This page contains notes specifically for DarkTree 2 users.

Reflectance Shading - When designing fully-shaded DarkTrees for use with SimbiontTS, do not use the following DarkTree Shader parameters:

  • diffuse function
  • specular function
  • anisotropy
  • anisotropic direction
  • clear coat thickness
  • clear coat smoothing.

    • These attributes are currently unsupported in SimbiontTS.

    Primitive Textures - As you've read in other sections of this guide (Tweaks and Primitives), primitive textures are single-type DarkTrees that can be automatically converted between color, percent, and bump types. When designing primitive textures in DarkTree, there are a few specific rules that need to be followed.  The first is that the tree should be a color type, that is, a color component should be in the root socket.  Because primitive textures need to be automatically converted between types, Tweaks must be set up in a certain way. Common component parameters can be Tweaked as you would normally. Color parameters, however, need to be treated specially. Instead of Tweaking them directly, they must be Tweaked via a Color Convert component. To Tweak a color parameter, first link it to a Color Convert (Process) component, and then Tweak the Background parameter of the Color Convert component.  What this does is allow the color texture to be converted to percent and bump types while keeping the color Tweak controls connected to and able to control the converted versions.  For the percent and bump versions of the texture, the color value (HSV) is used for the percent and bump levels.

    Above is a simple example of a correctly Tweaked primitive texture.  Note that the Low and High parameters of Plasma are each connected to a Color Convert component, which is then Tweaked.

    Surface Distance - Setup is critical for getting good results from textures that vary based on the surface's distance from the camera (ie. DarkTrees that use the Surface Distance component). With a complex texture, it can be difficult to correctly set the Near and Far threshold values by eye. As an aid to setup, a "calibration" texture can make the process much easier. Below is a screen shot of a recommended calibration texture.  It's simply a Surface Distance component with its Blend Function linked to a Gain generator which has its Gain parameter is set to 100%.

    Note that the texture has three distinct color regions.  Blue for points closer than the Near threshold, purple for points between the Near and Far thresholds, and red for points beyond the Far threshold.  Use this texture to set up the Near and Far threshold values in the Adjust tab.  Note that in order to be visible in the Surface Distance component preview, the Near and Far Distance parameters in the component have been changed from their 0% and 100% respective defaults.  This isn't necessary for the calibration texture. If you don't adjust these values, the component preview will only show the purple color, but the texture will work fine when used for calibration in the SimbiontTS properties dialog.

    Surface Up - When using the Surface Up component in DarkTrees for use with SimbiontTS, set the Pitch to 90.  This corrects for the difference in orientation between DarkTree (Up = y-axis) and trueSpace (Up = z-axis).

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