Hey everyone.
I would like to know if its possible to achieve something like this in material editor if applied to a landscape.
It is fairly simple to achieve effect like this if using geometry with multiple layers like on a rug in the realistic rendering sample level. However duplicating landscape is not really an option, its just silly.
Any help and advice would be appreciated.
http://ravenger.home.xs4all.nl/img/grass.png
Hi Igor,
I really like your idea and do believe that what you are looking for is feasible, though it will certainly be a challenge to get the numbers right in the material editor you can use bumpoffset to help “lift” your material. Here is a link to the materials tutorial, hopefully you will find some more information there to help you on your way. Have a great day!
-Adam
Sorry for not being of any help but love to hear from you when you discover something that works ! Good luck !
Hi Adam,
As far as I am aware bump offset is not an option. Bumb offset is faking depth, however it cant fake the effect as if its actually 3D? I mean with this kind of grass I am after it would be really nice if it could actually mask objects, as if they are behind it. As you can see in the screenshots I have posted where grass masks away, animals and rocks. But with bump offset it will will look flat at steep angles.
After some extensive reading, as I understand I am after some form of fur like shader.
Bump offset is certainly not an option.
The technique you are looking for is shell texturing. There are a number of variations, but you should be able to adapt the basic technique to meet your needs.
I am however uncertain how feasible it would be to implement this on landscape, and without the custom material node, I suspect it may also prove very difficult to implement (if it can be implemented at all, I have not really looked into this yet).
Here’s the nvidia whitepaper:
If you do pursue it, I’d love to follow your progress in a thread on the forums - this kind of thing is always interesting 
Hi Igor,
I am happy to hear you may have your answer.
-Adam
