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General => Contests => NWDA 2015 Theme Challenge - Iceland => Topic started by: kalwalt on January 23, 2015, 12:40:05 PM

Title: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 23, 2015, 12:40:05 PM
Hi,it is a bit of time that I am not present in this forum. I decided to contribute to this contest with a picture. My idea is to realize an iceland landscape with the first autumn(?) snow and a waterfall. I started from the Ulco Nwda waterfall example. I added the snow some "caves" near the waterfall, and modified the terrain. Not very satisfied with the snow, i think it's too much and also is attached on the overhang on the left of the waterfall. I have also the doubt that this landscape could be everywhere... ???

Walter

[attach=1]
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: TheBadger on January 23, 2015, 11:43:32 PM
Well I think you are on to something here.

Snow; try some clips in file sharing sticky. See if there is anything there that can inspire you.
Waterfall; dont ask me. It may be easier though if you make it fall straight down rather than follow the rock face?
Iceland look; After you finish your rock faces then just add moss on everything that you cant see snow on ;D

Its pretty good man, don't doubt your self. Go with your gut and keep working. This is a cool scene, has lots of potential IMO.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on January 24, 2015, 03:25:07 AM
Badger is right, this certainly has potential. It's quite daring to try a landscape like this, I appreciate that. I have some suggestions: increase the displacement in the fractal on which the stone population sits, so the stones spread out more in height (for a rougher fall). You should also move the whole fall a bit towards the rock wall, so you loose the straight edge where you look under the fall. It may also be possible to make the fall area 'rounder', but that's up to you, can't help you with that.
Then the snow. Try a displacement intersection and see what happens. You might loose the fall area, then it won't work. Otherwise, restrict the  snow to lesser slopes, so it's not on the ceiling of the caves (which are nice). You could also try to reduce the intial fine roughness of the terrain, then add snow on lesser slopes and add some minor rough displacement where there's no snow, but that takes some fiddling with masks...
And then I'd at least add some patches of color in the valley, like snow or bushes, for diversity.
Good luck.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 24, 2015, 03:32:50 AM
Thank you @TheBadger for the insights and thoughts. :) I also think that maybe some mossy rocks can add more appeal to the overall scene. i did a quick render at lower res. The moss is only green colour on a power fractal shader for now, For the Snow i used a Surface shader masked by a power fractal. For the waterfall: Now, i want to work on the other parts of the composition i will see this after. I m considering to add a little geyser on the left down part of the picture near the lake, could add more "islandisness" (!) to the image.

Thank you @Dune also for your precious help, i'm reading carefully your post! I wrote my post at the same time you posting it...
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 24, 2015, 09:51:07 AM
An update: i tried to improve the snow and to add a mossy effect. IMO i think the moss should cover more the rocks, i will see this. For the waterfall: i increased the displacement as suggested by Ulco but i think i have to yet increase it, also i reduced the drops to 2 cm, but i don't see great differences.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Oshyan on January 24, 2015, 05:57:12 PM
I think you're going in the right direction. Latest update looks promising.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 24, 2015, 06:06:18 PM
Quote from: Oshyan on January 24, 2015, 05:57:12 PM
I think you're going in the right direction. Latest update looks promising.

