Joining cube & cylinder - seams

I've read through as many threads on the topic of "seams" as I could find, but will take one last shot. I like to build with curves. I have a build where I am joining a basic wall (cube at .5) to a hollowed cylindar at 90% and 3/4 cut. No matter what I do I end up with just a fraction of offset on one prim that causes huge seam flashing when panned at a distance. Up close it is fine - zoom out and flashes like no tomorrow. The textures are the same on all sides - a light colored texture. I've tried using an alpha, still flashes. I know there is a trick for settings in my graphics card, but that doesn't help because this a retail product for sale. My research has revealed that Prim Docker and other scripted tools will still not overcome the issue of cube meets cylindar.

There seems to be no math that will solve the problem - I've increased size by 1, adjusted x/y values by fractions...

Do I just need to learn to live the flashing at distant zooms? Should I just get over it?

Is 42 really the meaning of life?

/frustrated builder rant

Yes, 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything. But you already knew that.

I have a very similar seam problem. I'm hoping can post a helpful answer here soon.

That problem drove me crazy for a long time. It is only apparent when viewing from a distance and seems to be a result of rounding when the postion / size of the adjoining prims is calculated for display. I usually manage to minimise the effect with texturing, as it is usually an outside wall try appying the wall texture to the entire prim, then drop the interior one on afterwards. Usually works for me.

Already done that, I've got the same texture on all sides of the prim.

You're dealing with a "Level of detail" change in how the cut cylinder is depicted from far away. The precision of the cuts goes bad at a distance, and in fact the cylinder isn't even 'round' at a distance!

The only idea I can offer you is to alter the cuts on the cylinder so it actually overlaps into the cube slightly. Make the interior angle slightly less than 90 degrees. Then, as LOD changes, it may make the error the other direction, and selm not to have gap-osis.

Thanks, Ceera. I'd kind-of come to that same conclusion. The only answer seems to be to use the rounding error as a feature. By pulling the cylindar out a bit and increasing my cuts so that they go into the wall, it makes for a different countour of the wall but one that can be dismissed as the ever-popular "architectural interest."

Now, I only need to be able to get back onto the grid to start playing with the idea.

Hi,

What you've described shouldn't really cause "huge seam flashing".

Are you in Windlight?

Is your 'Object mesh detail' in preferences set to medium?.

I've just recreated what you described above and I have no seam problems at all.

After trying WindLight, I think I see the problem now. It seems to stand out more because of WindLight's higher contrast. The probem is caused by the shading.

So I fixed it by using a tapered cube. Like so:

Best diagram ever.

I concur.. didn't even notice the monkey until just now too XD

This has all been very interesting. Did you consider the easy approach? Cover the seam with some sort of trim or other geegaw, such as a tall skinny monkey?

lee

I find that tinting the ends where they meet helps to minimize the visible seam. Usually making those inner faces a bit darker than the outer ones. (For the regular viewer anyway. I have the vanishing object bug in WL and don't use it).

It helps in WL too ^_^

Another trick is to use tubes instead of cylinders. They are much more LOD stable and keep their round form even when viewed from a big distance ...

Forget cylinders ... use tubes whenever you can

and yes ... building with round forms is inviting the devil to your sandbox ...