The Hills @ Night

Upon Infinity · December 21, 2014, 01:34:36 AM

Obviously, if anyone has any suggests...

Oshyan · December 21, 2014, 01:43:53 AM

Oh I like this very much! Quite different than what we mostly see. I wonder about some of the light areas of the sky, some look like stars (on the upper-right), others look like thicker clouds (thicker than the mist on the background mountains), like in the middle-upper-left. Those two areas are a little distracting to me, given the smooth gradients and blending of things in the rest of the image. But overall I really like it.

- Oshyan

Upon Infinity · December 21, 2014, 01:55:11 AM

And thus ends the 7 year lull of Planetside not commenting on my image postings.

I must have turned a corner.

Thanks, Oshyan, now that you mention it, it is a little ambiguous. This is a cropped image and in the non-crop there is more contrast at the top where it evens out where its not so clear at the mid-point. I'll try to darken the clouds some.

Kadri · December 21, 2014, 02:17:34 AM

It looks nice. Curious about the next iteration.

TheBadger · December 21, 2014, 02:36:07 AM

like it.

My only suggestion is more of a curiosity. I wonder if rather than solid silhouettes, you could also render the same image lit to see some more detail (bark and stuff) and then overlay the new one over the OP, and see if you get an even more etherial look. May create more eye candy.

Like it just the way it is, just curious about what other possibilities could be with such a nice starting place for variations.

Dune · December 21, 2014, 02:36:35 AM

I like this too, it has a certain Asian feel. My suggestion would be to use the stars more sparingly, like in Martin's (Dandel0's) file, and hit seed until they're in the left portion of the sky. And maybe you can add a little displacement to the tree trunk, you can see it's not very high poly. Though the branches are great. What if you mesh displace the trunk, add displacement and render without RT?

Oshyan · December 21, 2014, 03:20:03 AM

Yes, now that I contemplate it more, I think my issue with the stars is that due to the haze you would be unlikely to see such star clusters and other more subtle things. Only the brightest, sparse stars would shine through, and they themselves would ideally have a slight glow about them. Not sure if you could achieve that, but it would be very cool...

- Oshyan

Upon Infinity · December 21, 2014, 03:23:58 AM

Badger: This mirrors my own curiosity. My initial tests to get this lighting were not intended to give such a silhouetted appearance and I have tried to get better results than I have. I will try again. The lighting is...a little tricky, as it is reflected ambient light from the sun coming from the other side of the planet. And what a champ for Terragen to calculate it out for me!

Dune: I might try a different way to use stars. Although, this is a fantasy world. I'm allowed a little leeway.

TheBadger · December 21, 2014, 06:30:27 AM

Something near like here?
http://www.featherofme.com/wp-content/uploads/Artur-Zima-cloudscape.jpg
http://kimkeever.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/h1145-hawaii-1145c-24x32-30x40-2013.jpg
http://morfis.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/michal-karcz-landscape-photo-manipulations-9.jpg?w=590
Some lighting effects like in these images I mean. Not the images them selves.

archonforest · December 21, 2014, 08:24:24 AM

Very nice one. I like it a lot!

pclavett · December 30, 2014, 10:45:27 PM

Actually love the darkness and mood of this one...Excellent !
Paul

inkydigit · January 08, 2015, 10:36:47 AM

great scene, nice and moody!
well set up!

choronr · January 10, 2015, 07:58:43 PM

These night scenes aren't always easy. I like what you've done here so far.

bobbystahr · January 12, 2015, 11:34:33 AM

I like it as well, with similar reservations as Oshyan and Dune...got the Asian feel also, so if that was intentional...success on that.

Upon Infinity · January 14, 2015, 11:55:53 PM

This one's for Badger. It has increased ambient light. I really had to bury the needle on my GI to get this. I can still get more, but any stronger than this and it just starts looking like ambient occlusion. Not likely to change the stars; I kind of like them that way. I was really hoping someone could suggest something about object placement to take this thing to the finish line, but I guess it's good enough?

Not the first time someone has said there are Asian influences in my renders, although I'm a little surprised by it. My main influences are the Albertan and British landscapes, coupled with my own imagination to create a fantasy world.