- Oshyan

Thank's Oshyan,i agree with you. Now, i'm working on improving the moss effect and to add some bushes, veggies. Not decided yet about the sky.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on January 25, 2015, 03:40:33 AM
You could obsure part of the fall that is not to your taste by some shrub, or rock outcrops (cubes or local vector displacement/redirect).
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 25, 2015, 05:02:21 PM
I think the cube method you @Dune suggested works well, looks in the picture. I also added some bushes and grass populations. More will come. ;)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: TheBadger on January 25, 2015, 05:20:25 PM
Is this at scale? The trees look way too small to me. I thought this a much smaller place from the first images. Other than that, its shaping up pretty good. 8)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 25, 2015, 05:29:44 PM
no they aren't. they are Betula lenta from xforg. I reduced them to half size because i hadn't  shrubs. i don't know even if this tree can find in iceland, so if it is correct for the contest. I'm glad you like the picture. :)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Oshyan on January 26, 2015, 01:19:50 AM
This is starting to look really good! I agree the plants don't seem quite right, but they should be easily fixed. More importantly the waterfall is pretty believable, which is hard to do. It's an interesting camera position, it makes me wonder what the photographer is standing on (or where they're standing). You might consider adjusting that a bit, or maybe changing aspect ratio. But in general it's looking nice.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on January 26, 2015, 03:44:26 AM
Getting nicer. I would change the POV to a lower camera position, so you see more sky. The rock really helps. Something you can do if you don't have shrubs is sit the pop of trees on a displacement shader (after compute terrain, but not in the main line, so as endpoint) set to some small minus number (the amount you wish the trees to duck), with a white color as input, or a white-black PF, for variance. Or just lower the object a bit, if you want them all to duck the same distance. Then you only have the tops of trees above ground. But I would use larger shrub/trees, as my first idea was that it's a smaller area indeed. You could measure it.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 26, 2015, 07:22:13 AM
Thank's @Oshyan and @Dune. :) I agree with the camera position. My idea is to take a shot of the place from the the ground to up, showing some mossy boulders on the foreground, the waterfall in the middle right and the "snowy mounts" on the background. I think i will add some boulders  with cubes or/and fake stones shaders in the lower right corner where actually there is the water. For the plant's i will do a little research for some iceland shrubs. But i will consider your input @Dune. Another thing that not convince me is the sky. I think that is not an iceland sky. Maybe it needs some heavy blu nembo clouds. i will see this. 
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 26, 2015, 04:43:13 PM
An update: most of the changes are in the point of view, ratio of the picture, the athmosphere, and the moss. what about this? sure i have to tweak a bit the position of the clouds... i don't like too much that the foreground is into the shadow, but for now i'm happy with it. :)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 26, 2015, 05:11:58 PM
Better this picture. :)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: TheBadger on January 26, 2015, 11:56:32 PM
This is getting quite good. It will be awesome if you finish it with the same energy.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on January 27, 2015, 02:25:08 AM
Getting nicer and nicer. Maybe darken the sky (more clouds) considerably and have just some light shine through on certain parts, for more drama. And maybe raise the camera a tiny bit to see a little more of the water. Fall is great now!
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 27, 2015, 06:21:29 AM
Quote from: TheBadger on January 26, 2015, 11:56:32 PM
This is getting quite good. It will be awesome if you finish it with the same energy.
I believe that energy and motivation is always a key factor when you want to do something!
Quote from: Dune on January 27, 2015, 02:25:08 AM
Getting nicer and nicer. Maybe darken the sky (more clouds) considerably and have just some light shine through on certain parts, for more drama. And maybe raise the camera a tiny bit to see a little more of the water. Fall is great now!
I have not so much experience with clouds. I added two 3d clouds layers and i localized up on the left mountains, in this ways the waterfall part is most in the light. i'm also experimenting with the sunlight and the enviro light: i increased them and changed a bit the colur of the sun in order to achieve a nordic athmosphere, but i think i have a bit of work to do here....
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: DannyG on January 27, 2015, 07:38:22 AM
Progressing nicely, keep on it !
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 27, 2015, 02:51:28 PM
Quote from: Danny on January 27, 2015, 07:38:22 AM
Progressing nicely, keep on it !
Thank you @Danny i will do it!

And what about this one? I think i have to fix the grass and i want to make the that cloud more dramathic. Maybe also another cloud layer to darken some parts in the scene and to lighten other parts.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: TheBadger on January 27, 2015, 06:03:30 PM
Personally I am not a fan of this cloud. Clouds may be good for this image. But This one is over taking to much of the rest of the scene for me. Really I dont think you should worry too much about the clouds or "mood" yet. Deal with that stuff at the end once you have made your terrain. Then decide on you final comp, then decide on the mood and atmo.

