View Full Version : Node Gradients outputting as a value

06-29-2006, 11:03 AM
I am trying to use a weight map through a gradient in the Transparency channel to reveal some lines. The effect works how I want it but the Parameter or the Shift Keys items do not have an 'E' beside them. (I want the transparency to change over time based on the weight map.

So I have been trying to use the new Nodes Edit System. It would work great except... the gradient only ever seems to output a "color" and not a value. This seems odd because gradients on every channel except color put out a value.

It seems that there should be a toggle to switch between color and value outputs or something. Then in the Node Editor there should be a green value that could be connected to one or more of the green input buttons.

Is there something I am missing? I have included an image to help explain things if my words are not conveying what I am thinking.


06-29-2006, 11:07 AM
So you just need to convert color2scalar. There should be a node for it under tools.

06-29-2006, 11:20 AM
I will try that, thanks.

But doesn't just offering to output as a value (as it does on most of the old Gradients) just make sense rather than forcing a separate color-to-value conversion? Just seems odd to do it that way.

06-29-2006, 04:52 PM
You can either plug color directly into a scalar dot (it will translate to luminance automatically) or use the alpha channel output of the gradient as a value channel, setting the keys' alpha values instead of their colors.