heathland

Dune · October 30, 2009, 03:14:33 AM

From arctic waters to sunny heathland, it's good traveling in TG. In this WIP (actually I added a funeral hill by a crater shader) I am trying to get a decent heathland together. Made some heather (2 types), grass (3 types), some fallen leaves (2 types) and tried to get nice moss tussocks. The latter I am not quite satisfied with.
I also need more loose twigs and such to litter the ground and low shrub, so I will make them today.
The problem with larger patches of homegrown grass is that on slopes they tend to stick out. So I will probably use smaller patches, and more of them.

---Dune

Henry Blewer · October 30, 2009, 07:26:33 AM

I tried for moss in one of the Standing Stone pics. I had difficulty getting it to look right also. The grass on the slopes needs to be a single clump, from one 'root'. The patch grass is great for covering larger flat areas, but as you have found out, floats out of the slopes.
Good start. From everything else you have done, this will be awesome.

schmeerlap · October 30, 2009, 07:34:14 AM

It's looking good to me. Just needs a couple of alarmed grouse clattering out of the heather.

John

domdib · October 30, 2009, 02:07:50 PM

Very impressive start - look forward to developments.

Dune · October 31, 2009, 04:32:48 AM

Some developments in this smaller size version; changed the placement of several pops, more open ground, moss slightly more displaced, grasses replaced (some Molinia caerulea added, though that could be lighter). I am now deciding on a stand of old oak trees or pines in the distance, and some loose branches.

---Dune

Henry Blewer · October 31, 2009, 08:26:25 AM

The displacement on the moss seems to work. I think of moss as having very small reddish flecks, which did not show up in my attempt. I like the bits of open ground. Helps with variation of coverage. It's coming along very well.

Dune · November 02, 2009, 02:40:22 AM

Added some loose branches and some distant trees, extra PF-color for moss differentiation, and another version of my Molinia, with some wrinkled dead stems at the base (which, unfortunately, can only be seen in the left under corner.

---Dune

FrankB · November 02, 2009, 06:09:35 AM

Hi Ulco, this is a very good render. I like it. A few comments though:
I am not 100% convinced of the moss, but I see you're getting closer. I would like to give you a hint but I'm not sure myself what's missing. It's some sort of roughness maybe, or a certain reflectivity maybe, not sure. Maybe in the foreground, the moss could be made of size-reduced grass patches?

Regardless of all that, it's a beautiful scene already.

Frank

Henry Blewer · November 02, 2009, 08:05:42 AM

I clicked on the latest image, started sneezing, and then thought the new image was a photo. Absolutely stunning work. Could you post the render settings?

Dune · November 02, 2009, 08:53:16 AM

@njeneb: That wouldn't be quite honest, as I use the alpha test version. But for a size of 2200x1000px, I used detail 0.5 and AA 4, no GI, but fill lights (Mitchel-Netravalli). Took about 4 hours (didn't check).

@Frank: Thanks. The moss I wanted was the very smooth, velvet-like dark green moss you find on heathland. In the latter render I did add some lighter moss, and I agree with you that this (and ordinary, rougher) moss could use some larger displacement. I will get to that, I guess. Indeed, perhaps the tiny grass would do, but I prefer procedural here. Perhaps I'd also like to make/fake the reindeer moss (the fluffy, grey stuff).

---Dune

Henry Blewer · November 02, 2009, 09:08:43 AM

Test versions are fun. I don't think I am quite there yet to do alpha/beta testing. It does look like the new object render code is quite an improvement.

otakar · November 02, 2009, 12:12:52 PM

Wonderful work. The object details are amazing. I like the variety of plant life, and I think this is very very close to realism. Really enjoy looking at this!