SSS skin material question

#1

Hello all.
Can you please help me to create a material that has an ambiance glow on it’s edges, but does not effect the entire model ?
Example : Yves P. created a ‘planet glow’ material which effects only the edge of the model vs. the entire model.
( I tried to open the planet glow material in the current version, but it gives me an error, and will not open.
I wanted to see how it was created so that I could create something similar. )

What I need is a material which changes the shadow areas of my model to simulate SSS.
I would think this could be done if the planet glow type of material could be reversed to glow inwards vs. outwards.

I tried the SSS technique using toon shading, but it doesn’t seem that realistic. ( In fact, I can’t even see if it is working or not.)
I must be doing it wrong.

I know that you can use ambiance decalling — and it really works nicely … but it only works for stills. Once the model or light source is changed, the SSS trick is lost.

Is anyone that uses A:M even interested in SSS, or am I the only one ?:shrug:

Pleas help - my project depends on this .
Thanks !

#2

Yves also wrote a Skin shader for A:M that fakes SSS. He posted it on the official Forum, and there is a link to download it:
http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7656&view=findpost&p=44824

#3

If I understand you correctly, you can create a simple edge gradient material which causes the edges of a model to have different attributes to the surfaces facing you.
Add a material, change the attribute to a gradient, set the edge gradient to a percentage(20 % is a good starting point) then set the edge attribute(I thinks it’s the bottom one, but it will be obvious) to ambience 30%(or whatever).

#4

John’s right about the edge gradient, but it is dependent on camera angle not light source so its kind of a weak hack if you want it to react to a light direction, but it does a nice job of faking back lighting. You can find an example of it in action here: Edge Gradient in action Thats one of the old Eggprops skin mats that Brian Prince made, it’s a bit more complex than a simple edge gradient (I believe it actually has several nested edge gradients in it along with different turbulences…), but its the same concept.

-Matt

#5

Thanks to everyone for the help. I will have time to review what is said here when the lightning storm passes.
I’d hate to fry my computer.
Thanks again.

#6

[QUOTE=zandoria]Yves also wrote a Skin shader for A:M that fakes SSS.

I envy people that can use both sides of their brains. I would love to be a math whiz, and an art whiz at the same time. Yves can do both very well.

I was in glee when I saw that this shader was available.

I must be doing something wrong though, since I can’t seem to make the ‘skin’ shader work.

I downloaded the file > placed it into my Hash ‘shaders’ file > Opened A:M and created a simple lathed model > Gave it a color ( light gray ) > scrolled down to ‘Diffuse Render Shader’ > scrolled down to ‘skin’ > Don’t see any change, so I place the model in a choreo. > still no change > Move the slider percentages at random and change the ‘blood color’ to something else like bright green while I bump the saturation strength to 100 % > still no change .

What did I forget to do to make it work ?

Thank you all so much. You guys are the best.

#7

Enable shaders in your Tools/options/Rendering

#8

I knew it felt like I was missing something. What confused me though is that the shaders allowed me to change their properties even though they were not enabled.

I have a new question for you folks now. : I was able to get the shader working, but I am only able to modify the properties in the Tools/Options box - not the Project Workspace. ( The properties can be modified there, but they do not change anything. To modify the setting and have them work I must go to Tools/Options. ) What am I doing wrong here ?

Yet another question : Can you assign a shader to just a group vs. the entire model ?
( My models eyes are displaying some wierdness to them and the ‘white of the eye’ turns a shade of blue )
BTW, the eyes have multiple decals ( color, bump, spec etc ) and a transparent ( 97% ) outer shell

Thanks for writing this shader Yves. I hope to put it to good use.
Thanks all

#9

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