Billboard

This page uses sample data to describe basic settings for billboards.

What are billboards?

A billboard is a feature used to control the orientation of a polygon depending on the direction of the viewpoint (view direction).

They can be used to represent things like clouds and flames that have no fixed shape as well as things like trees.

For details on billboard types, click here.

Sample Configuration

This section describes how to actually set a billboard using the ToyPopUpBook sample data.

The following two methods have been prepared for configuring billboards.

Billboard Settings Using the CreativeStudio Model Properties Panel

This page describes how check and set billboards using the CreativeStudio model Properties panel.

Loading sample data

Use CreativeStudio to load the ToyPopupBook sample data prepared in the following folder.

" %NW4C_ROOT%/SampleData/Graphics/Intermediate/ManualResource/TutorialToyPopupBook/ToyPopupBook.cres "

In the loaded ToyPopUpBook sample, billboards have been configured as follows for given nodes.

NW4C Set Billboard Dialog Image 06

Checking Billboard Settings

Select Toy_PopUpBook displayed CreativeStudio Contents panel to open the model Properties panel.

The node configuration of the Toy_PopUpBook sample is shown under Skeleton on the model Properties panel.

For details on skeletons, click Here.

NW4C Set Billboard Dialog Image 07

In the case of the Toy_PopUpBook sample, billboards have been set for Tree1 and Apple1 through Apple5. You can select each node and check the type of billboard that has been set.

Configuring a new billboard

Billboards have not been set for Tree2 or Tree3 included in Toy_PopUpBook.

Here, we will set a Y-axis rotation billboard for Tree2.

Select the node Tree2 displayed under Skeleton in the model Properties panel.

NW4C Set Billboard Dialog Image 08

Select the Billboarding tab under Skeleton and select the radio button for the billboard to be set.

Select Y-axis rotation here.

This sets a Y-axis rotation billboard for Tree2.

Billboards other than Y-axis rotation billboards can be set using the same operation, making it easy to configure billboards suited to a given purpose.

Billboards can be checked by controlling the CreativeStudio Preview panel.

Billboard Settings Using a 3DCG Tool

This section describes how to set billboards using the Maya plug-in as an example of a 3DCG tool.

Loading sample data

Load the Toy_PopUpBook sample data prepared in the following folder into Maya.

" %NW4C_ROOT%/SampleData/Graphics/DccPlugin/Maya/ToyPopupBook/scenes/Toy_PopUpBook.ma "

In the loaded Toy_PopUpBook sample, billboards have been configured as follows for given nodes.

On the Maya menu, select NW4C > NW4C Set Billboard to open the NW4C Set Billboard dialog box.

NW4C Set Billboard Dialog Image 01

For details on the NW4C Set Billboard dialog box, see the Maya plug-in manual located in the folder given below. " %NW4C_ROOT%/documents/DccPlugin "


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