gray around the margin between the black and white. Crop the image to only include the entire UltraScenery terrain square. Save that image as a PNG or JPG file. Then in UltraScenery, load that mask image into every layer that you want to keep out of the blanket area (grass, trees, etc.).

    Return InstaEdit for a refund, if the only reason you bought it was to solve this problem. It has some bugs that were never fixed, and it is unsuitable for a large bunch of instances, as you discovered. Submit a help request to Sales Support to return it.

  • Mark_e593e0a5Mark_e593e0a5 Posts: 1,592

    The UltraScenery accelerator update just showed up in DIM. Afetr installation, UltraScenery shows script version 1.3.2.2 and accelerator version 1.0.2.3. 

  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,105

    Thank you @Mark_e593e0a5. Downloaded in DIM and version shows perfect in US build page.

  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,105
    edited April 2021

    To test the new install on my desktop I tried a render that came close to one that had previously locked up my computer. All went wonderfully, even with multiple test shots for lighting. First time using some of the birds I bought from HiveWire before it closed, and I hope I used them appropriately. 

    Sunrise Rest.png
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    Post edited by memcneil70 on
  • Doc AcmeDoc Acme Posts: 1,153

    DoctorJellybean said:

    Hmm, my script version is 1.3.1 and accelerator is 1.0.1.2

    Thats what my panel shows for the base script except after todays Accelorator update I've 1.0.2.3   Curious these other numbers folk are seeing.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,223

    Doc Acme said:

    DoctorJellybean said:

    Hmm, my script version is 1.3.1 and accelerator is 1.0.1.2

    Thats what my panel shows for the base script except after todays Accelorator update I've 1.0.2.3   Curious these other numbers folk are seeing.

    Then your Accelerator for UltraScenery product is up to date, but your basic UltraScenery - Realistic Landscape System product needs to be updated. Do you install with DIM?

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,223
    edited April 2021

    So, I tried a picnic scene. I ended up modifying my technique a bit. I made the layer mask a little larger than the actual picnic blanket, because at actual size, I was still getting some grass pokethrough at the edges. The grass clumps are rectangles of grass blades, so the ones adjacent ot the blanket would still overhang into it. After generating the UltraScene with the mask, I came back and manually added some extra grass clumps near the edge of the blanket to fill in the blank spaces in a way I could control.

    Picnic Under the Oaks

    Picnic under the oaks

    USC Picnic Oaks 2 Crossing Picnic.jpg
    2000 x 1500 - 2M
    Post edited by barbult on
  • dawnbladedawnblade Posts: 1,723

    barbult said:

    Doc Acme said:

    DoctorJellybean said:

    Hmm, my script version is 1.3.1 and accelerator is 1.0.1.2

    Thats what my panel shows for the base script except after todays Accelorator update I've 1.0.2.3   Curious these other numbers folk are seeing.

    Then your Accelerator for UltraScenery product is up to date, but your basic UltraScenery - Realistic Landscape System product needs to be updated. Do you install with DIM?

     And if by DIM, try sorting by package date instead of order date etc. The USC update should appear at or near the top of the list.

  • blosseblosse Posts: 46

    barbult said:

    So, I tried a picnic scene. I ended up modifying my technique a bit. I made the layer mask a little larger than the actual picnic blanket, because at actual size, I was still getting some grass pokethrough at the edges. The grass clumps are rectangles of grass blades, so the ones adjacent ot the blanket would still overhang into it. After generating the UltraScene with the mask, I came back and manually added some extra grass clumps near the edge of the blanket to fill in the blank spaces in a way I could control.

    Picnic Under the Oaks

    Picnic under the oaks

    Nice picture, great example of using a layer mask.

  • barbult said:

    Doc Acme said:

    DoctorJellybean said:

    Hmm, my script version is 1.3.1 and accelerator is 1.0.1.2

    Thats what my panel shows for the base script except after todays Accelorator update I've 1.0.2.3   Curious these other numbers folk are seeing.

    Then your Accelerator for UltraScenery product is up to date, but your basic UltraScenery - Realistic Landscape System product needs to be updated. Do you install with DIM?

