Depth Modulation & Coverage Adjust

Started by WAS, June 04, 2018, 04:07:16 PM

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WAS

Quote from: Matt on June 04, 2018, 10:31:50 PM
Quote from: WASasquatch on June 04, 2018, 09:26:23 PM
Quote from: Matt on June 04, 2018, 09:22:48 PM
It's a complex topic. I definitely understand the need to get soft edges, and wispy edges, and a maybe nonlinear transition from 0 density to >0 density. I think there are ways to approach these problems outside of either the coverage parameter or the depth modulator. From what I can see in your renders, the hard edges that you're pointing out are not actually caused by the depth modulator going to 0.

Matt


What would they be caused by? If I change edge sharpness from 1 to 0.1, it's still cookie cutter edges, just more transparent. No other settings effect this. With just the density, you'll have all sorts of densities from haze to solid.

I could be wrong. Maybe your depth modulator has too much contrast. I'm not exactly familiar with your scene.

I was using a SSS shape, in both smooth step, and bevel, and have tried all sorts of gamma corrections, however, the white point or I guess contrast of white? is what is used to control the "height" of the dome produced by a beveled/smooth step cloud setup as defined by a depth modulator 0>0~ setup. So I'm not sure how the contrast is effecting the edges on the tops all through the gradient to the edge? Maybe you could provide an example? I am making a plain default TG setup with depth and no depth for a comparison, no special tweaks.

WAS

#16
Here is a scene, I use final density just for some look, and adjust the the density fractal to use as it's own depth instead of a SSS to show more edges. I added a screenshot showing highlighted area in-case subtly is overlooked. And than there is a morph. In the animation you can plainly see the shapes are clamped down (and in the case of soft bottoms clamped up), and made more dense at their boundaries (probably from being clamped into their denseness)

Notice every-single edge is hard, even on the top. This is how the depth modular acts, it creates depth on Y, but also clamps the clouds like you explained with edge sharpness.  Not sure how you aren't seeing/aware of this.

Also, interestingly this example seems to show clouds in the distances are unaffected by depth modulation.

It seems like the only "Soft parts" of the cloud is at the very base where where it's flat and goes from >0 to nearly 0, or it's because it's on the very most out edges with nothing above it (in the density noise).