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swim-pool surface tiles (20090601) + Gunmod's PS2 pool mod floor tiles (all game version compatible)

by niol Posted 1st Sep 2006 at 7:03 AM - Updated 14th Jul 2009 at 6:21 AM by niol
 
35 Comments / Replies (Who?) - 34 Feedback Posts
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Mad Poster
Original Poster
#26 Old 23rd Oct 2007 at 4:39 PM
#27 Old 13th Jul 2009 at 7:38 PM
This stuff looks interesting. I`ve already downloaded the file you posted here tagged for me personally, and noticed that it had already been downloaded SIX TIMES!

Now, what else ought I to download, and what should I do with it all?

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Mad Poster
Original Poster
#28 Old 14th Jul 2009 at 6:05 AM
Quote: Originally posted by GeneralOperationsDirector
This stuff looks interesting. I`ve already downloaded the file you posted here tagged for me personally, and noticed that it had already been downloaded SIX TIMES!

Now, what else ought I to download, and what should I do with it all?


GeneralOperationsDirector,

Intro:

There're 3 types of pool surfaces for different HW specs setup.

1. the high end pool water surface that is checked by "useHWShader2Path"
So in the mod "Moi_matShad_pool_useHWShader2Path-no-EP5-EP8-SPMG.package", the shader2path is enervated.
In this case (the TS2 pool shader), EP4 or lower hasn't the "useHWShader2Path" enabled, so there's no testing mod for EP lower than EP5.
This is the pool surface with all the mirrory reflection and wavy animations.

2. the HLSL pool surface is enabled since the base game. It is responsible to draw the wavy pool surface.

3. the final fall-back pool surface, just plain with no animation but just a colour tint for a plain surface.


My Response to your message:

1. May choose the appropriate version for the latest/newest/highest game version you're running in your PC. Say, if you've a game copy of EP7and 5 and 2, then you may choose a version that supports EP7.

2. As for "Moi_matShad_pool_useHWShaderPaths-HLSL-no-EP0-EP8-SPMG.package", This one will even disable the HLSL wavy surface of the swim-pool (the second pool surface type mentioned above) leaving only the last fall-back function to draw the pool surface. It's for all game versions.

3. just test with "Moi_matShad_pool_useHWShader2Path-no-EP5-EP8-SPMG.package" first to see the problem persists.

4. If the problem remains, then try "Moi_matShad_pool_useHWShaderPaths-HLSL-no-EP0-EP8-SPMG.package".

For these tests, you just have to report whether which works for you.
Also, please report back the flash colour of your original problem coz that helps indicate where the problem may be at.




All,

Note all these extra infos are also for someone who may be of any interest.
Anyway, anyone who has graphical problems with the swim-pool can try the packages to see which may relieve their shader pain for the swim-pool.
#29 Old 14th Jul 2009 at 8:13 PM
As noted in the other thread you directed me to, my pool doesn`t flash, as such. It just displays weirdly when the shaders are on. Herein please find two images, one taken with shaders off, and one with shaders on. Please note also that the pool displays with OTHER weird colors at other times, depending on such odd things as the presence on-screen of the cheat console and/or pie menus, and the location of the mouse-pointer. I apologize for posting the pictures as an archive, but the files were too large for me to attach as images.

Oddly enough, on this lot, the fish in the ponds will not show even with shaders ON, although they work fine in ponds on other lots, and one lot shows either [the fish in the tank] OR [the swimming pool] just fine. [Brackets to note that I`m not talking about fish in the swimming pool! ] I cannot confirm this at this time, but I seem unable to display fish in ponds on lots that contain swimming pools, but I AM able to display fish in tanks on lots that contain swimming pools, and I AM able to display fish in ponds on lots that do not contain swimming pools. Do you need clarification or further information?

I`m still not clear on what the download tagged specifically for me was expected to do for me, or for you.
Attached files:
File Type: zip  ShaderPics.Zip (2.37 MB, 43 downloads)
Description: Images of Shader Issues for niol to review.

