How to Make REFLECTIVE ITEMS!

[SharpWind 228]

How to make reflective items??

In my previous tutorial, I showed you how to make flat square reflections, to make stuff reflect what's infront of them. It's achieved by using surfaces, cameras, the surface's texture property and of course, color and position adjustments. You can watch the tutorial here:

Spoiler

 

Now I wanna explain how to do that with ITEMS

We all know they aren't just square, but have an imperfect shape. Importing hundreds of surfaces is stupid and it will make you run out of memory and crash. There is a much simpler method.
The alpha "glitch" can be used to your advantage, if you know how it works! The lower the number, the sooner the object will render - Example: if there's a block A with the render depth of -3 and alpha 3% (semi-transparent), behind of which is a block B with a render depth of 2, and behind THAT block is a block C with a render repth of -5, the result will look somethnig like this:
the place where block A is is going to make the ground invisible (because the ground has the default render depth of 0, block A has a render depth of -3, so it rendered before the ground, therefore, we can see through it on the place where the block is), block B would be completely invisible, because it's render depth is on 2 and was rendered last, and we would be able to see block C, behind block A, floating in the void created by the "missing ground"

If it sounds complicated, fear not, I've made a tutorial on that as well:

Spoiler

 

Back to the reflective items, we want to use BOTH TECHNIQUES!

First we add an item we want to reflect, and apply a square reflection on it (using the method from the first tutorial) and treating it as if it's a big flat surface. You will have your item under a big semi-transparent surface with a camera texture (reflection). But we only want the reflections to be visible on the item, not around it, so we're going to mess with the alpha glitch to only make them render in places we want to.

1. Draw a custom item identical to yours which is pitch black and color every pixel in the entire itemsheet square except the ones you want to reflect on your item (basically reverse your item, color everything except the part you want to have reflecting). Then lock it on your item and position it OVER the previously made reflection. Then import a few surfaces and position them in a way so they cover the rest of the overhanging reflection.

You should be left with your item, but surrounded by a big black surface, except the part you want to be reflecting will be visible, and the camera texture should be seen on it.

2. Then simply, make the black surfaces's alpha value to 1% (so they're nearly invisible, but still allow the alpha glitch to occur. Then put the item's render depth to 1 (because you cant go below 0, or else you will glitch the ground again), put the black surface's render depths to 2 and the camera reflection surface's render depth to 3

That way:
- the item (with the lowest render depth) will render FIRST
- the black surfaces will render next, when the camera reflection hasn't rendered yet, and because it's nearly transparent, we're going to see through it - when the camera reflection wasn't rendered yet, so there wont be a camera reflection appearing in the regions where the black surfaces were
- the camera reflection will render LAST and the only place where it can still be visible is the part of the black item we erased (the area we want reflecting)

None of the items used go below the render depth of 0, so you wont experience any glitching!

Finally, you use the new Mine-Imator 1.2.0's camera options to make the reflection look nicer and your item is now shining with reflection!
Here's some visual material for the tutorial, so you can have an easier explanation to it:

Spoiler

 

Caution: the semi-transparent surfaces might cause glitching to Mine-Imator's SSAO and other settings, so there will be a square appearing around your item, inside of which the image wont render 100% correctly - that's a bug i still need to fix (or the developers of the software)
 

Edited December 5, 2018 by SharpWind
typo

[Fray 711]

This helps but when you add the reflection pane, try making it a bit smaller that way you cover up less later.

Also 12:13 XD

Edited December 5, 2018 by Fray

[Che3syPlayz 205]

yeEET

[Ghatos 1.8k]

I've got the same idea for making items reflect

great video anyways

[SharpWind 228]

1 hour ago, Fray said:

This helps but when you add the reflection pane, try making it a bit smaller that way you cover up less later.

Also 12:13 XD

making it smaller would mean showing more scenery, meaning you'd have to decrease the FOV, meaning you'd see way less

[Fray 711]

13 minutes ago, SharpWind said:

making it smaller would mean showing more scenery, meaning you'd have to decrease the FOV, meaning you'd see way less

Hmmm. Ok makes sence

[TheJeweledWolf 595]

I actually solved the issue here, as far as I've tested.

Spoiler

I have a hard time explaining what I did, so I tried to take an object file for you to see.

Spoiler

The object: http://www.mediafire.com/file/lpgv48tvi8k0vmv/REFLECT.miobject

The project in case it doesn't work: http://www.mediafire.com/file/fshajdi6sgq6r7j/Reflections.miproject/file

I think you need this item sheet, which is what I used.

If none of those work, tell me and I'll see what I can do to explain myself...

[Fray 711]

4 minutes ago, TheJeweledWolf said:

I actually solved the issue here, as far as I've tested.

  Reveal hidden contents

I have a hard time explaining what I did, so I tried to take an object file for you to see.

  Reveal hidden contents

The object: http://www.mediafire.com/file/lpgv48tvi8k0vmv/REFLECT.miobject

The project in case it doesn't work: http://www.mediafire.com/file/fshajdi6sgq6r7j/Reflections.miproject/file

I think you need this item sheet, which is what I used.

If none of those work, tell me and I'll see what I can do to explain myself...

OoO nice reflection!!

[SharpWind 228]

On 12/7/2018 at 9:04 PM, TheJeweledWolf said:

I actually solved the issue here, as far as I've tested.

  Hide contents

I have a hard time explaining what I did, so I tried to take an object file for you to see.

  Hide contents

The object: http://www.mediafire.com/file/lpgv48tvi8k0vmv/REFLECT.miobject

The project in case it doesn't work: http://www.mediafire.com/file/fshajdi6sgq6r7j/Reflections.miproject/file

I think you need this item sheet, which is what I used.

If none of those work, tell me and I'll see what I can do to explain myself...

You basically made the reflective surface a square (and messed up the dimensions, by the way), and the same size as the sword. The hiding item was also made white instead of black.

Unfortunately, even on 1% alpha value, the glitching effect is still present and very visible
https://gyazo.com/1b642cda861e7afba9cdce7c332f4b79

sorry, the method is debunked

[TheJeweledWolf 595]

6 hours ago, SharpWind said:

You basically made the reflective surface a square (and messed up the dimensions, by the way), and the same size as the sword. The hiding item was also made white instead of black.

Unfortunately, even on 1% alpha value, the glitching effect is still present and very visible
https://gyazo.com/1b642cda861e7afba9cdce7c332f4b79

sorry, the method is debunked

Ehhhh I tried XD