The Calm before...

[choronr]

A fractal terrain containing many elements of others listed below. The terrain reminds me of areas in eastern Colorado where you'll find flood plains of the clay, sand and silt type of soils. The file contains the following elements:

•   Flatten low areas by Hetzen available at the Planetside forum.
•   1M Cracks by dandelO available at the Planetside forum.
•   Sand and stones by dandelO available at the planetside forum.
•   Hero rock from the fake stones files from NWDA.
•   Two populations of grasses (one colored differently) by Walli available at NWDA.
•   Dried grasses from a friend.
•   Wind wheel by Kranky available at Ashundar.
•   Cloudscape - a variation of one of the files by FrankB available at NWDA.

Note of caution; avoid using Ray traced shadows for the clouds and the atmosphere unless necessary - otherwise, render time is almost forever and a few days.

Bob

[Oshyan]

Great foreground and vegetation Bob. I find the clouds a bit blobby though.

Good advice about the raytrace options. And in a scene like this there would probably have been no visual difference, either (but the render time is still affected).

- Oshyan

[Dune]

I very much like the space, color scheme, and feel of threat here, with these upcoming storms. But I would do two things about this; dump the hero rock and make the clouds less transparent/'luminous'. they seem too 'even' colored. Some more realistic (harder-topped) thunderclouds mixed with a bit hazy, dark clouds would do very well I think.

---Dune

[choronr]

Points well taken guys; you've got me thinking ...maybe another version?

[domdib]

I agree re the rock, and maybe try another of Frank's cloudscapes - a more normal one. But the terrain is great.

[inkydigit]

great pic Bob, agree with Oshyan about the clouds, just out of (european) curiosity(ignorance)...what size (height) are windwheels like this?

[choronr]

Hopefully this revised version has taken advantage of the good suggestions made ...enjoy.

Bob

[Gannaingh]

As always your foreground is superb! The clouds look much more realistic in this version, less oily, and fit the scene better in my opinion. however I think the birds look out of place; the rest of the scene works very well together but the birds almost seem like they are an afterthought.

[Henry Blewer]

I like this just as it is. Great render Bob!

[Dune]

I 2nd Darthvader1. Clouds are very nice this time! Drop the birds and you have a stunner. They look like pelicans to me, but their wings have a quite unrealistic 'bow'. A small group of very distant vultures would be nice. Maybe I'll be making some, some day... they would suit many barren landscapes.

[domdib]

I third darthvader - although maybe if you moved the birds much further into the background they would work better. But the clouds are definitely a big step forward 

[Markal]

Agree with Oshyan...the clouds seem a bit strange....otherwise....excellent work!

[harkas]

While I agree that the clouds LOOK better in the new render they had more of a before the storm FEEL in the first one.