SC2Mapster

Alright well this is my first tutorial so it might not be the best. I'm going to explain how to use the Render To Texture (RTT) feature in the cutscene editor .Render to Texture allows you to render the view of a camera onto a texture. This is useful for things such as television screens, mirrors, and other similar objects. This is a very simple tutorial though I recommend you have at least some background with the cutscene editor before attempting this.

First come to first we want to open up the cutscene editor. After doing this we want to make sure we have Campaign Mode enabled. To do this go to Render and find and make sure Campaign Mode is checked on.

Next we will add a model with the RTT Texture. In my example I will be using SMHyperionBridgeBriefingCenter coincidentally the same model blizzard uses in their example picture.Once you add this you'll want to make sure you can see it so make sure it's facing you, you'll know by the gray siding otherwise it will seem like nothing is there.

Now you'll want to add a camera for this. Unfortunately we cannot use just any cameras. We must use cameras inside of models. Such as the cameras in several of the SM sets and portraits. I recommend using the Test Camera model. While you won't be able to see this model which makes it a pain to see where it's pointing, however once the RTT channel is setup you should be able to get it pointing at the place you want fairly simply.

Finally we will add a RTT node. To do so go to Object then Add Node and select Render To Target (RTT) I know it doesn't say Render to Texture don't question it.

Finally we need to set the RTT Channel ,by left clicking on the added RTT node, to Channel to 0, which I've found to be the most common channel used. Only channels 0 to 6 are usable. Finally set the camera, by right clicking the RTT node, to the Test Camera we added earlier.

Congratulations! it should now be working, if it is not then reread and find your mistake. Now you can reposition Test Camera to where you want it to be pointing and your now done setting up RTT.

Thanks to Zolden & DrSuperEvil for discovering how this method works. This method is currently the only applicable way to use RTT outside of the Cutscene Editor. This will be something very similar but it won't work as nicely as Method 1 and to my knowledge you must import Zolden's RTT Model attached below. Now for the tutorial.

This method is very easy if you have a semi decent understanding of the data editor. If you do you can probably do the next step more efficiently and easier.

Data Editor - Model Tab

• Find the Marine model.
  • Edit the (Basic) Art: Model to be your imported model stated above and attached below. Then place the "Marine" on the map with several other units.
    This could really be any unit but to make things easy this is the unit I chose.

Trigger Editor

• Create a new Trigger and name it RTT.
  • Add the Event - Map Initialization.
  • Add an Action - Set Camera Channel
    • Modify the CameraUnit to be one of your placed marines.
    • Modify the Camera Name and select Choose Camera From Model and select SC2Camera001.
    • Modify the Aspect Ratio to be 1.

@JacktheArcher: Go

It may be a lieelt bit offtopic, but still: do you know how to make dialog or dialog item translate RTT chanel? There is a trigger for it, but looks like something else should be done besides, to see the picture from camera.

@willuwontu: Go

If you followed the tutorial or understand the left mouse click function then you should be fine. I mean it's border self explanatory, but I'll add in more information later.

@Zolden: Go

No I unfortunately do not work well with triggers in general. Though assuming you set it between 0 and 6 its a feasible idea. I'm just not sure how you'd link it with a camera.

@DrSuperEvil: Go

Define real time use?

You can use this in the editor, but is there any way to make it so that the render-to-texture works in-game? I've tried and all that happens is the screen stays blank with the default static look.

For those who want to use this in game and don't know how, I post an example map, which I created with DrSuperEvil's assistance.

There is an imported model ch1.m3, which includes a model camera and a mesh with RTT channel 1 on material's emissive layer (that's why the picture from camera is a bit brighter than it would be if I activate rtt channel on diffuse layer).

I used this model as marine's model, and set one of the marine's camera to channel one by a trigger. So all marines become something like teletubbies, but without a colorful monster around the screen.

@Zolden: Go

Updated to include your discovery.

@willuwontu: Go

1. why would you need 14? 2. There aren't even 14 usable RTT channels.

@willuwontu: Go

There are a total of 7 nodes, numbered 0 to 6.

@willuwontu: Go

The trigger we set camera to channel with is player specific. For example, we set camera A to channel 1 for player 1, and camera B to channel 1 for player 2. How will this work? I think, players will see picture from different cameras on the same unit.

"Use RTT for dialog" trigger doesn't have player specificity, but we can create a dialog per player. In case we ever realize how to make dialog show the picture from camera.

There are 7 channels, but they seem to use different picture quility. In max, where you define RTT for a layer, each channel has quality characteristic: 1 - high, 2, 3 - medium, and so on. But even high quality channel 1 doesn't show skybox and some actors. For example, in some tests channel 1 show doodads, in others - doesn't. And I never saw it shows launch/impact visuals.

Yeah if it was possible to RTT on a dialog item I could totally add picture in picture to my overlay map... that would be amazing.

How do you modify the RTT channel of the screen that you're R]rendering to? I can't seem to find it.

I made a pretty mickey-mouse PiP setup using just the units since I couldn't figure out how to get RTT to work with dialogs. Here is a video.

Quote from Spoolofwhool: Go

How do you modify the RTT channel of the screen that you're rendering to?

It's a property of material layer of the model. We can define it in art tools. Art tools will be released with hots.