Cloud Layer with Simple Shape Distortion Problem in Terragen 4.8.23

[danmwilson]

I'm having some trouble with creating a cloud layer in the shape of a hurricane, following the basic structure of this TerraTuts video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-3hIVf2V-I. It looks like the simple shape shader, when plugged into the cloud layer, ends up being distorted the further from the origin the cloud layer gets.

Here's some pictures of what I mean.

At origin:   At xyz: -130035, -2.18776e+06, -4.80703e+06: 

This is on a brand new project with the only changes being to add the cloud layer. I've attached the project file for reproduction.The TerraTuts video didn't seem to have this problem, but given I can reproduce it in such a simple scenario I'm not sure what the cause is. It looks like the simple shape is being projected from its plane on to the plane of the cloud layer and that's causing the distortion. I've tried disabling "Move Textures with Cloud" and pasting the same coordinates into the simple shape shader but that doesn't have an effect. I'm also not sure if the same distortion is present with the fractal noise shaders. I have found that if I plug a transform shader after the simple shader and apply a rotation I can cancel out the distortion, but I'd rather not have to do that manually.

Is this a bug? Is this expected? How do people deal with this? I can't imagine I'm the first to experience something like this.

[Dune]

That's due to the radius of the cloud localisation, the falloff in the cloud node makes these random holes. If you extend it, it's a perfect circle.

A plain simple shape wouldn't be good enough to make a hurricane cloud; you'd need some cloud fractal and a vortex shader. But I guess you're aware of that.

Ah, I just realized there's probably something else you mean; the oval shape instead of round. That's because the simple shape is flat and if it's projected on the side of the planet, you end up with an oval. You could rotate it with a transform shader.

[danmwilson]

Yeah I'm just talking about the oval shape. If rotating it with the transform shader is the right way to handle that distortion then that's what I'll do. Thanks for the insight.

[Dune]

It may be a bit fiddly to rotate it the right way though, as you can't see it rotate really.