Ripple effect on lava surface - how to?

[Argus9]

Hey fellow mappers,
I've made a lava material for my map and I'd like the material to "ripple" like real lava would, and I want this effect to be visible from above the surface (if a player is looking down at the lava). Could anyone briefly walk me through how I could accomplish this?

Thank you!

[DGUnreal]

There is currently no deforming fluid surface in UT3, although I would expect something in the future.
UT2004 had the FluidSurfaceInfo and xProcMesh.
You could try faking it with emitters or create an animated skeletal mesh, but those are both more difficult.

If all you want is a slight visible change, you could use a NormalMap texture and a Panner on it.

[Argus9]

Yeah, I have a Normal map over the Diffuse channel texture, and I tried putting in a Panner. Isn't there something I can try that's similar to a water effect?

[DGUnreal]

By "water effect" do you mean the actual mesh waves that UT2004 has? If so, no, you can't currently do that (easily).
In UT3 you can currently use the same panning NormalMap method that the existing water Materials use.

[Argus9]

Well I found this tutorial on Hourences' Community Site that deals with making an indoor water material. I figured I could take what applies from there and put it in my lava material. See for yourself: http://help.hourences.com/tutorialsue3water2.htm

[ShadeMistress]

You can have a look at the lava texture I made here:

http://dodownload.filefront.com/9393629//b13e9e0ae650faeb1eef6bdc026963b7655adee5043f648a1e 9004331e63409f632bfcd2650b2146

It's really basic and easy to follow.

[DGUnreal]

Well I found this tutorial on Hourences' Community Site that deals with making an indoor water material. I figured I could take what applies from there and put it in my lava material. See for yourself: http://help.hourences.com/tutorialsue3water2.htm

That will work also. It is just a NormalMap and Distortion material.
There are similar materials already in UT3.

[Argus9]

Thanks ShadeMistress, I appreciate it :-) Have you figured out your wacky widget problem yet?