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Sony PSX Materials and Attributes


This chapter outlines briefly the procedure for exporting objects, textures, and animation to the Sony PlayStation platform. It also describes the parameters and attributes you'll use to define materials for the SonyPSX render domain. In the last section of this chapter, we'll create an object, define a Sony PSX domain material, attribute the object, then preview it on the PSX.


The SonyPSX Domain

Materials and Inheritance

Materials are groups of attributes which determine the appearance of an object in a rendered scene. In N·World, materials are separate data structures, which you must associate with objects using the Nichimen Browser. This system provides for enhanced flexibility, since you can define a single material and apply it to many objects. In object based systems, you must redefine object attributes for each object in a scene.

Materials can be assigned to an entire object or to a selected face part of an object (a face part is a collection of faces from the object). Materials you want to use with the PlayStation must be defined in the SonyPSX render domain. This domain has several properties and unique parameters, which you control with the Attributes Editor menus.

The method for creating materials is no different for the SonyPSX domain than for any other domain. To learn how to create materials, as well as how to specify attribute inheritance from one material to another, see the N-World Attributes Editor User's Guide. The section "Previewing Attributed Objects," on page 2-2 illustrates how to create, attribute, and display an object specifically on the PlayStation.

The Attributes Editor

You define materials using the Attributes Editor. To launch the Attributes Editor, (CLICK-L) on the Attributes button in the config bar.

Figure 7.1 The Attributes Editor menu for the SonyPSX render domain.

`SonyPSX Domain Defaults

(Click-L) on the Prefs button to define a number of settings for the SonyPSX domain.

Figure 7.2 SonyPSX domain preferences

Map Directory

The default directory from which maps are read.

Max World Coords

Scaling factor used when converting the floating point coordinate values (used to represent objects in N-World) to a fixed point coordinate value on the PlayStation. A higher value means your objects will appear smaller on the PlayStation, while a lower value means your objects will appear larger.

The LISP formula used to convert the floating point value to a fixed point value is as follows:

(round (* 32768 (/ number *max-coord-value*)))

This takes the floating point value passed, divides it by the max-coord-value, then multiplies it by 32768, and finally rounds it to an integer. (The max-coord-value variable is the Max World Coords value specified.)

So, for example, if we passed a floating point value of 1.0, and had specified a Max World Coords of 1000, we'd get the following calculation:

(round (* 32768 (/ 1.0 1000)))

which would return:

32

FTP

When you preview objects and animations on the PlayStation, the data are FTP'd to a PC host which is in turn connected to the playstation. Before you can use PlayStation Express, you need to be sure that you have an FTP account on the appropriate PC. You can specify default hostnames, usernames, and passwords to use during the FTP login.

Save Preferences/Done & Abort


SonyPSX Attributes

SonyPSX Attributes are divided into two sections:, Shader and Texture. Shader parameters control how the shader renders the scene, while Texture parameters control how texture maps are applied to objects in a scene.

Shader Attributes

Color

Default: White

The color attribute is used for two purposes in the SonyPSX render domain:

If you apply a map over an object or part that has a color other than white, the appearance of that map is altered. For example, if you apply a red brick texture onto a yellow cube, the bricks would take on a yellowish hue (how yellow depends on the RGB value of the yellow assigned to the cube).

Light Calc?

Default: Yes

Determines whether to calculate the effect of any lights in the scene.

Facing Control

Default: Front

Omit Face?

Default: No

Smooth Shade?

Default: No

The smooth shade parameter selects either "color by vertex" or "color by face." (Figure 7.3)

Figure 7.3 Color by vertex vs. color by face

Preshade

Default: Yes

Texture Parameters

Texture Map

Default: None

Specify the pathname for the texture map to be applied to the face, part, or body. The application of texture maps through mappers is described in more detail in the Attributes Editor User's Guide.

The size and number of texture maps which can be sent to the PlayStation are limited only by the texture map memory available.

ABE

Default: No

Enable half-transparent drawing mode. When ABE is selected, you can specify a model with which to mix surface and background colors.


SonyPSX Domain Commands

Revert

Redisplay

Redisplay the scene on the SGI.

Preview

Preview the current scene on the PlayStation.



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