Env Tab ‐ Environment Settings - ApertureViewer/Aperture-Viewer GitHub Wiki

The Environment Tab (labeled "Evn") in the Aperture Phototools Suite (APS) is your primary control center for managing the visual aspects of the in-world environment. This includes selecting and customizing sky presets (Windlights/EEs), water settings, applying quick PBR environment presets, and diving deep into detailed atmospheric effects, cloud rendering, celestial body appearance, and water properties.

Main Environment Controls

At the top of the Environment tab, you'll find general controls for managing environment presets and quick settings.

Environment Settings Panel

This small panel at the very top allows you to filter the preset lists.

  • Only My Settings (show_my_settings_checkbox):
    • Function: When checked, the "Sky" and "Water" preset dropdown lists below will only display environment settings (Windlights/EEs and Water Presets) that are located in your personal settings folder (i.e., presets you have created or saved). This hides the default/shared presets that come with the viewer.
    • Purpose: This helps declutter the preset lists, making it easier to find and manage your custom environment settings, especially if you create many of your own.

    • [!NOTE]

    This feature was added because the default list of environment presets can be overwhelming and distracting for users who primarily use their own creations.

Sky & Water Presets Panel (P_WL_Sky_Water)

This panel allows you to quickly select and cycle through available Sky (Windlight/EE) and Water presets.

  • Sky (WLPresetsCombo):
    • Function: A dropdown menu to select an active Sky preset (Windlight/EE). You can type to search for a preset name.
    • Cycling Buttons (WLPrevPreset, WLNextPreset): Use the left and right arrow buttons to cycle through the available Sky presets in the list.
  • Water (WaterPresetsCombo):
    • Function: A dropdown menu to select an active Water preset. You can type to search for a preset name.
    • Cycling Buttons (WWPrevPreset, WWNextPreset): Use the left and right arrow buttons to cycle through the available Water presets in the list.

[!TIP] The current method of finding specific Sky/Water presets via the combobox can be inefficient if you have many presets. Future improvements to preset management, including the ability to save new Sky/Water presets directly from this panel and import EEs/Windlights, are planned for a future update.

Quick PBR Environment Panel (P_Q_Windlights)

This section provides one-click buttons to apply pre-configured, PBR-enabled environment settings that represent common times of day. These are custom to Aperture Viewer.

  • Sunrise: Sets the environment to sunrise lighting conditions, PBR enabled.
  • Noon: Adjusts lighting to simulate the brightness of midday, PBR enabled.
  • Sunset: Applies sunset lighting for warm, golden hues, PBR enabled.
  • Midnight: Switches to nighttime settings for low-light environments, PBR enabled.

[!IMPORTANT] Unlike many other viewers where only "Noon" might be fully PBR-enabled by default, all these quick presets in Aperture are specifically designed and saved with PBR compatibility (Reflection Probe HDR set to 1.0 in their definitions).

Create Environment Presets Panel (P_WL_Presets)

This panel allows you to revert to shared settings or create new presets based on currently loaded individual Sky or Water settings (not the full E).

  • Shared Environment: Reverts to the region's defined shared environment settings. The PBR status will depend on the region's own settings.
  • No Light:
    • Function: Turns off all global illumination (sun/moon and ambient sky light), plunging the scene into darkness.
    • Purpose: Extremely useful for creators working with local lights (point lights, projectors) as it allows you to see the precise effect of your lighting setup without interference from environmental light.

    • [!NOTE]

    Currently, this setting might not fully blacken water surfaces if viewed from near the ground. This is a known issue planned for a fix in an upcoming release.

  • New Sky Preset: Opens the "Sky Presets" floater, allowing you to save the currently active sky settings as a new preset in your inventory.
  • New Water Preset: Opens the "Water Presets" floater, allowing you to save the currently active water settings as a new preset in your inventory.

Detailed Environment Editing Sub-Tabs

Below the main controls, a nested tab container provides access to detailed editing for various components of the environment.

1. Atmosphere Sub-Tab (panel_ap_settings_sky_atmos)

This sub-tab allows fine-grained control over atmospheric colors and haze effects.

Atmospheric Colors Panel (P_Atmos_Settings)

  • Ambient Color (ambient_light): Sets the overall ambient light color of the scene. Its influence is somewhat different in a PBR context compared to legacy rendering but still plays a role.
  • Blue Horizon (blue_horizon): Defines the color of the horizon where the sky meets the ground, specifically the blue tones.
  • Blue Density (blue_density): Controls the intensity and saturation of the blue hues in the sky, affecting how deep or pale the sky appears.

