How to cover "seams" between cloud layers?

[N-drju]

So constant scalars here work as near distance and far distance sliders, right?

Protip: Any time conversation prolongs beyond page one, you know the problem is serious.

[Dune]

Yes.

[N-drju]

Alright, so I created the network but I don't get one thing...

What does the right arm of this network affect? Whatever change I make to the power fractal, the image stays the same (I'm also trying with textures at first).

For the love of... The whole right portion does nothing. At least this is what I get and see.

[attach=1]

[Dune]

The last output went into the mask input of a surface shader, but I haven't tried this on clouds or pf.

[N-drju]

Okay, I got it (I think) but I think I will not be using this method after all the time I wasted and precarious control over the shape of this thing... I am very grateful for your guidance though Ulco.

I just can't believe how tough it gets to customize cloud layers! I can't possibly imagine why Planetside makes all those fancy options like "Tapper top & base." Using those adds lots of work (and mistakes) and you end up trying to counter side effects (in that case - flat cloud tops) that those "fabulous" options give!

[Oshyan]

Taper Top and Base is enabled by default because it creates more realistic, gradual cloud tapering no matter what your density function input is. If you disable it, you need to create this "tapering" toward the top and bottom of the cloud layer yourself, using your functions, which requires an understanding of how to do that. It's an advanced feature. If you know how to create such effects (fading out your noise function top and bottom, at the right altitudes), then it is useful and powerful to be able to disable the default tapering, but if you find it hard to do that, then it's best not to disable it.

- Oshyan

[Dune]

I haven't put much time in this and the setup just bubbled up. With a 'little' more experimentation you might get it to work if you would add a distribution shader for a white bottom half of the cloud range, and use that to shape your cloud. And I wouldn't call it wasted time; all experiments give you more grip on the (I admit) sometimes hard to grasp TG reality.

[Dune]

I put another half hour in and there seem to be possibilities.

[bobbystahr]

Hmmmmm, great examples to work from

[N-drju]

Well, everybody has their own standards for "time wasted" depending on what else they do. This is of course a very nice work you've done Ulco and I'm happy you could make something out of it. Indeed, I agree with all of you that it would be good to have the knowledge and time to understand it.

But still... I can do all this (and more) using the metacloud solution... from eight years ago. In a fraction of the time needed to construct those node networks.

[attach=1]

[Kadri]

I don't know about the problem with more then 1 clouds (a file to see and test would be nice).
But the 1 cloud shaped method would be better for render speed probably anyway.

You have maybe used the same method. But the file below might help others maybe.

I think people forget that they can mostly use the same methods like the ground to shape the clouds.
Just move or rotate the SSS shader nodes with the transform nodes for example or change the coverage in the surface nodes or restrict by altitude etc.
I don't use blue nodes. They are powerful. But there are many different ways to use in Terragen.
The values-clouds aren't for artistic reason. The file is just to show the basic method-one of many.
Just enable the disabled nodes and play around.