Deep Images

[hdarren]

I’m pretty interested in using Deep Images http://www.deepimg.com/ in some form to solve the Krakatoa compositing problem (ie. some particles in front of geometry, some partially behind). Do you guys have any experience with tools based on these ideas? What sort of support is out there in compositing packages like Nuke and Fusion?

What sort of techniques are you currently using with Krakatoa to handle aliasing around matte objects?

Has anyone had success with using the OccludedLayer render elements to deal with this?

[hdarren]

If I understand correctly, you propose using a series of float TexMaps to determine the cut off depths for rendering multiple images?

For example, putting a zdepth render for matte objects would create one image in front of the matte objects, and one image behind.

[hdarren]

I suppose my question is really: “Where should I look in the major compositing packages for stuff like this?”

[hdarren]

@Chad

This would be a dead simple means of making good composites. It only covers the cases of how you do Over type alpha compositing in cases where the object both occludes and is occluded by Krakatoa points. But that case comes up a LOT.

I’m definitely looking at this a solution to the compositing problem as opposed to relighting/shading in post. With the OccludedLayer render element, you get a background layer in addition to the beauty pass. Your suggestion would allow for more layers AND also allow for alternative geometry renderers (via custom TexMaps).

How were you handling these problems in the past? Did you create culling geometry from depth images and do multiple renders?