Atmosphere Settings Panel (P_Atmosphere_OtherSettings)

  • Haze Horizon (haze_horizon): Determines the altitude at which atmospheric haze begins to become prominent.
  • Haze Density (haze_density): Controls the thickness or opaqueness of the atmospheric haze.
  • Density Multiplier (density_multip): Scales the overall density of the atmosphere, affecting how clear or obscured distant objects appear. Can create effects from crystal clear to sandstorm-like.
  • Distance Multiplier (distance_multip): Adjusts the distance from the camera at which atmospheric haze effects start to become noticeable.
  • Maximum Altitude (max_alt): Sets the effective "ceiling" of the skybox, influencing how high atmospheric effects extend.
  • Brightness (scene_gamma): The legacy exposure setting for the environment.
  • Refl Probe (HDR) (probe_ambiance):
    • Function: This is a critical setting for PBR. It controls the intensity of the environment light captured by reflection probes. A value of 1.0 (or higher) generally enables HDR lighting contribution from the sky to reflections. A value of 0 disables this specific HDR contribution.
    • Impact: Affects how realistically the sky and ambient light illuminate reflective PBR surfaces.

    • [!IMPORTANT]

    This setting is key for PBR environments. The quick PBR presets (Sunrise, Noon, etc.) have this set appropriately to 1.0 or a similar value ensuring PBR compatibility.

Rainbow and Halo Settings Panel (P_Rainbow_OtherSettings)

These settings control less commonly used atmospheric optical effects.

  • Moisture Level (moisture_level): Influences the appearance of rainbows.
  • Droplet Radius (droplet_radius): Affects the characteristics of rainbows and halos.
  • Ice Level (ice_level): Influences the appearance of ice crystal halos (e.g., sun dogs).

[!NOTE] While present, these settings might not produce highly impactful or realistic visual effects in the current implementation.

2. Clouds Sub-Tab (panel_ap_settings_sky_clouds)

This sub-tab is dedicated to customizing the appearance and behavior of clouds.

  • Cloud Color (cloud_color): Sets the base color of the clouds.

    • [!NOTE]

    Currently, the cloud color itself does not directly influence the color of light cast by the environment. This is a potential area for future enhancement to allow colored clouds to tint the ambient light.

  • Cloud Cover (cloud_coverage): Controls the overall amount of the sky covered by clouds, from clear to overcast.
  • Cloud Scale (cloud_scale): Adjusts the apparent size of the cloud formations.
  • Cloud Variance (cloud_variance): Modifies the variation and randomness in cloud shapes and density, affecting the blend between the two underlying cloud textures used by the system.
  • Cloud Density (X, Y, D sliders):
    • X & Y: Adjust the horizontal (X, Y) position of the cloud texture layer responsible for overall density.
    • D (Density): Controls the thickness/opacity of individual cloud puffs within this layer.
  • Cloud Detail (X, Y, D sliders):
    • X & Y: Adjust the horizontal (X, Y) position of the cloud texture layer responsible for finer details.
    • D (Density): Controls the prominence of these finer details.
  • Cloud Scroll (cloud_scroll_xy, cloud_map):
    • Cloud Scroll XY (Vector Pad): Sets the speed and direction (X and Y axes) at which the cloud textures scroll across the sky, simulating wind.
    • Cloud Image (cloud_map - Texture Picker): Allows you to select a custom texture to be used for the clouds. This enables creative effects, such as using a starfield texture to simulate a moving galaxy.

    • [!TIP]

    There can sometimes be a delay or need to switch environments for a newly selected Cloud Image to update visually. If your custom cloud texture doesn't appear immediately, try reloading the environment preset or temporarily switching to another and back.

3. Sun & Moon Sub-Tab (panel_ap_settings_sky_hbodies)

This sub-tab provides controls for the appearance and positioning of the Sun and Moon.

Sun & Moon Color Panel (P_SM_Color)

  • Sun & Moon Color (sun_moon_color): Sets a global tint for both the sun and moon celestial bodies.

