Generic Pines Snow Pack

[MGebhart]

Hi Linda,

The suggestion by Oyshan and Folder works well for distant trees however, if you need the detail on close pines you may want to stick with my technique. You may want to use both techniques in a scene.

If you study the provided images you will understand why. Using the modified node network version you notice that the needles revert to square geometry. The squares are used to map the needle and needle alpha images to. Using the node network modification eliminates the alpha channel, so you get the square geometry.

My technique was to bring in the needle image into Photoshop and select part of the green needles and color them white leaving some green needles showing. This looks more realistic because all the needles are not covered in snow due to the above needles blocking falling snow. (in real life.) Also, this allows you to use the alpha image thus providing the needle geometry to show. Again, making it more realistic. You may want to paint the needle image completely white to achieve a denser look while preserving the alpha source image.

I'm sure there is a way to get my result using Oyshan and Folder's technique, but I don't know how to setup the network to get the same result.

I like Oyshan and Folder's technique for distant and denser snow packed pines.

Study the needle images in the Generic Snow Pines Pack folder to see how they were created.

Note: I'm new to T2, so I'm certain I'm missing something that advanced users know.

Hope this helps.

Marc

[Linda McCarthy]

Hi Marc,

Thank you very much for taking the time to explain the why's and wherefore's.  I knew nothing about this process, as I hadn't taken the time to read your documentation that was apparently included in the files I downloaded.  Well, I assumed the snow was already built into the node network for your trees- in other words, that all the work had been done for me. Now I know "next to nothing" but enough to picque my interest.

What you have written here does makes some sense to me.  I will certainly give it a try.  In the meantime, I have one in the oven in which I used the technique folder referred me, by Oshyan.  Looks like it may have worked for what I needed for my current render.

Thanks again (and for the great trees- with or without snow).

Linda

Hi Linda,

The suggestion by Oyshan and Folder works well for distant trees however, if you need the detail on close pines you may want to stick with my technique. You may want to use both techniques in a scene.

If you study the provided images you will understand why. Using the modified node network version you notice that the needles revert to square geometry. The squares are used to map the needle and needle alpha images to. Using the node network modification eliminates the alpha channel, so you get the square geometry.

My technique was to bring in the needle image into Photoshop and select part of the green needles and color them white leaving some green needles showing. This looks more realistic because all the needles are not covered in snow due to the above needles blocking falling snow. (in real life.) Also, this allows you to use the alpha image thus providing the needle geometry to show. Again, making it more realistic. You may want to paint the needle image completely white to achieve a denser look while preserving the alpha source image.

I'm sure there is a way to get my result using Oyshan and Folder's technique, but I don't know how to setup the network to get the same result.

I like Oyshan and Folder's technique for distant and denser snow packed pines.

Study the needle images in the Generic Snow Pines Pack folder to see how they were created.

Note: I'm new to T2, so I'm certain I'm missing something that advanced users know.

Hope this helps.

Marc

[AndyWelder]

Marc, the download link isn't working anymore, could you please update?

[MGebhart]

I'll check into it, Andy.