    Yes, no updates were showing.

    So I uninstalled UltraScenery - Realistic Landscape System and deleted it in DIM, downloaded and installed the file showing on the Ready To Download tab, and it's now up to date.

  • davesodaveso Posts: 6,962

    memcneil70 said:

    To test the new install on my desktop I tried a render that came close to one that had previously locked up my computer. All went wonderfully, even with multiple test shots for lighting. First time using some of the birds I bought from HiveWire before it closed, and I hope I used them appropriately. 

    the birds are at Rendo now.  

  • RGcincyRGcincy Posts: 2,834

    barbult said:

    Picnic Under the Oaks

    Picnic under the oaks

    You are so creative with this product. Another great scene and technique to follow. 

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,223
    edited April 2021

    I haven't done an Australia Botanica UltraScene for a while, so here's a new one. I added the foreground tree prop and positioned the Koala in it. That is immensly easier that trying to position an animal in an invisible tree instance!

    Koala

     

    Koala in Tree USC Australian Bush.jpg
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    Post edited by barbult on
  • AnEye4ArtAnEye4Art Posts: 766
    edited April 2021

    Just playing with UltraScenery.

    BEAR.jpg
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    Post edited by Chohole on
  • Can I ask what you used for the splashes? Looks really effective.
  • AnEye4ArtAnEye4Art Posts: 766

    richardandtracy said:

    Can I ask what you used for the splashes? Looks really effective.

    I used the Photoshop splatter brush and one free water splash PNG from the internet.

  • Ahh. Post work. Thanks.

    I've ruined more pictures that way than I've improved. I shall avoid until I can grow more skilled.

    Regards,

    Richard

  • alexhcowleyalexhcowley Posts: 2,383

    barbult said:

    I haven't done an Australia Botanica UltraScene for a while, so here's a new one. I added the foreground tree prop and positioned the Koala in it. That is immensly easier that trying to position an animal in an invisible tree instance!

    Koala

     

    All together now: aawwwww!  Isn't he cuuuute. 

    Cheers,

    Alex. 

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,223
    edited April 2021

    I ran into a strange problem with UltraScenery that I had never seen before. I was using the timeline to do an animated dForce simulation. At the end of the simulation, I decided to add an UltraScene for background. I was on the frame at the end of my dForce animation when I ran UltraScenery. The preview texture looked fine in the viewport, but when I rendered, the terrain shaders didn't look right. The ground was completely black and the dirt track paths were tiled. So I ran a few other experiments, and I see that if I run UltraScenery in any timeline frame other than frame 0, the terrain shaders don't render correctly. Luckily I later discovered that if I just save that scene and reopen it, it renders correctly.

    This is what the terrain looked like when I ran UltraScenery in frame 10 (top view, vegetation layers hidden to show the terrain)

    So, just be aware of this issue, and how to work around it by saving and reopening, in case you ever run into this.

    USC Bridge 1 Grassland 3 built in timeline frame 10.jpg
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    Post edited by barbult on
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,223
    edited April 2021

    Here is Aiko 7 on the platform of Waterway 1 in Mossy Hollow 2.

    USC Aiko 7 PS.jpg
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    Post edited by barbult on
  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,105
    edited April 2021

    DIM has an update to UltraScenery - Landscape Features Volume 1 with a package date of 4/15/2021. Is this expected and okay to install?

    And now, UltraScenery - Features Volume 3 has an update in DIM. 

    Are these safe to download?

    Post edited by memcneil70 on
  • sandmanmaxsandmanmax Posts: 992
    edited April 2021

    I found an old render I did with Howie's Stoney Creek Sprucevale for Carrara. So I thought I give UltraScenery a whirl and see if I could come up with something close.  Here are the results.  The only thing I would want is to get the hills steeper and taller, but I think that's due to the internal maps on the Features so I'm not sure that's possible. Yeah, and there's too much fog....  but it's still a pine forest with a brook.. in DS...

    HF_Sprucevale Small.jpg
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    Spruce Valley Foggy.jpg
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    Post edited by sandmanmax on
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