Enviroment / Sky Textures

I am quite perplexed at trying to use any of the described methods for Environment Map/Sky textures, etc; from your documentation. Granted I really do not have previous experience in this area of blender; which is likely exponentially increasing my errors.

So far I am come to understand that you can use a map image to create a scene background (A world); and I have done this in many other software tiles using panoramic 360 images downloaded from a variety of places on the web. (HDR images, jpegs, etc.)

Also through your description here: https://www.blend4web.com/doc/en/textures.html#index-9

I realized that I should be able to render objects into a world environment to add realist reflections of all objects into one another.

Where I think I am getting stuck, is that When I try to use the "Environment Map" option in the "World > Textures": I don't understand how to load an image as an Environment map. If I were to choose "Image or Movie" instead; there would be a dialog below to "Open" an image. This is not the case when choosing "Environment Map" as the option.

Also I am unclear as to what the format should be to correctly load an image as an Environment map. In your example I linked above; it seems that the environment is layered out as 6 separate images tiled together. I am not sure whether Blender can take a simple 360 image and generate these images; or perhaps if it needs to already be split up and tiled before loading it (which seems a bit tedious and daunting for such a routine setting.)

It would be very helpful to me, and perhaps others as well; to see an example file(s) that demonstrate the various Sky / Environment options. Specifically for me; I am looking to reflect a background image into a variety of Matcap materials on various objects. Also I would like to create a object rendered environment for realistic reflection from object to > object. But one step at a time . . .

Please demystify us!

One other thought; I also would like to know how to use an environment as a mirror reflection into object materials; without showing the environment in the background.

I began to wonder: is this supposed to be done through Blender Render "nodes"?

I have only been attempting to use the options that show up in the Properties panels.

I realized that I should be able to render objects into a world environment to add realist reflections of all objects into one another.

Yes this is possible, but only for planar reflections. Dynamic cubemap reflections are not supported. I'd recommend you to use static cubemaps for your model.

Please find the working examples of environment map setup in this thread. They are done using nodes, but nodeless setup is possible too - please look at the apple model in our free SDK.

Where I think I am getting stuck, is that When I try to use the "Environment Map" option in the "World > Textures": I don't understand how to load an image as an Environment map. If I were to choose "Image or Movie" instead; there would be a dialog below to "Open" an image. This is not the case when choosing "Environment Map" as the option.

The reason is that you should switch to image file mode.

Also I am unclear as to what the format should be to correctly load an image as an Environment map. In your example I linked above; it seems that the environment is layered out as 6 separate images tiled together. I am not sure whether Blender can take a simple 360 image and generate these images; or perhaps if it needs to already be split up and tiled before loading it (which seems a bit tedious and daunting for such a routine setting.)

Yeas with Blender its possible to bake such textures, the workflow is described here. There is also example how to bake them through Cycles renderer

Hope that helps, if not we'll be happy to answer deeper and in more detail

The object reflecting into another object is not all that important at the moment. Getting all (node) materials to reflect the same environment scene is my present goal. It has just turned into the new year here; and I will look at the links you gave in the morning. Thank you.

I think part of it is that there are son many options in Blender; that I get lost in trying different things and not really sure which combination of settings is actually right. I will try the image instead of "Environment Map"; though I am still unsure why there would be a "Environment Map" option at all without being able to load something as an environment map. It is also the way your documentation describes it.

I will try the image instead of "Environment Map"; though I am still unsure why there would be a "Environment Map" option at all without being able to load something as an environment map.

Pressing "Image file" button will reveal the interface for loading an image file.

Here is Blender doc

So I have been running some tests; and I am still a little short of success. I have gotten an image to pass through to the html file; despite having no feedback from Blender to show the environment effecting the scene. Though I am trying to figure out how to use "typical" equirectangular HDR images. I am finding the mapping is not correct; and assume it's because it need to be as your documentation shows with six tiled sides. I am unsure if there is an automated way to take a standard panoramic HDR image, and generate the correct ruling to work with Blend4web.

I really want to find the preferred way to use environment maps as additional reflections to mirro into madcap materials. Currently I had been rendering a custom madcap for every material using a environment map to render the matcap in Cycles. This is too time consuming; and generates varying results when doing it accross many materials. It would be best (for me) if the environment was used on all materials generating reflections from a single point and based on the same scale.

Would really love to see a complete workflow for creating the correct tiled image for a mirror map; starting with a generic equirectangular/panoramic HDR image. I would think others would find this helpful as well. Thanks for the help; and no worries if you can't produce an example straight away.

I also should point out that there may be some unintentional miscommunication when it comes to the various terms involved with Environment maps in Blender. When I said "mirror map" in the last post; I did not mean creating a map the renders reflections of object into each other; I simply meant a background image that reflects into all reflective objects/materials etc.

Perhaps the documentation should be reevaluated to ensure that the various terms are well defined. They seem to me to perhaps overlap when expounding on how to use these features, which becomes confusing. It seems hard to sort out which parts are supported or not supported in which case scenarios. Such as a simple sky background; verses a mirror map; or using one for both. Then add the possibility for a rendered mirror map which includes objects from the scene; and now there are three different sky types and each one has a huge number of possible variables in Blender (at least the options are in Blender; but still confusing to know what will be used or supported for export through blend4web.)

Sorry for the long winded post; but I hope this feedback can help sort ofut some of the possible confusion in the environment textures area.