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Mad Poster
Original Poster
#30 Old 15th Jul 2009 at 6:21 AM
No, you did it right to attach your images as attachments instead of images coz I can't view them as image but archives indeed.


According to the shader on screenshot,
1. you seem to have magenta flash on the swim-pool floor. Such colouration is an indication of graphical incompatibility between the codes and hardware or among broken codes, or similar situations.
2. you seem to have blue flash on the swim-pool wall. such colouration is for missing references for texture.

At least, now I know the problem seems to be related to the floor shaders and the wall shaders and probably the pool shader.

Since EP5, my normal unmodded setting lost the pool caustics animation which I can re-gain it back by modding the related.

Anyway, have you tried the suggested test mod in the caustics thread to see if any of it eliminate one of the problem shown in your screenshot?

I'll have to dig into the floor and wall shaders to release some test versions to see which may help you.

It's a really a pain to look at such kind of swim-pool when the shader is on.

Please post other screen-shots about your graphical problems when the shaders are on if any more. I wanna see more if any more.

Oh anyway, when will you post the requested lots as well. I hope this is not to be forgotten.

No, I made the test versions for you or others who may have such related problem. I need none of them personally.

I guess I understand your talking about fish in pond not showing in a particular lot. The depth of a pond can play a role. A deeper one should be more likely to show fishes when the video card can already support the fish shader.
#31 Old 15th Jul 2009 at 6:26 PM
Re the image files: I`m glad I did it that way, then.

Re the flashing: ...except it doesn`t FLASH. It stays that color steady, unless *I* do something to change it, including those apparently-unrelated actions I mentioned previously.

Re the test mod: No, I haven`t tried it yet; I only play once a day [for hours], and the household I played yesterday doesn`t have a pool. Also, I`m not sure just what file you were wanting me to test. The one I`ve already downloaded was the one here that *was* tagged specifically for me, not from the caustics thread. ::confused::

Re additional screen-captures: Will do.

Re the requested lots: They`re ready; all I have to do is archive them and upload them to the appropriate thread. Thanks for reminding me.

Re the fish in ponds: I *think* that the pond on that lot is deep enough; I`m pretty sure I saw fish in the water on that lot on my previous computer, before it died. I know that the pond contains fish because my Sims have caught fish there! What gets me is that I can see pond-fish on some lots, but not on other lots. The only correlation I can see is that the fish that are invisible even WITH shaders are on a lot with a swimming pool. When I play that family again next month, I`ll have to buy them a fish TANK, just to see if I can see THOSE fish on that lot.

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Mad Poster
Original Poster
#32 Old 17th Jul 2009 at 6:21 AM
GeneralOperationsDirector,

Based on the shader codes, there's no indication that the swim-pool rendering has anything to do with the fish material shader functions. I never mean there's no conflict in-between the hard codes when worked with your HW specs and your game version though.

For the present, may just forget about pool surface shader mods posted in this thread.
May just jump to the caustics post coz most of the problems I see out of your screenshots are more related to the caustics animation along with the walls and floors.
http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=179725

There I'll talk about how how to install and choose the suggested test packages.
Anyhow, I've already posted some wall shader mods to test out.
#33 Old 17th Jul 2009 at 8:14 PM
I just posted my system specs here. You might find some relavent information.

Something that *may* be relavent, or may not be. Have you played NightLife, with the standard DownTown? Do you know the huge mansion next door to the graveyard? With my old computer, I had frequent crashes while playing that lot, UNLESS I turned my graphics settings *way* down first. With my new computer, I don`t have to turn them down ANY to play that lot without crashing. Still, I could display tank fish, pond fish, and swimming pools without any problem on the old computer, but my new one has issues. ::shrug::

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Mad Poster
Original Poster
#34 Old 13th Feb 2010 at 8:41 AM Last edited by niol : 19th Feb 2010 at 10:52 AM.
Quote: Originally posted by TigerSoundNet

But, please, how can we change the swimming pool's water color, top and bottom?

... Jim ...


