|
How Does It Work?
The Cache component has no visual function. It saves the current texture value so if more than one component is linked to it, it will evaluate more quickly. Other than comparing the
speed of the texture, there is no way to tell if this component is working properly. This feature is for advanced users only.
There are a few rules you must follow in order for this component to work properly. First, you must make sure that the transforms of all parent components that are linked to the Cache
component are identical. Also, if there are any Deform components between this component and the root, they all must be set up identically.
If there are any differences, the Cache will actually be causing a speed penalty instead of speeding up your texture!
Hints!
 Cache works well when you have several shading attributes that are
based off a single texture pattern. A good method of doing this is to cache a bump or percent version of your base pattern and then use either Elevation Gradient or Mask Gradient to re-color your base pattern. Figure F1 (right) shows an example. Here, Diffuse, Alpha,
Luminosity, and Surface Color are all based off of a single base pattern which is cached using the Cache component. With the Cache there, the base subtree is only sampled once per pixel. Without it, the
subtree would be sampled four times per pixel. This can be significant if you have a slow base pattern.
|
