Reflection quality/resolution for trackside object

[Paprika]

I've been trying to get a glass surface above the pitlane to reflect objects around (opposing) it.
I've set up static mapper and it works, but the reflection quality is beyond poor.
On the debug sphere it looks perfect, but when projected onto the glass (or any other) surface, it all looks horrible. Is there anything that can be done about this on my side?

Basically, what i'm getting is this:

while sort of what I'd like to achieve is this (same track, different sim):

 

[redapg]

@Paprika Do you have the "Static Live Mapper" activated in the Material and are the Objects, that you want to reflect, listed in the Static Mapper Section of the scn File, like:
IncludeIns=ObjectABC
IncludeIns=ObjectXYZ
?

EDIT Do the Spheres and the Glas use the exact same Shader, Shader Settings and Textures?

 

[Paprika]

@Paprika Do you have the "Static Live Mapper" activated in the Material and are the Objects, that you want to reflect, listed in the Static Mapper Section of the scn File, like:
IncludeIns=ObjectABC
IncludeIns=ObjectXYZ
?

EDIT Do the Spheres and the Glas use the exact same Shader, Shader Settings and Textures?

Static mapper is set up, objects are included and it does capture roughly what I intended, but this is the case with all mappers. In the pics above, i've set up the test plane just to experiment. All mappers show (ref, static1, static2), but they're all low res. As for the sphere, it's the ingame debug thingie. I presumed it just renders the cubemap onto that sphere.
Also, the test plane, as the sphere, do seem to both have full reflectiveness, but reflection resolution differs.

 

[redapg]

I will make a Test....

 

[Paprika]

Thank you so much. I've hit the wall, I have no more ideas left to try.

 

[redapg]

It seems as if it can be improved by the Size of the Mesh.
I have tested with a 1 Poly Mesh.
With a "long" Mesh, it looks blurry and the "shorter" the Mesh is, the sharper is the Reflection (below Screenshots).
I don't know the Poly-Structure of the Glas that you use.
Can you show the Wireframe of it?

 

[Paprika]

Thanks! It turns out there are two separate things at play here. Stretching of the reflection does seem to be caused by poor topology (some extremely long and extremely narrow polys), but mesh complexity itself did not make a difference with reflection quality. It's still like it's using, i don't know, 3rd or 4th mipmap. On your pics reflections do seem more clear, but these are smaller surfaces and mapper itself is probably a bit closer to what it's sampling How does your test plane reflection compare to nicest of the the debug sphere ones?

And thanks for all the effort, it's much appreciated!

 

[redapg]

@Paprika I normally don't work much with Tracks, so my Knowledge/Experience with these is a bit limited.
I was curious and did make a Test on Loch Drummond, where i created a Glas Object with more Polys and the Static01 Reflection Sharpness looks better.
But the Reflection is much too big (right green Arrow) and it moves with the Car, which should not be the Case, if i understand "Static" correctly.
But i edited the scn File Entries several Times, so i maybe have corrupted something.
I will test, with Beginning with original Values, Tomorrow again.

 

[redapg]

@Paprika I can not find a Solution to create a Reflection on Glas, like you show it in the below Screenshot.

@Alex Sawczuk and @Coutie is there any Way, to create a static Reflection on Glas, like it is shown in the below Screenshot?

 

[Coutie]

I'll let the other Alex respond since tracks are his thing.

 

[redapg]

@Paprika The below Video shows what i can get as Best.
I use the Windscreen Outside Shader and REFMAP0 as Reflection Mapper.
Maybe you can use that as a temporary Solution until something Better gets suggested.

 

[Paprika]

Oh, that's significant info on my initial problem. Windscreen shader is something I've yet to try.
It looks way better than anything I've managed to achieve so far. I will be trying it as soon as i get back from work. Thanks!
As for the mapper functionality, i doubt with static ones we could achieve the reflection as in the picture, apart from specific viewing angles it's set up for. Correct me if I'm wrong.
And please, do correct me whenever I'm wrong

Thanks!

 

[redapg]

@Paprika rFactor 2 has some Limitations and also a Lack of official Information, so that it sometimes is very Time consuming to find working Solutions, if there are some at all.
In this Case, the Combination of the Windscreen Outside Shader with the Refmap0 Mapper seems to give "the best" Result.
Maybe @Alex Sawczuk , if he has some Time, can shed some Light here.

 

[Paprika]

it sometimes is very Time consuming to find working Solutions, if there are some at all.

Honestly. seeking such solutions and ultimately finding them is a big part of what is fun for me and drives me forward
I truly enjoy constructively using things the way they're not meant to. And your solution is just that. Thank you!
I will report back a bit later with results.

Also, you got me thinking there, i believe it might be possible (probably not on the user side alone) to introduce a mapper, let's call it REFMAP1, which could be exactly the same as the first one, only instead of being attached to the car, it's attached to the camera.

EDIT: Or simply a condition which would attach the mapper to the car for onboard cameras and to the camera for trackside ones.

 

[redapg]

@Paprika We just would need a Mapper that works like a real Mirror and a Shader that handles it in that Way.

 

[Paprika]

That's so much better. Thank you!
In no way perfect, but I guess shape and orientation of the surface itself don't help. It'll do it. Lightyears better than anything I've achieved on my own.
I've tried using the windscreen shader with static mapper intended for this bit, but that just instantly disables all reflections and remains so until i reload the track.

 

[redapg]

That's so much better. Thank you!
In no way perfect, but I guess shape and orientation of the surface itself don't help. It'll do it. Lightyears better than anything I've achieved on my own.
I've tried using the windscreen shader with static mapper intended for this bit, but that just instantly disables all reflections and remains so until i reload the track.

As said, maybe @Alex Sawczuk will give some Info. (hopefully )
I didn't test the Windscreen Shader with the Static01 Mapper, but with a simple Cube Map T1 Shader, the Reflection was moving along with the moving Car, which made it totally useless.

 

[redapg]

@Paprika I forgot: on your Screenshot it looks like a Mirror.
When you use the original Texture and reduce the Cube Blend Percentage, it will more look like it looks on the Screenshot from the other Sim (more natural).
Do you know how to use the Web Browser based rFactor 2 Material Editor?

 

[Paprika]

@Paprika Do you know how to use the Web Browser based rFactor 2 Material Editor?

I thought I did, but when you put it that way, I can't help but feel I'm missing something important.
What setting exactly do you mean when you say cube blend percentage?
Also, couldn't reduce specular blend for the windscreen shader for some reason.

 

[redapg]

I thought I did, but when you put it that way, I can't help but feel I'm missing something important.
What setting exactly do you mean when you say cube blend percentage?
Also, couldn't reduce specular blend for the windscreen shader for some reason.

Sorry, my Fault.
I use 3DS Max to set these Things and now i have seen, that, if you use the Web Browser Material Editor and the Windscreenoutside Shader, that there is no Slider to adjust the Cube Blend Percentage.
What do you use when you change or modify Materials, do you maybe have 3DSimEd?