new cloud input question

[elscorpio]

Hi

I am Playing around with the Final Density modulator and the Depth modulator. I have read the documentation i could find and looked through the forum, but i just can't seem to harness these features. 

Does the Depth modulator completely replace the Cumulus Layer Depth value ?

And likewise with the Final Density modulator ?


I just can't seem to get the results i am looking for, but lets start with 2 above questions.

[Tangled-Universe]

I suppose you've also found and read my tutorial here? http://www.planetside.co.uk/content/view/61/99/

In there I describe that whatever you always use as modulation for depth that the cloud is always restricted to it's original depth settings in the cloud node.
This has more to do with the altitude function, but is always critical to remember.

The depth modulator replaces the depth setting you've set in the cloud node itself.
If the set depth = 1000 and you'll feed the depth modulator with a constant colour @ 0.2 then you'll have a 1000 x 0.2 = 200m thick cloud.
It's all in the tutorial

The "Final Density Modulator" replaces the density setting you normally define within the cloud node, see attached example:
_mod_off = cloud layer with density @ 0.025 with constant colour @ 1 as density shader
_mod_1   = cloud layer with density @ 0.025 with constant colour @ 1 as density shader + final density modulator @ 1 (constant colour as input)
_mod_10 =  cloud layer with density @ 0.025 with constant colour @ 1 as density shader + final density modulator @ 10 (constant colour as input)

Cheers,
Martin

[elscorpio]

First of all, Thank you for your reply ! 

I did read that but i could not get the same behavoir with my setup, of course i am using a density fractal as input so things seem to get a bit more complicated.
When i could not get the behavior I read about I started to doubt the theory  ...sorry

But your statements does confuse me a bit for example

[move]In there I describe that whatever you always use as modulation for depth that the cloud is always restricted to it's original depth settings in the cloud node.[/move]

This makes it sound like the depth modulator doesn't do anything since the cloud is always restricted to it's original depth settings. 

I am sorry if i am seem to nitpick, it's only because i am trying to understand.

Basicly what i am trying to do is to make cloud layer that would have difference in depth, so that cloud pillars would shoot up at som places. The Density would also have to altered using the distribution node to alter the density based on height.

Maybe my understanding of density fractal is wrong, maybe it's a bad idea to make them feed input to the depth modulator or Final Density modulator

But of course your examples seems like good place to start and i could hook up density fractal as input and see how the final results looks like, to get a better understanding.

[elscorpio]

aaarrrh 

I just setup an example like the ones you showed me, and i guess i was a little thickheaded.

The depth modulator modulates the depth within the confines of the depth value in the cloud layer, so it can't get higher than that...okay

Thank you !

[Tangled-Universe]

Ghehe no problem Your conclusion is exactly what it does.
Powerfractals can make it more confusing.
I especially would not use powerfractals for any of the modulation inputs, other than the final density modulator.

[Matt]

Ghehe no problem Your conclusion is exactly what it does.
Powerfractals can make it more confusing.
I especially would not use powerfractals for any of the modulation inputs, other than the final density modulator.

Then you are missing out! Using a fractal for the Depth Modulator is very useful

[Tangled-Universe]

Ghehe no problem Your conclusion is exactly what it does.
Powerfractals can make it more confusing.
I especially would not use powerfractals for any of the modulation inputs, other than the final density modulator.

Then you are missing out! Using a fractal for the Depth Modulator is very useful

I have done quite some testing with this but couldn't get any decent result so far, because I think the most of my problems were to get the output of the fractal into the right range.
Clamping or via adjust colour, neither gave decent results. Perhaps I started off in the wrong direction for those times I tried?
My approach was first to adjust depth to allow multiple layers within the main cloud boundaries. Then I tried several fractals and combination as input for the altitude modulator, but the cloud always remained 'flat'.

Do you have a nice example perhaps?

Cheers,
Martin

[Henry Blewer]

I use power fractals on my clouds for depth modulation. They work great. I use the scales of the density fractal and make the power fractals scales 1/5 to 1/3 of these values.
The hard part is the cloud density and edge sharpness settings. It's very easy to screw these up. I seldom change the cloud density because of this.

[Matt]

In many cases if you have a cloud layer that works well you can take your density shader and plug it into the Depth Modulator input instead (and leave the density shader disconnected). This gives you a much flatter base which usually works well for big cumulus. If you use another fractal as the density shader it adds more interest. I've found that using a "billowy" fractal for the Depth Modulator at the same time as a regular Perlin fractal for the density shader can produce some nice clouds.

Matt

[Tangled-Universe]

Thanks Matt, I'll give it a go again, soon.

[Dune]

Using a fractal for the Depth Modulator is very useful

Or use a combination of power fractal and distribution shader, or warp....