Curved Gradient?

[Hodor]

I am trying to create a tileable pipes for a game - just basic ones, nothing too fancy.

 

I started by creating few horizontal pieces (which can just be rotated for vertical), such as this one: (used as a middle)

 

As you can see, the filling is just a simple white-gray linear gradient from bottom to top, with repeat reflected, and a bit of cutting.

Stacking them:

 

I'm now trying to create a turn-pipe, so a pipe can continue from horizontal to vertical direction. I have this shape:

 

but I'm not sure how to fill it in a curved way, so when placing them together it will like a fluid one.

Shape:

 

Example fill (bad way):

[ardneh]

Grey shape

 

New layer
White line
Blur

 

New layer
Smaller White line
Smaller Blur
 

[Hodor]

@ardneh not exactly the solution I was looking for, but it works so I'll take it. Thanks :)

[MJW]

I think Edge Shader may be useful for this. Basically, draw the pipe on a transparent background, then apply Edge Shader, adjusting the Maximum Distance and Gradient Profile for the best look. You will have to clip off the ends of the pipe, to remove the section that's shaded from the ends.

[Red ochre]

21 minutes ago, MJW said:

I think Edge Shader may be useful for this

Exactly my thoughts. 😉

[lynxster4]

My thoughts exactly @MJW and @Red ochre!  😄

 

@Hodor, maybe this will be acceptable? 

 

[Red ochre]

@lynxster4 - I did experiment but was too lazy to upload an example 🙄+ got distracted trying to make the pipe shape in Shapemaker and gave up!🤪

I think a re-useable shape might benefit @Hodor but arcs of circles joined to rectangles are trickier than I remembered!😄

[lynxster4]

1 minute ago, Red ochre said:

think a re-useable shape might benefit @Hodor

 

I agree.  I simply used the Line/Curve Tool at 100 pixels, one end rounded and the other flat for my example.

It all depends on how 'fancy' he intends on getting with the pipes.  😁

[Red ochre]

😉

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Me? I'd cheat like hell and make the bends sharp, so the joins are simply overlaid pipes which are trimmed at 45 degrees

 

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Also, if you make your individual fittings so they are contained in a square space, you can tile them easily using my TileWorld plugin.

 

Here the gray backed image is composed using the fittings in the lower pane.

 

 

[Hodor]

nice, so many solutions!

 

@lynxster4 - @ardneh solution was also acceptable, but yes yours looks better for my case hehe. I'll try the edge shader!

@Red ochre - looks a bit complex (so many layers and shapes) xd also, why do you have that "squirkle" / blue circle layer?

@Ego Eram Reputo - I liked the fitting idea, nice! Also cool plugin, but looks like it doesn't have a zip so I'll do without. Still a great idea!

 

And thanks everyone for the help

[Red ochre]

4 hours ago, Hodor said:

why do you have that "squirkle" / blue circle layer?

That was the easiest way to create a radiused inner and outer curve to connect the two rectangles.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

18 hours ago, Hodor said:

@Ego Eram Reputo - I liked the fitting idea, nice! Also cool plugin, but looks like it doesn't have a zip so I'll do without. Still a great idea!

 

TileWorld is part of my plugin pack. There's a link in my signature. Using the installer (written by BoltBait) it's easy to install just the one plugin (although I recommend installing them all! )

[Hodor]

@Red ochre oh cool.

@Ego Eram Reputo yeah I'm aware of that. I just tend to use as few .exe as possible, and moving a .dll is an easy alternative usually.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

You're missing out then.

 

Many of the significant plugin packs are available with that same installer. The installer was written by Forum Admin @BoltBait  (very trustworthy)