Desert structure

bri · August 06, 2008, 06:29:34 PM

Weird things happen in the desert

I was just messing around with the negative depth on a crater shader and some others. I haven't been very active with TG2, but when I found out about the new update, I wanted to start messing with it again. I'm still learning the functions and the complexity of some of the tools is kind of overwhelming, I don't know where to start!

Let me know what you think and if I can improve on anything. I think I will work on this tomorrow and add some more variations in the surface and add a small layer of many rocks. I'm hoping, if it comes out okay, if someone can render this bigger and allow me to set it up as a print? Or, is that against the rules? I don't have the money to upgrade, but I'd really like to show it off to my Computer Art teacher(she's fascinated by Terragen, but teaches the kids Bryce) and I'd like to try to get more artwork in a local gallery again.

schmeerlap · August 07, 2008, 06:04:18 AM

I find the exaggerated displacement confusing. A more upright structure with Redirect displacement, and less severe Sheer would be more pleasing to the eye, I feel. Experimentation is good, though.

bri · August 07, 2008, 08:48:12 AM

Quote from: schmeerlap on August 07, 2008, 06:04:18 AM
I find the exaggerated displacement confusing. A more upright structure with Redirect displacement, and less severe Sheer would be more pleasing to the eye, I feel. Experimentation is good, though.

Thank you for the comment. I'm rerendering it now with a slightly different shape... I believe. I still have the JPEG from the last render, so I'm gonna see if it actually changed. I just lowered the 2 Lean Factor to 1.5, and it made an obvious change in the quick render, now I just gotta figure out if it was a good one

*Okay, the structure has pretty much rendered before I posted this. It's still at an angle(but I kind of like it like that), but it seems to be easier to read, but that may just the POV and shadows. Oh yeah, and I used a Fractal terrain and 2 crater shaders, one of which is the main structure made by the Redirect shader with Strata on X axis and Twist on Y axis. The second crater was supposed to be another strange thing in the background, but I couldn't get it to move right.

rcallicotte · August 07, 2008, 09:46:40 AM

I agree with schmeerlap and look forward to seeing where you go next.

inkydigit · August 07, 2008, 10:37:40 AM

good start...looks like a (precarious)stack of biscuits!!...

bri · August 07, 2008, 10:39:13 AM

Quote from: inkydigit on August 07, 2008, 10:37:40 AM
good start...looks like a (precarious)stack of biscuits!!...

I'd be scared to eat them

I'm doing a 500x500 Full Render right now, it's about halfway done at 53:22.

bri · August 07, 2008, 11:16:13 AM

Here's the newer version. When I lowered the Twist and Shear Lean Factor, the terrain moved over slightly and I changed the POV. I think it's a little easier to understand the weird structure now, but I think my surface needs some more work. Judging by the background, the terrain looks like it has a few cool spots... I'll have to go look around.

Again, anything is welcome. I'm still learning the program, so I'll be glad to go back and try to change something... just as long as it isn't too hard

rcallicotte · August 07, 2008, 12:27:09 PM

It's sort of cool, but the direction of the lighting is throwing me off - can't see the ground texture very well. It's a beginning to a fine ground texture, but it isn't quite sandy enough yet.

bri · August 07, 2008, 12:31:35 PM

Quote from: calico on August 07, 2008, 12:27:09 PM
It's sort of cool, but the direction of the lighting is throwing me off - can't see the ground texture very well. It's a beginning to a fine ground texture, but it isn't quite sandy enough yet.

Thanks. I kind of like the lighting and how it affects the clouds/atmosphere, but I'll try moving it over to the left a little because I still kind of want it in the picture. Is there a way to do procedural sand ripples? I believe I saw something about it on here, but I could always work with some image maps and try to get a little showing between the rocks. I added some very tiny pebbles, but they must be too tiny... cause I don't see them

EDIT: Hey Calico, how does it appear on your screen? Is it dark? I can see the texture just fine on this laptop monitor and my desktop(the one I did the render on).

rcallicotte · August 07, 2008, 01:58:39 PM

I can see it, but maybe it's the size being smaller so I can't assimilate the details as looking realistic.

There is a file around here somewhere for sand ripples.

bri · August 11, 2008, 10:07:17 AM

I downloaded the TGC for the sand ripples, but I don't think I set it up right. When I added it to this image, the first 5-10 detail quick preview was really dark, but then it came out looking normal. The render time seemed to increase, but I didn't notice any obvious change in the surface. I moved the sand layers up and down in the list, and still didn't notice any change.