Terragen archeology #1

Started by N-drju, July 28, 2018, 02:36:42 AM

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Which cloud warper seems best to you?

Default (PF displacement-based)
Fractal warp shader
Combination of both

N-drju

Hello everyone,

Right now, I try to make some nice mackerel clouds and I use an old, old, OLD, old, old dandelO's voronoi clouds clip file. Old-timers probably know which clip file I have in mind.

This clip file, uses voronoi cells to break up the main cloud shape into tiny bits (or cells) that you can further break up. Theoretically, ad infinitum.

However, a raw voronoi output, leaves nasty seams between the clouds. Clouds made with this clip file are then warped by an additional input, to make these seems less discernible and more natural. This is also where my dilemma is.

There are three possibilities;

1. Default warper, based on the power fractal displacement.

[attachimg=1]

2. Fractal warp shader, attached directly underneath the voronoi cell series.

[attachimg=2]

3. And a combination of both.

[attachimg=3]

As I can't really make up my mind, you are kindly requested to speak out your mind. I would like to know which one you like best and consider most "natural" so to say.

(OOOHH! A poll!! :) )
"This year - a factory of semiconductors. Next year - a factory of whole conductors!"

Dune

The fractal warp does a nice enough job here, combination too. Better than the first, IMO. I remember it vaguely, but does it use a blue node voronoi? You might be better off by using a PF voronoi with relatively low octaves (which wasn't there at the time).

N-drju

Yes, it uses blue node voronoi.

Do you mean PF with a voronoi (billows or ridges) noise? It still leaves you with a question on how to distort the seams between cells.
"This year - a factory of semiconductors. Next year - a factory of whole conductors!"

Dune

Yes, and that's right, but at least you have more variety in cells, depending on the octave number. Warping the cells is then indeed the best option. Or break them using the surface shader breakup.

WAS

#4
The blue node works alright, my Cirrocumulus started off with voronoi diff scalar, but the noise was just too hard despite smooth stepping and such. Like Dune said, a PF would probably be a better choice.

Have you also considered using the Redirect Shader as a warper, with 1-3 PFs on each axis. You can create some really interesting effects with it, especially with X-Z with different PFs as the redirect will alter between the two directions and create cool effects.

Speaking of the Cirrocumulus you might check it out. Combing these shapes you already have, or a new voronoi setup with a PF with the technique I used creates more realistic clouds that you'd see IRL with these patterns, where boundaries often wisp out or transition away.