Sun & Stars Settings Panel (P_Sun_Setting)

  • Show Beacon (sunbeacon): Toggles a visual marker in the sky indicating the Sun's current position. Useful for locating the sun, especially when it's below the horizon or obscured.
  • Sun Image (sun_image - Texture Picker): Allows you to select a custom texture for the Sun's disc.
  • Glow Focus (glow_focus): Adjusts the concentration or spread of the glow effect around the Sun.
  • Glow Size (glow_size): Controls the overall size of the Sun's glow.
  • Star Brightness (star_brightness):
    • Function: Controls the brightness of Aperture Viewer's exclusive procedural starfield. This system replaces the legacy star rendering.
    • Details: The procedural starfield aims for a more realistic depiction of a night sky as seen from Earth.

    • [!NOTE]

    The current procedural starfield implementation is a baseline. Future updates will introduce more tunable parameters for the starfield, such as star size, density, and galaxy appearance. The star size currently scales with screen resolution for consistent appearance in snapshots.

  • Scale (sun_scale): Adjusts the apparent size of the Sun's disc in the sky.
  • Azimuth (sun_azimuth): Controls the Sun's horizontal position in the sky (0-359.99 degrees).
  • Elevation (sun_elevation): Controls the Sun's vertical position in the sky.

    • [!TIP]

    The range and behavior of the Sun Elevation slider have been made more intuitive in Aperture compared to some legacy viewers. 90 degrees is directly overhead, and negative values allow the sun to go below the horizon on one side, while values above 90 (up to 185) allow it to dip below the horizon on the opposite side after passing overhead.

Moon Settings Panel (P_Moon_Setting)

  • Show Beacon (moonbeacon): Toggles a visual marker for the Moon's current position.
  • Moon Image (moon_image - Texture Picker): Allows selecting a custom texture for the Moon.
  • Scale (moon_scale): Adjusts the apparent size of the Moon's disc.
  • Brightness (moon_brightness): Controls the brightness of the Moon's disc.
  • Azimuth (moon_azimuth): Controls the Moon's horizontal position.
  • Elevation (moon_elevation): Controls the Moon's vertical position.

[!IMPORTANT] While you can have both the Sun and Moon visible in the sky simultaneously, currently only one celestial body (typically the one higher in the sky or as defined by the day cycle logic) acts as the primary light source for the environment at any given time. You cannot yet have dual sun/moon lighting.

4. Water Sub-Tab (panel_ap_settings_water)

This sub-tab offers detailed controls for customizing the appearance of water surfaces.

Fog Panel (P_Wave_Fog, P_Wave_Fog_2)

These settings control the color and density of the water volume and its surface properties.

  • Water Fog Color (water_fog_color): Sets the color of the water itself (the tint of its volume). If set to black or very dark with low density, water can appear very clear.
  • Normal Map (water_normal_map - Texture Picker): Selects the texture used to simulate waves and ripples on the water surface. This texture dictates how light reflects and refracts. True normal maps work best.
  • Density Exponent (water_fog_density): Controls how quickly the water fog becomes opaque with depth.
  • Underwater Modifier (water_underwater_mod): Adjusts the visual properties when the camera is submerged.
  • Fresnel Scale (water_fresnel_scale): Affects the reflectivity of water based on the viewing angle (Fresnel effect).
  • Fresnel Offset (water_fresnel_offset): Further adjusts the Fresnel effect.

Wave Panel (P_Water_Wave)

Controls for the two wave layers that create the illusion of water movement.

  • Large Wave Speed (water_wave1_xy - Vector Pad): Sets the speed and direction of the larger, underlying wave pattern.
  • Small Wave Speed (water_wave2_xy - Vector Pad): Sets the speed and direction of the smaller, more detailed wave pattern.
  • Reflection Wavelet Scale (X, Y, Z sliders: water_normal_scale_x/y/z): Adjusts the scale of the normal map's influence on reflections along the X, Y, and Z axes, affecting the perceived texture and disturbance of the water surface reflections.

Refraction Panel (P_Water_Reflection)

Controls how light bends (refracts) as it passes through the water surface.

  • Refract Above Scale (water_scale_above): Controls the amount of refraction seen on objects above the waterline when viewed from underwater.
  • Refract Scale (Below) (water_scale_below): Controls the amount of refraction seen on objects below the waterline when viewed from above water.
  • Blur Multiplier (water_blur_multip): Applies a blur effect to refracted light, which can simulate murky water or soften refraction artifacts.

[!NOTE] Some of these water settings are quite old and their precise interactions can be complex. Detailed explanations and best-use cases will be expanded as development continues and these settings are further reviewed.