Modelling a tree using sprites

[andy4729]

Hi there,

I'm having a bit of a problem modelling a tree. I'm trying to do it using 'sprites' for branches. So I've got a texture of a brance with an alpha channel on a flat plane and them duplicate it loads.

Problem is, once I've put the model into source the texture only shows on one side of the plane which obviously looks crap. Any ideas on how I can get the texture to show on both sides?

I'm using Maya btw.

Thanks

[MrTwoVideoCards]

$nocull 1 in the vmt

[andy4729]

Excellent. Thank you! I was hoping there'd be an easy solution like this

[Stormy]

This does raise a good point though, all the valve tree models are nocull models using alpha mapped planes. Sprites are cheaper to render and they don't look particularly bad. Have any games or mods tried using Sprites for leaves? I'd like to see how it went.

[Jordash]

I think he means planes, how could you see the opposite side of a sprite?

They hunger for HL1 used sprites in trees, but it isn't the most advanced approach these days

[Sgt Frag]

Oblivion used particle (sprite) trees and we used them some in The Dark Mod too (Doom3 Thief total conversion).

They can look really good as they give a tree top a very round bushy look that is hard to do without tons on planes.

They can look pretty bad too, as the particles always face the player. If you stand really close, look at the leaves and spin your view, the leaves spin with you. Kaliedescope effect. I still think the look pretty good overall, it's just discerning mostly while screwing around spinning looking right at the leaves.
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I've gotten to the point where I just prefer to clone the leaf planes and flip normals and combine them with the model.

That's what nocull does anyway. But using nocull gives you an 'artificial' tri count. You see 1400 tris in 3d program, but in game it's really 2400 tris. If you just build them yourself you know exactly what you have.