tfTrace

tfTrace uses ray tracing (shot from the terrain grid (at 0.0 altitude) upwards, to bring 3D polygon geometry into the TerraformFX heightfield system.

Properties

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tfTrace User Interface (UI) settings.

Object

Drag and drop (or use the eye-dropper tool to select) the 3D polygon geometry into this field to incorporate it into the TerraformFX terrain.

The scene Platonic geometry (visible in the left-hand image), having been dropped into the Object field and the resulting terrain on the right.

Intersection Normal

Set as Back Only, by default, this defines whether tfTrace should trace or ignore a surface if the ray hits it from the front or the back, depending on the surface normal.

The alternative is Front Only.

tfTrace_Intersection Normal_v01.png

The two Intersection Normal options of Back Only (on the left) and Front Only (on the right).

Use Intersection

Set as Top, by default. this uses the multiple intersection points available in polygon geometry.

The other setting is Bottom.

tfTrace_Use Intersection_v02.png

Using the Intersecting Object, on the left, with Use Intersection set as Bottom, on the right.

tfTrace_Use Intersection_v01.png

Again, using the Intersecting Object, on the left, here with Use Intersection set as Top, on the right.

Edge Smoothing

Set as None, by default, this will give slightly smoother results when tracing more detailed polygon objects.

The alternatives are: 4x Oversampling and 8x Oversampling, which will both make results smoother with a corresponding effect in simulation speeds.

tfTrace_Edge Smoothing_v01.png

This terrain has a Tube embedded (on the left image), with Edge Smoothing set as None, on the right.

tfTrace_Edge Smoothing_v02.png

The same Tube is present here, with Edge Smoothing set as 4x Oversampling, on the right.

Elevate Only

Enabled, by default, this option will shoot rays from the terrain plane (zero altitude) upwards.

Effectively, having the option deactivated will trace geometry under and above the terrain, while activating it will only trace geometry above the terrain.

tfTrace_Elevate Only_v01.png

With Elevate Only enabled, above, and disabled in the right-hand image.

Export Vertexmap

Checking this box will place a vertex map tag on tfTerrain in the Objects Manager.

tfTrace_Vertex Map_v01.png

With Export Vertexmap enabled, the created vertex map on the right.

Add Object Layer

Clicking on this button will automatically create a material layer, containing an Advanced Terrain Shader with a minimal layer setup.

For further information on detailed customization, see the Advanced Terrain Shader page, at the link below.

Advanced Terrain Shader

Object Mask

tfTrace also provides a custom output map that can be inspected in the Preview tab, and in the Grid Monitor.

This can also be rendered with the Operator Shader.

The Object Mask map simply is white for grid points where the linked object could be traced; all other points are black.

tfTrace_Grid Monitor_v01.png

tfTrace Object Mask map.