There is still a lot of texturing and detailing to do on the ground. I think that is most important. Personally, if you get the terrain great, then I wont care if its a sunny day or a dreary day, Ill be happy to stand there in the rain even. Just my feeling.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on January 28, 2015, 03:23:23 AM
Michael (Badger) is right. Maybe change the sun's position to get some strong shadows playing across the rock face near the fall, for a more dramatic feel.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 28, 2015, 07:20:42 AM
I agree with all your comment guys... i am a easy prey for enthusiasm!! :D :P
Yes ground more detailed and texturing, i'm searching a good method for moss and lichens, found different example in the forum from @choronr and @WASasquatch. Actually my moss is only a surface shader with plugged two power fractal shader for the colour and the displacement.  I think that where there is the moss  the rocks should be more rounded, and i'm not sure that my shaders doing this now.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: TheBadger on January 28, 2015, 01:26:35 PM
There is also free lichens from Walli (silva3D). THey are small, so probably only for close ups or things very much in the foreground. Walli also gave free grass that looks very good as moss (just make the gras very small). I don't have a link for you right now. Maybe someone can post them... The grass should have come free with TG, I think?
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 30, 2015, 12:38:15 PM
Quote from: TheBadger on January 28, 2015, 01:26:35 PM
There is also free lichens from Walli (silva3D). THey are small, so probably only for close ups or things very much in the foreground. Walli also gave free grass that looks very good as moss (just make the gras very small). I don't have a link for you right now. Maybe someone can post them... The grass should have come free with TG, I think?
Thank you @The Badger i have found some models from Mrlamppost that help me doing this. I think i have still to work on it in the image but i'm in the right way.
I added some boulders and a bit of veggie, tried to improve the moss shader... but still to work more on it.
-14 days to the end! :D ??? :P
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 30, 2015, 01:49:01 PM
Another rendering: moss shader is working but  need to fix the color. Tried a clear sky...
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 31, 2015, 02:35:49 PM
Another step: changed Fov, increased grass populations, changed sky. Still to work a bit on the ground, on the boulders and on the moss...
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Oshyan on January 31, 2015, 02:51:37 PM
I like the dramatic lighting in the latest one. The falls could use a little more of it, but otherwise it's nice, along with the dramatic clouds. Your surface layers seem too noisy to me, although that may be partly due to lower quality test renders (have you tried crop renders at higher quality?). Your moss layer needs a bit less saturation in the green I think, and maybe to be a bit darker. Overall good progress though.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on January 31, 2015, 03:04:40 PM
Quote from: Oshyan on January 31, 2015, 02:51:37 PM
I like the dramatic lighting in the latest one. The falls could use a little more of it, but otherwise it's nice, along with the dramatic clouds. Your surface layers seem too noisy to me, although that may be partly due to lower quality test renders (have you tried crop renders at higher quality?). Your moss layer needs a bit less saturation in the green I think, and maybe to be a bit darker. Overall good progress though.

- Oshyan

I'd like that the falls would be more enlighted but i'm afraid that i can change complitely the mood with just a little few steps. Regarding the surface layer, i think i need to set up a bit better the displacement of it but. Agree with the colour of it.
I'm considering to add a floating little iceberg in the midlle of the lake but i'don't know if i will have the time...and if it has an importance in the contest of this picture.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Henry Blewer on January 31, 2015, 09:17:32 PM
I agree with Oshyan about the moss. It would be very good for some specks of younger moss shoots. Most of it it should much less saturated and darker.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on February 01, 2015, 03:30:14 AM
I'd forget about the iceberg. To get a bit more light on the fall, playa little with the hardness of the cloud (in the main cloud tab), or the fractal (buoyancy from variation). Changing those values (buoyancy from 0.5 to 0.4, e.g.) may just make the difference. Or add a transform shader between cloud fractal and cloud node and move the cloud 10m.
I would also break up the strata in the distance by a ridged power fractal (larger number, say 50/400/10, and maybe stretched vertically).
Agree about darkening the moss.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 01, 2015, 06:05:44 AM
Quote from: Henry Blewer on January 31, 2015, 09:17:32 PM
I agree with Oshyan about the moss. It would be very good for some specks of younger moss shoots. Most of it it should much less saturated and darker.
Thank you Henry! In theory i plugged into the surface layer a power fractal for the colour, but i think i have still to tweak the values...

