Using PP2010.  I've made a Tshirt texture with a gold Star Wars logo on a black shirt.

Problem seems to be when I render the shirt the gold logo letters appear "faded" for some reason.
It looks nice and sharp on the preview screen before it's rendered, and the texture file itself also looks nice and sharp.  Any thoughts on what might be causing the logo to fade when rendered?

Thanks!

MM

Turn off texture filtering on the image map node holding the texture.

Some suggestions:

Texture filtering?  This should be off, always.  No exceptions, not ever.

Texture strength set below 100%?

Render settings (pixel samples/shading rate) not high enough quality? 

Texture map too low quality to render well?

Sorry, posted inbetween, thanks for the suggestions.....should I also turn off filtering in the Displacement image map as well?

Quote - No exceptions, not ever

I don't quite agree with that. I'd say 99% of the time is right. But texture filtering has a purpose even if it is rarely the best solution. Antialiasing a single texture is sometimes needed while the rest of the scene is fine. In such cases, you could decrease the min shading rate and increase pixel samples, but you're adding render time to the whole image when just one texture needs help.

I freely admit (and often am pained) by the fact that Poser's texture filtering is too aggressive. It would be great if it had a dial instead of just on or off.

In any case, try rendering a cloth pattern with many thousands of finely detailed features in it, such as a Glenn Plaid. Sometimes you would have to go to a min shading rate that effectively sub-samples the whole scene at 64 x or worse in order to avoid aliasing. In such cases texture filtering solves the problem and keeps render times low.

See also: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?message_id=3486388&ebot_calc_page#message_3486388

On the displacement map, in addition to turning texturing off, open the texture manager for the image at the top of the node and make certain that the gamma correction setting is custom 1.  Also, the diffuse_value could be set lower, I suggest 0.8 for starters.

And, what is the texture resolution of your logo texture?

Thanks guys, much appreciate the help.......wonder why that is on by default to begin with?

Hi hborre, the resolution is 2000 x 2000....also "use gamma value from render settings" is ticked in the displacement node.

Quote - Sorry, posted inbetween, thanks for the suggestions.....should I also turn off filtering in the Displacement image map as well?

Probably. 99% of the time turn it off.

I'd have to see what the pattern is in the disp map to know if it matters.

There are several free scripts around that will turn it off for everything in the scene.

Here is one by svdl:

http://www.svdlinden.nl/webposerstuff/downloads/texturefilter.zip

Quote - Ok, looks like that did the trick, here's a render with filtering turned off on both image nodes.

Thanks guys, much appreciate the help.......wonder why that is on by default to begin with?

Hi hborre, the resolution is 2000 x 2000....also "use gamma value from render settings" is ticked in the displacement node.

Yes it is sharper, but now you have jaggies. The lines that are close to by not exactly vertical and horizontal look striped. This is precisely why you antialias.

I suspect you need to adjust your pixel samples (6) and min shading rate (.5 or lower).

Note: Asking the image size is pointless. If the logo covers 12 pixels, then it doesn't matter if the whole map is a million pixels wide - it's still a visual feature that is very low resolution.

Thanks for the link to the script BB

Hborre, the gamma correction settings in the render settings is 2.20.....I can change that to 1, is that what you mean by "custom 1" ?

In instances where a map is only conveying a data information, and not an actual image, you should scale the gamma correction setting to 1.  This does not inflate the data values for accurate surface detail texturing.  I have seen issues where a displacement map retaining the Use Gamma Values from Render Settings has caused the model to bloat upon rendering

Another sharpness tip - change the post filter size to 3 and set the type to sync.

@ BB - thanks for the tip re texture filtering.  Very useful to know. 

I'm wondering how these changes will affect the rest of the clothing and the figure itself. Will do a full render.

Thanks again for all the quick responses, much appreciated! ;-)

MM

BTW, I noticed in your render settings that you don't have Use Displacement maps and yet you mentioned using one in your material settings. If you are using a displacement map, you definitely need to check that box. I always keep it checked. Even if you don't have a displacement map in your scene it's not going to hurt anything but at least it's on if you do need it ;o).

Laurie

Good point Laurie, I hadn't noticed that before.  You would think poser's default settings would take some of this stuff into consideration. It seems to be a lot of "rule of thumb" stuff that should be included in the default settings.  Anyhow, thanks for the tip, as always I appreciate your input.

MM

One question.......when I check the "Use Displacement Maps" box, I need to put in a "Minimum Displacement Bounds" number....what should I set that to? It's currently at 0.00.

Thank you.

MM

Leave the global one at 0. Processing displacement bounds for everything is not necessary and makes the renderer consult extra polygons that might be displaced but aren't. Instead, set it on each individual actor.

Set it to the distance that you have configured the maximum displacement to be. For example, if you know that the biggest displacement on the t-shirt is .1 inch, then use .1 inch.

Duly noted, thanks BB, I'll experiment with some different figures and settings.

I've been turning off the texture filtering on all the image nodes for clothes.  I also did a couple of test renders and found that turning off texture filtering on hair gives the hair a sharper/clearer render as well.

What I'm not sure of is whether or not I should turn off texture filtering even on the transparency nodes that are associated with hair, skullcaps, etc..??

Quote - I've been turning off the texture filtering on all the image nodes for clothes.  I also did a couple of test renders and found that turning off texture filtering on hair gives the hair a sharper/clearer render as well.

What I'm not sure of is whether or not I should turn off texture filtering even on the transparency nodes that are associated with hair, skullcaps, etc..??

Going by BB's post on the subject earlier in the thread, I'd say yes, turn it off.

Hi SamTherapy, thanks for the reply, and you're right.  I did try a render of just one of the kids as a test today with all the texture filter settings of all the hair nodes turned off, and what a difference! Just so much more detailed looking, and I didn't see any glitches so I guess no harm done turning the filtering off on the transparency node as well.