Make Non-Color output socket available
I think the Color / Non-Color Data options could make much more sense if they are both available as sockets only as you might use both at the same time and it can save you from having repeated textures nodes just for that. The attached shot shows first how you would normally do and then how it could be. Another benefit would be not having to switch any texture to non-color as only the base color texture use the color mode.
11 Comments
I like the idea of a socket for color and one for non color, its handy to be able to output a color image for base color and a grey scale version for something else without having to duplicate a node.
Maybe, why not, an option on every color ouputed node to tobble RGB outputs (instead of needing to ad a separate RGB). Alos, when using a texture with alpha, we need a way to be able get the correct colors (without alpha) and still have the alpha output working (currently if you set to not use alpha, the alpha output gets blank).
@-L0Lock-: I am a bit lost with what you are trying to explain. My proposal is just about having the other option available so you don't have to duplicate nodes and it saves you from having a different option selected for non-color data.
I wonder if it might be better to have a separate node for color space conversions? It wouldn't reduce the number of nodes, but it would have more utility.
The only minor tweak I would make to your suggestion is, non-color should have a yellow node connector, since it's RGB data.
@Josephbburg: Yes you are right about the node socket color. Not entirely sure of that use you mention. What's the difference between being a different node rather than a simple output in the same node?
@Josephbburg: AFAIK the matter here is that "color" is gamma corrected, while "data" is not. So, a separate node for color space conversion already exists: it's the gamma node: you can set it to 1/2.2 (0.45) and get the linear values that the "non-color" mode provides
@: Thanks for the info. I guess the data socket output is just to save you from having to add more nodes or duplicating nodes.
@Josephbburg: I think the Non-Color output node should be of type vector. If all three channels are needed, it is mostly as normal map, and having a color-output for non-color data, doesn't really make sense.
@: Be careful with wording here. Colour space conversions cannot be done with a gamma node. Gamma is one part of a colour space, but for sRGB, the curve isn't even a simple function, but a composite of two functions. Having proper colour space conversions would be awesome, but that is a bit of a different issue to this.
@christopher.cook: Thanks for clarifying it. In all honesty the purpose of this proposal as you are saying is much simpler.
@christopher.cook: your right: I worded the answer after the question, though. Noneless it's not "color space" it's just gamma