Quote from: Dune on February 01, 2015, 03:30:14 AM
I'd forget about the iceberg. To get a bit more light on the fall, playa little with the hardness of the cloud (in the main cloud tab), or the fractal (buoyancy from variation). Changing those values (buoyancy from 0.5 to 0.4, e.g.) may just make the difference. Or add a transform shader between cloud fractal and cloud node and move the cloud 10m.
I would also break up the strata in the distance by a ridged power fractal (larger number, say 50/400/10, and maybe stretched vertically).
Agree about darkening the moss.
For the clouds i used the Clouds_black_Moodflow.tgc from here: http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,3691.msg38157.html#msg38157 the nodes required a .tif image (not provided), i did one with gimp, but maybe i can simply plug a power fractal shader instead that image map shader. I can try first as you suggested and then try another option.
For the moss: i darkened the colour but it's much difficult to me to desaturate it. and also still need a bit of work on the displacement. see the part. picture (rendered at higher res and higher AA)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Henry Blewer on February 01, 2015, 11:38:09 AM
The moss looks better. I like it more now.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Oshyan on February 01, 2015, 02:53:53 PM
Indeed, moss looks better. Desaturating should be easy. Go to the color picker and on the first tab (button with 3 colored bars at top), then on the dropdown that may say "RGB sliders", select "HSB sliders". That's Hue, Saturation, and Brightness. Now just reduce Saturation.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 01, 2015, 04:58:06 PM
Quote from: Oshyan on February 01, 2015, 02:53:53 PM
Indeed, moss looks better. Desaturating should be easy. Go to the color picker and on the first tab (button with 3 colored bars at top), then on the dropdown that may say "RGB sliders", select "HSB sliders". That's Hue, Saturation, and Brightness. Now just reduce Saturation.

- Oshyan

I've never seen the HSB button! we never finish to learn... thank's a lot for the tips! :)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Oshyan on February 01, 2015, 05:59:13 PM
You're welcome. The color picker has a lot of nice options in it. :)

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 01, 2015, 06:47:26 PM
Now it looks better! The moss is better, the fall has a bit more light, tried to modify the mount wall in the background but not much changed. Another step to the end... :)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 03, 2015, 05:51:23 PM
Some improvements on the waterfall,   boulders, textures, light.... in the next days i will try a partial higher rendering.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Oshyan on February 03, 2015, 05:53:15 PM
Ah yes, now you've got the light right! Snow texture still seems quite noisy or "chunky", but otherwise this is looking pretty nice.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 03, 2015, 05:57:38 PM
Quote from: Oshyan on February 03, 2015, 05:53:15 PM
Ah yes, now you've got the light right! Snow texture still seems quite noisy or "chunky", but otherwise this is looking pretty nice.

- Oshyan
Yeah, something magic happened!  :D ;) For the snow i will try with the clip from @Tangled Universe that i bought from NWDA... will see tomorrow.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Oshyan on February 03, 2015, 06:02:01 PM
Sounds good. My one recommendation: Save a *copy* of the TGD you have now, with the lighting you like, with a new name and in a separate place. Other changes you make later may affect the lighting, you may "lose" it somehow. But it should be fairly easy to copy it back in if you have a backup (depending on what change messes it up). So that's my little tip.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 03, 2015, 06:16:51 PM
Quote from: Oshyan on February 03, 2015, 06:02:01 PM
Sounds good. My one recommendation: Save a *copy* of the TGD you have now, with the lighting you like, with a new name and in a separate place. Other changes you make later may affect the lighting, you may "lose" it somehow. But it should be fairly easy to copy it back in if you have a backup (depending on what change messes it up). So that's my little tip.

- Oshyan
Thank's for the tip. Generally i save my works regulary with the increment option, plus when i did some critical changes i rename it (  adding some info), and always i save on an external HDD. And if it is very important i do a double copy on my dropobx account.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Oshyan on February 03, 2015, 07:59:47 PM
Sounds like you have a good system then, glad to hear it. :)

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 04, 2015, 05:28:05 PM
What about this "new" snow?
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Oshyan on February 04, 2015, 06:12:05 PM
Definitely an improvement! It does make the shape of your background mountain look a bit strange though (I'm sure the shape was always there, but the noisy snow hid it). It's good to have strata for Iceland, but maybe see if you can find a way to break it up a bit and add variation? I'm still really loving that waterfall, tremendously successful!

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on February 05, 2015, 03:22:13 AM
That's what I said a few posts back, break up the strata with a power fractal, it would make the back mountain less conspicuous. But you're surely getting there!
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 05, 2015, 04:19:51 AM
Quote from: Oshyan on February 04, 2015, 06:12:05 PM
Definitely an improvement! It does make the shape of your background mountain look a bit strange though (I'm sure the shape was always there, but the noisy snow hid it). It's good to have strata for Iceland, but maybe see if you can find a way to break it up a bit and add variation? I'm still really loving that waterfall, tremendously successful!

- Oshyan

Quote from: Dune on February 05, 2015, 03:22:13 AM
That's what I said a few posts back, break up the strata with a power fractal, it would make the back mountain less conspicuous. But you're surely getting there!

