Sun Over Mountains

[Traveller2]

Experimenting with Godrays.

[Henry Blewer]

Pretty awesome. The sun disk would 'hide' if raytraced shadows was turned on. Raytraced shadows increases the render time a lot.

[Traveller2]

Thank you. I wanted the sun's disk to appear in this particular image although I definitely have problems with appearing when I know the sun is behind a mountain (then I use ray tracing). I am using your lighting suggestion in my next image....

[Kevin F]

Not too bad, could be a lot better.
Certainly not Awesome.
I think some people, (especially Americans) need to look up the meaning of the word awesome).
No offense njeneb.

[Henry Blewer]

I find the atmosphere to be very good. No offense taken.
I try to be encouraging, not just critical. Some of the very good artists here take the critique and run with it. Newbees might become discouraged. Even I need to have my ego massaged on occasion.

[Matt]

njeneb, "Enable ray traced shadows" in the atmosphere or cloud layers does not have any effect on how the atmosphere or clouds hide the sun. This would only be the case with surfaces such as terrain or objects.

[Henry Blewer]

Is it the clouds then Matt? I have been using raytraced shadows for the atmosphere and cloud layers. It would save quite a bit of render time to do this right.

[reck]

Why does the sun disk look so bad in this image?

[Tangled-Universe]

Is it the clouds then Matt? I have been using raytraced shadows for the atmosphere and cloud layers. It would save quite a bit of render time to do this right.

Henry, the rule of thumb is:

If surfaces cast shadows into/onto atmosphere/clouds then use raytracing.
(preventing the sun to shine through the terrain also needs raytraced atmosphere,  but that would still account for shadow casting by surfaces anyway)

That's it

Cheers,
Martin

[Henry Blewer]

I think I have it. If the mountain can cast a shadow across a cloud, then turn on the raytrace shadows.

Makes sense. I've been on 12 hours shifts, 6 days a week for 3 months. My brain is turned to mush.

[Tangled-Universe]

Makes sense. I've been on 12 hours shifts, 6 days a week for 3 months. My brain is turned to mush.

Damn. Well, if that doesn't result in a new render-machine at the end of the year! You wouldn't even have to bother with raytracing anymore when having a dual six-core Xeon machine, for example

Sorry Traveller, returning the topic back to you now

[Traveller2]

No problem. At least the image generated a discussion.