dzToon shader issues

WhiteFox

Last resort is posting here.

I found an issue with the default dzToon shader which I believe to be a bug. I have already been in touch with Tech support and their best suggestion was to post here.

 I've noticed that when I've applied the said shader to a model/figure the scene renders and there are no reflections of the serface that has the shader applied to it, much like a vampire has no reflection in a mirror.

If anyone else can/would care to reproduce this effect please do, and submit a bug report. I understand that not many people are using those shaders or 3Delight for that matter, but it would be nice to know I'm not the only one having this issue.

Scene set-up: Load figure (any), load environment (any with reflective surfaces like mirrors), apply dzToon shader (any of them) to figure, render in 3Delight (default or cartoon).

Lighting doesn't matter, it happens with or without lights in the scene, and the same goes for adding a camera.

You will notice the serface(s) with the applied dzToon shader will be missing in the 'mirrored' serface, and anything without the shader will show up.

Thank you for your time reading this,

-Charlie-

mikael-aronsson

Do you mean that you do not have reflections on the toon surface or do you mean that the toon surface does not show any reflection in other surfaces ?

I have not checked but the toon shaders are usually a simple diffuse shaders without any specularity or reflection available.

 

WhiteFox

mikael-aronsson said:

Do you mean that you do not have reflections on the toon surface or do you mean that the toon surface does not show any reflection in other surfaces ?

I have not checked but the toon shaders are usually a simple diffuse shaders without any specularity or reflection available.

 

I mean they don't show on other reflective surfaces like mirrors or window glass etc.

mikael-aronsson

As far as I understand from the documentation reflections should work ok as long as you don't use the toon shader on the actual mirror glass (the toon shader does not support reflections on the toon surface) so maybe a bug.

I guess you allready tried with messing around with the settings in the shader and I do assume you are using ray tracing for the reflections ?

 

WhiteFox

mikael-aronsson said:

As far as I understand from the documentation reflections should work ok as long as you don't use the toon shader on the actual mirror glass (the toon shader does not support reflections on the toon surface) so maybe a bug.

I guess you allready tried with messing around with the settings in the shader and I do assume you are using ray tracing for the reflections ?

 

Yes I am using ray tracing for the reflections. The only surface with the dzToon shader applied is the skin of the figure. Just to reiterate, I have gone through every available documentation made availabe by Daz3D, and have done extensive testing to correct this issue. I've tried different light sets including the default lights and many different product lights as well as 3rd party lights. I have tried several different cameras and cam settings. I had contacted tech support but since my first scene prop I asked for help with wasn't 'purchased' from Daz3D they won't assist me. I asked for them to load 'Any' prop/environment to see that it wasn't just the one I used in the beginning but it seems that is not an option or they aren't able to load sets into their computers IDK.

I've also had the same effect happen with primitives with the reflection at 100% and a figure standing in front of it and the dzToon shader applied to just part of the figure

WhiteFox

Well it would seem this is basically a dead issue (at least for nearly everyone but me)

I'd like to thank mikael-aronsson

for actually taking time to respond to this thread, and everyone that may have read it too.

Definately more reason for me to 'not' to come to this forum for any assistance.

Maybe if it was an Iray issue I could have actually had some help.

mikael-aronsson

I think there are not many people using the dzToon shaders any more, so not easy to get any help with it.

But you could fake the toon shaders with the "Shader mixer" with a little experimation (use illumination instead of diffuse), there are also some toon bricks in the shader mixer that could work, could be one way to get around the problem.

 

WhiteFox

mikael-aronsson said:

I think there are not many people using the dzToon shaders any more, so not easy to get any help with it.

But you could fake the toon shaders with the "Shader mixer" with a little experimation (use illumination instead of diffuse), there are also some toon bricks in the shader mixer that could work, could be one way to get around the problem.

 

The best Work around I've actually found is to make 2 identical renders and layer them in my post work program (i.e. The Gimp) but the bad part is that sometimes just 1 render might take 15+ hours, so to have to do that twice (30+ hours) puts any hope of making deadlines impossible.

 I'd like to thank you again for your taking the time to consider helping with this matter.

 

djigneo

From your description, it sounds like a bug based on the other surfaces reflecting but the toon shader not. As far as tech support goes, I can only commiserate, as I have reported fairly clear-cut bugs and still had to debate the existence.

You might try posting this question in the 3Delight laboratory thread, as there are several users knowledgeable about 3Delight and shaders monitoring that one and perhaps someone may lend some insight.

As @mikael-aronsson mentioned, it's probably better to just not use the Toon shaders. DZ Default shader with Diffuse off and Ambient on should get you fairly close, hopefully, depending on what you're after.