Thank you Oshyan for the words! :) I love the waterfall too, i have new ideas to realize: i saw this picture http://www.nationalgeographic.it/dal-giornale/2012/05/14/foto/leggende_d_islanda-990567/8/#media and i would realize with TG.  Yes, @Dune as you said the strata background need a modification. i tried the other days but the shaders i used i think didn't change anything.
I think it depend where you plug the shader; i tried before compute normal shader, will try before planet shader. 
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on February 05, 2015, 05:01:03 AM
There's a masking input in the strata shader, add a power fractal there and don't use too small smallest size (sizes maybe 50/200/10 or so). Play with the color offset and contrast of the PF colors.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 05, 2015, 06:31:50 AM
Quote from: Dune on February 05, 2015, 05:01:03 AM
There's a masking input in the strata shader, add a power fractal there and don't use too small smallest size (sizes maybe 50/200/10 or so). Play with the color offset and contrast of the PF colors.
Now i get it!  ;) I forgot that the strata shaders are in an internal network inside "color vary and cracks". This is a partial rendering, i will experiment with different options. Maybe there is much snow because i modified the snow offset displacememnt, actually i don't remember, i have to check this.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 05, 2015, 07:27:18 AM
This is another test rendering. Did you notice any difference with the previuos one? Now strata are less noticeable... i masked both of the strata shaders, with vertical displeacement, perlin ridges, scale(50,200,10), no values colour changed.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: ADE on February 05, 2015, 11:06:42 AM
that "mountain wall" in the distance don't do it for me, the waterfall is great, but need to be narrowed?....the grass(greenery) is too saturated, but others may disagree....the lighting needs to be moved so that a few crevices can be more pronounced, there again with a hi quality render, may look different again
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 05, 2015, 11:49:47 AM
Quote from: Terrade on February 05, 2015, 11:06:42 AM
that "mountain wall" in the distance don't do it for me, the waterfall is great, but need to be narrowed?....the grass(greenery) is too saturated, but others may disagree....the lighting needs to be moved so that a few crevices can be more pronounced, there again with a hi quality render, may look different again
I chose that point of view because i wouldn't do only a picture of a waterfall but also to show the landscape around, maybe i can try a vertical size of view to catch more the fall than other. Regarding the greenery i saw many iceland picture very saturated (but could be an enhancement postwork), very difficult to change the position of the light, could be unpredictable due to the clouds, but probably  higher rendering with more pixels, detail level and AA, as you say may look different.

EDIT->question: how can i set Tg for a vertical render? i need to choose the size in the render shader and also change the vertical fov in the camera shader?
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on February 05, 2015, 12:05:35 PM
The sizes of tha fractal breaking the strata have depend on the actual size of the mountain. If it's huge, use larger numbers in the masking pf, or the variation of strata-nostrata will be too fine.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Artby on February 05, 2015, 03:24:23 PM
This looks very promising !
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 06, 2015, 01:14:33 PM
I added some clouds-fogs near the mountain and in the lake, but they make a strange result, especially near the shore they seems lighter, maybe i need to decrease the density? Another issue: the grass seem very dark, i plugged a power fractal shader to modulate the colour, i choose a light colour, this seem strange like it was without texture. I thinking to move (or delete) the boulder on the right of the corner's picture maybe near the lake. I m also doing some different rendering with another different point of view, to find other possibilities, but it remains little time...
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Oshyan on February 06, 2015, 01:34:06 PM
With Population Tint you usually need to use the Diffuse Color Multiplier to help avoid the darkening effect. Try values of 2 or 3.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 06, 2015, 02:51:03 PM
Quote from: Oshyan on February 06, 2015, 01:34:06 PM
With Population Tint you usually need to use the Diffuse Color Multiplier to help avoid the darkening effect. Try values of 2 or 3.

