BOSS EXR Influences allow you to use EXR files to "paint" influences such as ripple generators and colliders for a water surface controlled by a BOSS solver. For example, you can use an animated texture to make raindrops.
For best results, follow these guidelines when creating EXR files:
- The image will be stretched to fit the simulated region in the scene's world X and Z axes, so the image aspect ratio should match the aspect ratio of the base mesh (for wave solvers) and the patch size (for spectral solvers).
- Use the R channel to define a mask for wave generation, where 1.0 represents the interior of the generator and 0.0 represents the background. Keep the outlines fairly crisp.
- Use the G channel to define a mask for wave collision in the same way.
To apply an influence to a solver, see Add and edit BOSS influences.
EXR File Attributes
- EXR Filename
- The path and file name of the EXR files.
You can use the tokens <project>, <scene>, <object>, <influence>, <frame>, and <f> for specifying folders and file names. You can also specify tokens using the csh style, for example, $frame.
- Time
- The time at which to evaluate to sample the mesh. Normally this is connected directly to the scene time.
Global Attributes
- Time
- The frame to read, if using an animated mesh with <frame> or <f> specified in the EXR Filename. Normally this is connected directly to the scene time.
- Time Offset
- An offset for the frame number to read, in case the frames of the scene and EXR sequences are not aligned.
Generator Attributes
- Generator
- Generates ripples around the influence.
- Amplitude
- A multiplier for the height of ripples generated.
- Generator Expand
- Amount to expand the region that generates ripples, in pixels based on the resolution of the solver.
- Generator Smooth
- The radius used to smooth the generator's outline after expanding, in pixels based on the resolution of the solver.
- Generator Offset X, Generator Offset Z
- Offsets the region that generates ripples along the world axes, in pixels based on the resolution of the solver.
Collider Attributes
- Collider
- Reflects waves that collide with the influence.
- Collider Shrink
- Amount to shrink the region that reflects waves, in pixels based on the resolution of the solver.
- Collider Smooth
- The radius used to smooth the collider's outline after shrinking, in pixels based on the resolution of the solver.
- Collider Offset X, Collider Offset Z
- Offsets the region that reflects waves along the world axes, in pixels based on the resolution of the solver.
Diagnostics
- Debug
- Sets the verbosity of messages printed in the
Output Window.
- 0 = No messages.
- 1 = Error messages only.
- 2 = Error and warning messages.
- 3 = Error, warning, and information messages.