Colchuck Lake

WAS · October 02, 2022, 01:42:14 AM

Wow! It's amazing how far you've come in Terragen. This is a fantastic scene on first impression, I agree to an extent about the snow, it looks like a late spring shot and I do feel there would be a lot of night snow still that would be thawing during the day clinging to boulders. Also is that a shadow on the left? Or some rogue intersection?

Really though, wow! You're going to be a pro in no time.

Dune · October 02, 2022, 06:08:48 AM

I made a basic masking sample for you. There are more ways to do things, but this is one. Play with the variables and see what they do. You can vary the amount of snow (or rock debris), the snow smoothness (to the edge or further from edge), whether or not is has a melting edge at all, etc. Have fun!
With reflections (on the roughly displaced snow-stones edges), I wouldn't advice rendering this in PT though. That will take a lot longer, and the scene won't benefit all that much.

Dune · October 02, 2022, 10:19:24 AM

Two more versions, with some modified variables. In the latter I multiplied the mask by an altitude range (distribution shader with the white set at 4), so the top has a wider coverage.

WAS · October 02, 2022, 11:27:11 AM

Could aslo try my advanced fake stones, which the distribution density can take a scalar mask. This will make stones disperse to none, rather than fade to none. Can help with the boundary transition.

Dune · October 03, 2022, 01:56:57 AM

And one with added erosion plugin.

pixelpusher636 · October 03, 2022, 05:41:23 PM

Quote from: WAS on October 02, 2022, 01:42:14 AMWow! It's amazing how far you've come in Terragen. This is a fantastic scene on first impression, I agree to an extent about the snow, it looks like a late spring shot and I do feel there would be a lot of night snow still that would be thawing during the day clinging to boulders. Also is that a shadow on the left? Or some rogue intersection?
Really though, wow! You're going to be a pro in no time.

Thanks WAS your words are very encouraging!!
Indeed it has spring feel to it but if their was clinging snow on boulders etc. I couldn't make it out from my reference photo but it would make sense that their would be. So far as the anomalous color shift on the left.. their is indeed a shadow there but also after much hunting and exploring that disturbed area there which also made it look like rock was trying to poke through was a rogue PF. All in check now.

Thanks again for the kindness WAS. Also, when you say "Advanced FSS" Are you referring to the Voronoi FS? I have been fiddling with those a bit lately and their is a lot to like about them!

pixelpusher636 · October 03, 2022, 05:45:14 PM

Quote from: Dune on October 02, 2022, 06:08:48 AMI made a basic masking sample for you. There are more ways to do things, but this is one. Play with the variables and see what they do. You can vary the amount of snow (or rock debris), the snow smoothness (to the edge or further from edge), whether or not is has a melting edge at all, etc. Have fun!
With reflections (on the roughly displaced snow-stones edges), I wouldn't advice rendering this in PT though. That will take a lot longer, and the scene won't benefit all that much.

Dune you are a rockstar! I wished I'd checked the forums before all the pruning and weeding of my nodes. I have a lot of issues straightened out but after seeing this new snow setup and the icy melt.. I might just have to see if I'm able to implement this into m scene. Haven't looked at it yet but I remember you mentioning if it were a "Pure TG" scene and not a DEM. So it has me curious. In any event I will definitely learn from and Use this setup it looks great!

pixelpusher636 · October 03, 2022, 05:52:33 PM

Here is a new update with some issues resolved. No PT or clouds for now. Still have some disturbed snow top left but without the color variant. It looks a little more natural I believe. Also, the mountain rock is more true to color now and even if I haven't nailed down those odd off color (lighter rock) erosion lines. They are similar and as odd as they are they do exist.

Stormlord · October 03, 2022, 06:16:10 PM

It gets better and better!
Water is so much better and the rocks too!

STORMLORD

pixelpusher636 · October 03, 2022, 10:02:13 PM

Quote from: Stormlord on October 03, 2022, 06:16:10 PMIt gets better and better!
Water is so much better and the rocks too!

STORMLORD

Thanks Stormlord!

pixelpusher636 · October 03, 2022, 10:03:34 PM

Refining the odd rock face details... I have to enquire, is there a method that exists that you can sample a color from a photograph that translates accurately to TG?

Dune · October 04, 2022, 02:25:23 AM

Once again a great update, indeed in the water too. The erosion in the rock debris is also very nicely done. Good job!

Mahnmut · October 04, 2022, 12:59:54 PM

Great improvement!
in my eyes, the colours are now spot on, water, rocks, great!
BTW, I wondered if the photos one finds online are manipulated, not your version.
Concerning the rock structure, for some reason it looks to me like it has been chiseled into that shape, but photorealistic in that way!
Cheers,
J

WAS · October 04, 2022, 03:13:52 PM

Looking great. I'd suggest making the rock debris the same colour scheme as the rock faces of the mountains, and darken the dust/dirt between them up just a hair.

pixelpusher636 · October 04, 2022, 10:35:40 PM

Quote from: Mahnmut on October 04, 2022, 12:59:54 PMGreat improvement!
in my eyes, the colours are now spot on, water, rocks, great!
BTW, I wondered if the photos one finds online are manipulated, not your version.
Concerning the rock structure, for some reason it looks to me like it has been chiseled into that shape, but photorealistic in that way!
Cheers,
J

Thanks Stormlord & Dune! I think this scene might just be ready to be put to bed.

Not sure the scalloped rock is manipulated if that's what you mean but I do believe some color adjustments & saturation have been tweaked for sure. Makes it tricky when they do theses things.