- Oshyan

Thank you Oshyan, i will try it. :)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 06, 2015, 06:47:21 PM
Small changes but now fov 22 instead of 28, i think is more interesting. Increased colour (multiplied) for the grass pop, but i have to look again. And because changed fov i need more grass in some parts. Still to work! :D
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on February 07, 2015, 03:01:23 AM
The clouds are a good addition. I wouldn't lighten the grass to much, I like it like this. Did you test parts in high resolution already?
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 07, 2015, 03:54:10 AM
Quote from: Dune on February 07, 2015, 03:01:23 AM
The clouds are a good addition. I wouldn't lighten the grass to much, I like it like this. Did you test parts in high resolution already?
I like the clouds too. i hadn't time to test in h-res. The clouds took me enough time to make some test  :( ???, i will do today (I hope).
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 07, 2015, 11:03:34 AM
Here some cropped renders at higher res (1900x905, detail 0.8, AA 10).
This related to the clouds (Quality setting 0.912493)
[attach=1]
This related to part of the wall with the snow and the cloud-fog (Quality setting 1.05015)
[attach=2]
This related to the veg and rocks in the foreground, here cloud quality is set to 0.423324. it seems veg are not properly attached to the ground?
[attach=3]
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on February 08, 2015, 03:40:47 AM
If you suspect they're floating, detach the line coming from the compute terrain to the population, and have it go from the last node before it goes into planet to the population. That way it picks up all final displacements (with the danger they also sit on fake stones, so if you have fake stones in the last node, take the one before that to have the pops sit upon).
Details look ok, a bit grainy clouds maybe, and maybe due to the atmosphere quality, you might need to increase that from 16 to 24 or so.
And do you have a slope restriction on the snow? It kind of clings to very vertical areas, so you might want to refine that...
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 08, 2015, 01:19:17 PM
Quote from: Dune on February 08, 2015, 03:40:47 AM
If you suspect they're floating, detach the line coming from the compute terrain to the population, and have it go from the last node before it goes into planet to the population. That way it picks up all final displacements (with the danger they also sit on fake stones, so if you have fake stones in the last node, take the one before that to have the pops sit upon).
Details look ok, a bit grainy clouds maybe, and maybe due to the atmosphere quality, you might need to increase that from 16 to 24 or so.
And do you have a slope restriction on the snow? It kind of clings to very vertical areas, so you might want to refine that...
Thank's Ulco for the suggestions, i'm working on it as soon as i have some picture in hand i will post them. Also i will use different settings for the final renderings, it takes too much to render these little portions: i'll have to decrease the detail and AA settings and probably the width and height pixels...
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 08, 2015, 04:47:18 PM
Another test before final render: part. of the clouds with detail settings = 0.744, AA = 8, athmosphere number of samples = 32. It seesm better than before. Only the render time is long = 2 h 3 minutes... May i decrease detail settings  and still have the same quality?
Walter
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: inkydigit on February 08, 2015, 04:53:20 PM
These last clouds look great, worth the render time, for sure... Not sure reducing detail will result in equal quality though?....
Cheers
Jason
:)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 08, 2015, 04:56:22 PM
Quote from: inkydigit on February 08, 2015, 04:53:20 PM
These last clouds look great, worth the render time, for sure... Not sure reducing detail will result in equal quality though?....
Cheers
Jason
:)

Thank you Jason, then i hope that my pc will be able to render before the deadline!! lol ;D ??? ::)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: inkydigit on February 08, 2015, 05:23:29 PM
I know the feeling! :)
J
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on February 09, 2015, 02:12:09 AM
Great, that seemed to get the grain out. You cluld try slightly reducing quality again in both atmo and clouds and see when grain comes back and how much time that saves.
What kind of machine do you have? Maybe you could send it off to someone with a really fast machine for the final render, or use a render farm. I guess on an i7 it would take an few hours max.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 09, 2015, 05:22:39 AM
Quote from: Dune on February 09, 2015, 02:12:09 AM
Great, that seemed to get the grain out. You cluld try slightly reducing quality again in both atmo and clouds and see when grain comes back and how much time that saves.
What kind of machine do you have? Maybe you could send it off to someone with a really fast machine for the final render, or use a render farm. I guess on an i7 it would take an few hours max.
i did a little test reducing settings, the grainy not appear. Now i'm trying a  1900x905 render, will see when it ends. I have an i5 2450M 2.50 Ghz with 6GB Ram. If this render fails i will try the render farm option (maybe pixel plow?) if it's not so expensive. :)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: TheBadger on February 09, 2015, 04:31:39 PM
Agree they look great.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 11, 2015, 03:49:25 AM
I'm doing a "high"  rendering, at the moment after 40 hours :o :P it's not yet finished, but 97% done hope it will be fine, but i need to investigate what's the cause of this long time rendering. ??? 
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 11, 2015, 05:42:21 AM
I discovered that soft shadows are enabled in the sunlight that i used, i've red in the wiki that this may increase the render time. Do you think that soft shadows are necessary in this type of scene?
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on February 11, 2015, 07:21:56 AM
Not really, I think, but you're underway now anyway.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 11, 2015, 07:29:45 AM
Quote from: Dune on February 11, 2015, 07:21:56 AM
Not really, I think, but you're underway now anyway.
Yes of course, i will post the render when it is ready. i've also deferrred atmo cloud enabled. Will see if can make some little improvements until the deadline.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 11, 2015, 03:48:38 PM
Finally i have a 1900 x 905 rendering; There are some wierd artifacts in the moss shaders, as greeny stretched pixels and the time rendering was 59 hours 27 minutes  :o :o ??? too much. i think i have to decrease this render time! I will begin to disable soft shadows and deferred atmo.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 11, 2015, 03:59:30 PM
This is a quick test without soft sahdows and defer. atmo enabled, no other settings touched. dou you think that quality is the same?
render time: 18 minutes 11 seconds instead of more 2 hours and 33 minutes! Not bad. :)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Oshyan on February 11, 2015, 09:10:17 PM
It's definitely noisier. But it seems like there's room to find a middle ground given how much of a difference in time there is. So probably don't enable Defer Atmo, but increase Cloud Quality a bit, and try another crop render like this. If the noise is unaffected, you may need to increase atmosphere samples instead.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 12, 2015, 05:15:46 AM
This is a crop with increased quality (from 0.91 to 1.0). 15 min render time. it's yet a bit noisy.