The swimmming pool is rendered by the pool shader mostly.
The water surface codes, water depth layers codes, parts of the caustics animation codes are in pool shader.

To alter the the pool surface tint is more or less the same as the terrain water as found in this series of mods in this thread.
But, one has to mod the pool shader instead.
Surely, SimPE is assumed to be the tool here.
Codes are posted @ SimsWiki
http://www.sims2wiki.info/wiki.php?...Talk:ShaderPool

There're 3 pass Fn for the pool water surface to run under different video card specifications.
Quote: Originally posted by site 1
...
### For the basic fallback pool water surface def,

define SimplifiedWaterSurface()
pass -fixedFunction
alphaBlend srcFactor(srcAlpha) add dstFactor(invSrcAlpha)
depthTest true -enableDepthWrite false
colorScalar (0.2,0.3,1.0) 0.4
stage
textureBlend select(colorScalar) select(colorScalar)
end
end
enddef

### "colorScalar (0.2,0.3,1.0) 0.4" is where the coloration (RGBA) is defined.
...

Quote: Originally posted by site 2
...
### For both the RegularWavesHLSL() and HighEndWaterSurface(),

if (tsIsDay)
bindConstants 25 -bindingID immediateData -data (0.75, 0.75, 0.75, 1)
else
bindConstants 25 -bindingID immediateData -data (0.2, 0.2, 0.2, 1)
endif
### This bopolean switch affects the daytime and nighttime tunings on the water surfacr colorations. "tsIsDay" is the daytime switch.
...

Quote: Originally posted by site 3
...
const static float4 layerBlue={0.3, 0.7, 1.0, 1};
### This is a constant tint for basic core for both
...

Quote: Originally posted by site 4
...
### only for HighEndWaterSurface()
return saturate(vReflection + float4(0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.0) + pi.specular);
### This is the final line for the resultant pool surface coloration in the stated Fn().
...


It's recommended to export the pool shader out of the material.package file out of "material/material.package" to save a hassle to make a whole new pool shader file.
That is because SimPE needs a file reload for the new file to be read properly after inputing the corresponding IDs as shown in the beginning of the codes in the above linked wiki page.
Also, there are 2 material package files, ensure the material package file is not the one from the same subdirectory as the one of the wall.txt.

Option to edit:
One can use the SimPE text wrapper or load the exported text file in any text processors or HEX-editor to modify the codes.
Personally, I export the files by SimPE and load it with PSpad to edit.
Wordpad or notepad may have some hidden edittings which may interrupt the source codes in my personal experiences. SimPE is only for exportation and re-importation in my case.

For further info, may ask. I may answer when I happen to check in and notice the thread from my subscription list.

PS:
Quote: Originally posted by site 5
### The following is the coloration def. for the pool depth layers. poolLayerColour (R, G, B, Alpha transparency). The poolWaterLayer-0 holds only the invisible caustic generator material only for the caustic animations, so may ignore it for the present purpose of yours.

materialDefinition "poolWaterLayer-1"
setDefinition PoolDepthLayerMaterial
addParam poolLayerColour (0, 0.5, 1.0, 0.2)
end
materialDefinition "poolWaterLayer-2"
setDefinition PoolDepthLayerMaterial
addParam poolLayerColour (0, 0.5, 1.0, 0.2)
end
materialDefinition "poolWaterLayer-3"
setDefinition PoolDepthLayerMaterial
addParam poolLayerColour (0, 0.5, 1.0, 0.5)
end
Test Subject
#35 Old 30th Sep 2012 at 12:28 AM Last edited by ~x~Auron~x` : 30th Sep 2012 at 9:16 PM. Reason: typo
Default Above ground pools!
Now can make an above ground pool and hot tubs..

Explain to me... What is justice.. What is right.... ~ Someday -Kingdom Mix-
-------------
This conversation can serve no purpose anymore... Goodbye. ~ HAL 9000
Test Subject
#36 Old 20th Jul 2014 at 2:32 PM
How do I place them on surface of water they seem to only go to bottom of pool?
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