Avalanche Alley

[Linda McCarthy]

Thank you, Kadri, Bob and Eoin, for the kind words and suggestions.  I'm rendering a more fine-tuned version of the image as I write.
@Eoin.. I upped the AA settings, including checking GI surface details for this upcoming render.
@ Bob.. I did what you suggested (Cubic B-Spline soft) for the one cooking.  Thought it was already set, but only on the small render.
I'm sure it will make a diff.
Thanks again all. 
Linda

[Linda McCarthy]

Ok.. This is it.  Still welcome instructive and critical comments, but I'm probably going to put this one away.
Thanks again for all the help.  Increased the AA and GI settings for a quality render..and used the Cubic B-Spline (soft) filter to soften a bit.  Also tweaked the contrast and sharpened post-render.  Linda

[EoinArmstrong]

Aye - that's better.  I love those clouds - share the settings, or is it NWDA?

[Malcolm79]

Linda, it looks really better than first version! well a sense of space 5+++!

[Tangled-Universe]

Good example showing what improved GI settings can do
I like the pov and the clouds (especially).
Which version did you use, the new one already? The vegetation might improve a lot using the new raytracer for objects.

Martin

[Henry Blewer]

Echo of Martin's comments. I really like the clouds. The displacements of the cliffs is really well done.

[choronr]

Wow, a great improvement. It has taken on a striking feel of depth. I like the uphill visual climb into the distance. Agree with Martin and the use of the new settings.

[Linda McCarthy]

Thanks, everyone!
@ Eoin:  cloud settings are close to the settings Buzzzzz posted from his "Abandoned Ship" in November (bz Cumulus.tgc):
http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=8003.0  I apologize for not crediting you earlier, Buzzzzz. 

They are as follows:
Atmosphere:
Haze Density  1.5                                       
Haze Exp Height  4000
Bluesky Exp Height  8000
Ceiling Adjust  7
Ceiling 56000
Floor  -16000

Haze Glow Amt.  1
Haze Glow Power  0.99
Blue sky Glow amt.  0.25
Blue sky Glow Power  0.75
Enviro light  0.5
Enviro light tint  1

Ambient  0
Fake Dark Power  0
Fake Dark Sharpness  10
Bluesky density color  1
Redsky Decay Colour  0.9048

No. of samples  64

Cirrus
Cloud Alt.  12836.3
Cloud Depth  16.9001
quality  1.00611
samples  11
All other settings are default

Cumulus
Cloud Alt  9700
Cloud Depth  2453
Edge Sharpness  11.5
Cloud Density  default
Coverage adjust  -0.025
Cloud Colour  0.41
Cloud scattering colour  0.43

Lighting
sun glow amt  1.03
sun glow power  1.05
light propagation  1.25
light prop mix  0.55
fake internal scattering  0.2
enviro light  0.75
enviro light tint  1

Tweaks
ambient  0.1
fake dark power  0.1
fake dark sharpness  10
check 'improved lighting model'
check 'flatter base' 
base wispiness  0.33
base softness  0.15
coverage gamma  0.75

Quality  3D volumetric  0.940042
no. of samples  84
set at 'optimal'

Density shader: 
feature scale  1500
lead-in scale 60000
smallest scale 15
noise octaves 14
density contrast  1
coverage adjust  -0.125
roughness 1.7
noise flavour  perlin ridges
noise variation 1.9
bouyancy 0.5
clumping 0.95
lead-in warp amt.  0.5

Blend by shader- distance shader
far distance  30000
near distance  11000
distance mode Z depth (planar)
camera  render camera

@ Martin:  Used the new patched version, and thanks for the raytracer suggestion for the vegetation.
@ Bob, Eoin, njeneb and Malcolm:  Thank you very much. 

Linda