[attach=1]

This is a crop with increased N. samples (from 30 to 32) quality (1.0), 15 min 30 sec. render time. it's a bit less noisy.

[attach=2]

N. samples (34) quality (1.0), 15 min 30 sec. render time.

[attach=3]
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 13, 2015, 08:11:55 AM
Changed system for the moss/grass layers, i abandoned my own for @Dandel0 Planetary grass grabbed from his site. I think it's better and don't present wierd artifacts. Maybe i should desaturate and darken a bit the colour of the moss.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on February 13, 2015, 09:34:54 AM
I think you should, indeed.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 13, 2015, 09:43:26 AM
Quote from: Dune on February 13, 2015, 09:34:54 AM
I think you should, indeed.
Yes, for me too. That "maybe" was rhetorical... ;) :)
In few hours a new big render.
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 14, 2015, 05:04:21 AM
The last render, it took 17 hours 43 minutes  for the rendering so i think that is the last for the contest. I think that yet could be improved in some parts but anyway it's not enough time.  :(
Anyway i want to thank all the people that help me and encourage doing this, and good luck to all fellow contestant, there are so many beautiful picture, it's nice to see how everyone see a different aspect of the Iceland! :D
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Dune on February 14, 2015, 07:56:08 AM
Good luck to you too!
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 14, 2015, 08:02:56 AM
Quote from: Dune on February 14, 2015, 07:56:08 AM
Good luck to you too!
Thank you Ulco! :)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: inkydigit on February 14, 2015, 09:50:07 AM
The progression has been enjoyable, and the final result shows all of your hard work.... Well done and good luck!
Cheers Jason
:)
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 14, 2015, 10:10:55 AM
Quote from: inkydigit on February 14, 2015, 09:50:07 AM
The progression has been enjoyable, and the final result shows all of your hard work.... Well done and good luck!
Cheers Jason
:)
You are right. Anyway i learnt a lot doing this, at least i'm a specialist in Terragen's waterfalls. Many ideas have begun to emerge thank to this project, will see a lot of nice stuff!  :)
Good luck also to you, Jason!

Walter
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: Oshyan on February 14, 2015, 06:14:39 PM
You have made a ton of progress from that first image. A lot to be proud of! This is honestly one of the best waterfalls I've seen in TG. Good luck in the contest. :)

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Iceland first snow
Post by: kalwalt on February 14, 2015, 07:03:38 PM
Quote from: Oshyan on February 14, 2015, 06:14:39 PM
You have made a ton of progress from that first image. A lot to be proud of! This is honestly one of the best waterfalls I've seen in TG. Good luck in the contest. :)

- Oshyan

Yes. the image went slowly but with a lot of progress in, proud of it. Thank's for the nice comment,i hope that i will do even better that this one, i have some ideas that i'm thinking , and I will try to achieve. :)