ArmorPaint: Blending Mode Glitches In Lit Viewport

Encountering visual glitches can be frustrating, especially when they disrupt your workflow. This article addresses a specific issue in ArmorPaint where layers with certain blending modes don't render correctly in the lit viewport mode. We will explore the problem, its symptoms, and potential workarounds.

Issue Description: Blending Mode Problems in ArmorPaint's Lit Viewport

In ArmorPaint V1.0 alpha, users have reported that layers using specific blending modes such as subtract, burn, divide, saturation, or color exhibit visual artifacts in the lit viewport. This issue manifests as a residue or ghosting effect, particularly when the viewport is rotated. The problem appears to be linked to the rendering process in lit mode, as alternative viewing modes and certain viewport manipulations can temporarily resolve the issue.

When working with ArmorPaint, you might find yourself creating complex textures by layering different elements and using blending modes to achieve the desired effects. Blending modes control how a layer interacts with the layers beneath it, offering a wide range of creative possibilities. However, a glitch can occur where these blending modes don't display correctly under lit mode, which affects the real-time preview of your work. This can lead to inaccurate representations of your final texture, making it difficult to make informed decisions during the painting process.

The primary symptom of this issue is a visual residue or artifact that appears when you rotate the viewport with a layer set to one of the affected blending modes. For example, if you have a base layer and a second layer set to 'subtract' mode, rotating the viewport might leave behind a ghostly trail or incorrect blending of the two layers. This residue can be distracting and make it hard to accurately assess the textures you're creating. What makes the glitch particularly perplexing is its inconsistency; it seems to be triggered by specific actions like viewport rotation, and can sometimes be temporarily resolved by resizing or splitting the viewport.

The problem is further isolated to the 'lit' mode in ArmorPaint. The lit mode is crucial for understanding how your textures will interact with light in a 3D environment. However, the blending mode issues within this mode can significantly hinder your ability to create realistic and visually appealing textures. This means you might have to switch between different viewing modes to get an accurate representation of your textures, which can slow down your workflow and make the painting process less intuitive. The lit mode is essential for seeing how the textures will look with lighting applied, so this issue can be a major obstacle in achieving the desired visual effects.

Symptoms and Observations

Several key observations have been made regarding this issue:

• Blending Modes Affected: The issue primarily occurs with blending modes like subtract, burn, divide, saturation, and color.
• Viewport Rotation: Rotating the viewport seems to trigger or exacerbate the visual artifacts.
• Residue/Ghosting: The affected layers leave a residue or ghosting effect on the screen.
• Lit Mode Specific: The problem is specific to the lit mode in ArmorPaint.
• Temporary Solutions: Resizing or splitting the viewport can temporarily clear the residue.

The residue effect makes it difficult to accurately assess the textures you're creating, as the blending appears incorrect and inconsistent. This visual distortion can lead to misjudgments about color values, texture details, and overall appearance, undermining the precision and control that ArmorPaint is designed to offer. You might find yourself second-guessing your decisions and spending more time trying to correct the visual anomalies rather than focusing on the creative aspects of texturing.

The fact that this issue is specific to the 'lit' mode adds another layer of complexity. The lit mode is designed to simulate how textures will interact with light in a 3D environment, providing crucial visual feedback for creating realistic and visually compelling assets. However, the blending mode issues within this mode negate its benefits, as the inaccurate representation of textures undermines the ability to make informed decisions about lighting and shading. As a result, artists might be forced to switch between different viewing modes, which can disrupt their workflow and make the painting process less intuitive.

The temporary solutions that have been discovered, such as resizing or splitting the viewport, offer only partial relief from the issue. While these actions can temporarily clear the residue, they do not address the underlying problem. This means that the glitch is likely to reappear, potentially multiple times during a single texturing session. This intermittent nature of the issue can be frustrating and time-consuming, as artists are forced to repeatedly apply these workarounds to maintain a clear and accurate view of their textures.

Workarounds

While a permanent fix is pending, here are a few workarounds that users have found helpful:

1. Resize Viewport: Changing the size of the viewport can sometimes clear the visual residue.
2. Split Viewport: Splitting the viewport into multiple views can also resolve the issue.
3. Use a Different Mode: Switching to a non-lit mode can avoid the problem altogether, although this will not provide a lit preview.

Resizing the viewport is one of the simplest workarounds to try when you encounter the blending mode glitch in ArmorPaint. By simply adjusting the size of the viewport, you can sometimes force the program to redraw the affected layers, which can temporarily clear the visual residue or artifacts. This can be done by dragging the edges of the ArmorPaint window or by using the program's built-in viewport resizing options. Although this workaround is not a permanent solution, it can provide immediate relief and allow you to continue working without significant disruption.

Splitting the viewport is another effective workaround that has been reported by ArmorPaint users. By dividing the viewport into multiple views, you can isolate the affected layer and force the program to render it correctly. This can be particularly useful when you need to focus on a specific area of the texture or when you want to compare the blending mode effects in different contexts. Splitting the viewport can be done through ArmorPaint's interface, which allows you to create multiple views of the same scene. Each view can be independently manipulated, allowing you to examine the textures from different angles and with different settings. This workaround can provide a more stable and accurate representation of the blending mode effects, allowing you to make more informed decisions about your texturing.

Switching to a non-lit mode is a more drastic workaround that can be used when the blending mode issues in the lit viewport become too problematic. By temporarily disabling the lit mode, you can avoid the rendering glitches and focus on the underlying textures without the distraction of visual artifacts. While this workaround does not provide a lit preview of your textures, it can be useful for making adjustments to the base colors, details, and overall composition. Once you have made the necessary changes, you can switch back to the lit mode to see how the textures interact with light and make any further adjustments. This workaround can be particularly useful when you are working on complex textures with multiple layers and blending modes, as it allows you to focus on the individual elements without being hindered by the rendering issues in the lit mode.

Possible Causes

While the exact cause of this issue is unknown, it may be related to the way ArmorPaint handles blending modes in conjunction with the rendering pipeline in lit mode. It could be a driver-related issue, or a bug in the ArmorPaint rendering engine itself.

One potential cause could be related to the order in which ArmorPaint processes the layers and blending modes in the lit viewport. In a complex rendering pipeline, the order of operations can have a significant impact on the final output. If ArmorPaint is not correctly handling the blending modes in the correct sequence, it could lead to the visual artifacts that have been reported. This could be due to a bug in the rendering engine or an incompatibility between the blending mode algorithms and the lit rendering mode.

Another possible explanation is that the issue is related to the way ArmorPaint interacts with the graphics drivers on the user's system. Graphics drivers are responsible for translating the rendering commands from the software to the hardware, and any issues in this communication can lead to rendering glitches. It is possible that the blending mode calculations are not being correctly passed to the graphics card, resulting in the visual artifacts that have been observed. In this case, updating the graphics drivers or trying a different driver version might resolve the issue.

Finally, it is also possible that the issue is due to a bug in the ArmorPaint rendering engine itself. Software bugs are common in complex applications, and they can manifest in a variety of ways. If the blending mode calculations or the lit rendering mode have a flaw in their implementation, it could lead to the visual artifacts that have been reported. In this case, the only solution would be for the developers of ArmorPaint to identify and fix the bug in a future release.

Conclusion

The blending mode issue in ArmorPaint's lit viewport can be a significant obstacle for artists relying on accurate visual feedback. While waiting for a permanent solution, the workarounds mentioned above can help mitigate the problem. By understanding the symptoms and potential causes, users can better navigate this issue and maintain a productive workflow. For more information on 3D painting software and techniques, visit Adobe's Substance 3D Painter documentation.