Polyboarding technique

Gokudomatic

HiI'm busy trying to make lightning and laser effects. And so far I found that the usual way is with the polyboarding technique.I see how to make faces with InstantGeometry, but polyboards have faces that are always  facing the camera (or so I understood). Does someone know how to implement polyboards in Godot?Or is there another easier way to make laser and lightning effects in Godot?

Megalomaniak

I'm pretty sure there's billboard options either on meshinstance object or the material settings, either way you should be able to locate them through the inspector.

Gokudomatic

There's a billboard option, indeed, but its behavior is unknown to me.Custom mesh without billboard:[img width=760 height=441]http://storage9.static.itmages.com/i/16/0518/h_1463565553_9200289_87da18e4ac.png[/img]with billboard:[img width=760 height=441]http://storage2.static.itmages.com/i/16/0518/h_1463565634_8839051_e9a8990f89.png[/img]This is not polyboard (for what I know). The mesh shouldn't move. Only the texture should face the camera.Anyway, I could find some kind of laser effect with particles, but only for the moment (because it looks cheap and bad quality).

Gokudomatic

In fact, I wonder what is really the polyboard. Maybe a simple texture with alpha and double side option set on a group of quads would do the trick.

Megalomaniak

[quote author=Gokudomatic link=topic=15510.msg16321#msg16321 date=1463565885]This is not polyboard (for what I know). The mesh shouldn't move. Only the texture should face the camera.[/quote]I agree, that shouldn't be happening, interesting though since I've recently used a billboard myself and it worked fine. :-\

Gokudomatic

maybe should I post my code. But it has to wait a bit. I'm on my way to Japan for a few weeks  ::)

Megalomaniak

[quote author=Gokudomatic link=topic=15510.msg16344#msg16344 date=1463743387]maybe should I post my code. [/quote]That would enable the rest of us to try and debug your specific situation, so indeed.[quote author=Gokudomatic link=topic=15510.msg16344#msg16344 date=1463743387]But it has to wait a bit. I'm on my way to Japan for a few weeks  ::)[/quote]Have fun! We'll be here when you get back.edit:After some testing the normal billboard works, the 'Billboard Y' setting seems to be doing nothing. Likely a missing feature. Will report the issue. edit2: never-mind. already reported all over the issue tracker.