Image Map Shader

[Largent]

I can't seem to figure out how to apply image map shaders correctly to make a hurricane. Could anybody provide me with an idiot-proof explanation of what settings and steps I should use to do this? I have the nodes hooked up correctly I believe and I have the image projected through a camera that is pointing down at the planet. The preview window is blank and when I render I get cloud formations but they are in no particular shape.

[Oshyan]

Providing a screenshot of your node network or a TGD of what you've done so far would be a great help in trying to advise you. The process should be fairly simple however. First, to make sure your image is actually being applied correctly, it makes sense to hook it up to a Surface Layer or other planetary texture shader as a Blend Shader. This way you can see if the projection is even correctly configured. If it is, then simply attach it as the Blend Shader for your cloud's Density Shader node and you should get your desired results fairly easily.

- Oshyan

[Largent]

Heres an example of what I've been trying without the actual file of the image I'm using (its too big)

[Oshyan]

That TGD appears to work fine to me, you just need an image that is setup correctly to act as a mask. Without seeing what you're using, it's hard to say what's going wrong. That being said, you might want to increase Coverage Adjust on the Density tab of the Density Fractal for each cloud layer. This will give you more clear coverage in the masked area, and you can adjust from there for best effect.

- Oshyan

[Largent]

I've only tried it with a sample image provided in another thread:

http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=9652.msg101242#msg101242

I'll give it another go and see what happens...

[Largent]

Its working now, but I'd love comments on how to improve it.

[TheBlackHole]

Would it kill you to post a render?

[Largent]

Would it kill you to post a render?

During finals? It might. Why take the risk?

I'll fiddle with it a little more and get a render up soon.

[Largent]

Needs a lot of work. all advice is greatly appreciated.

[TheBlackHole]

1. Turn up the cloud color. It should be light gray or white.
2. Decrease Edge Sharpness.
3. Increase Coverage Adjust. If it looks like crap, decrease it, first to what you have now, then if that doesn't work, turn it down further.

[Largent]

I've decided to take a different approach here. I came across a beautiful image by nvseal: http://nvseal.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d18655k
I decided to take the creative aspect of the technique out and I'm just trying to recreate his image. These are the first two attempts I mage. I've done some test renders of a third version that I'll give a full render of (hopefully tomorrow). Once again, I deserve no real credit for any of this, all I've done if fiddle with the numbers on my computer.

[Largent]

and number two

[TheBlackHole]

The second one is great. Add a little depth (Cloud depth, cloud layer settings).

[Largent]

Alright heres the third an final version I'll do. There are still a bunch of minor tweaks I would like and it could benefit from some work in PS but I accomplished what I set out to do, so here it is.

[Goms]

Just a thought... as the basic form of a hurricane system should be a multiple golden spiral, there should be a way to build the underlaying form out of functions, right?
I'm not that good at math in this point, but i posit there is a way.
could be a nice challenge, right?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_spiral