This is my final meta-cloud model(for the moment
). This one cloud is 3 small TG2 planet models.
It is
very diverse and editable as this attatched image shows.
None of these images have been created using different fractal seeds, cloud coverage, densities, edge sharpness or cloud colour! None of them!
The only settings that need moved about for these meta-clouds is the 'cloud altitude' and 'cloud height' sliders!
The only thing you
have to make sure of when raising/lowering 'cloud height' is that the cloud-layer MUST reach into the core of the planet. (thus the default level of -50 for cloud altitude and 100m for depth.
Making the default model so that the cloud layer is beneath the non rendered planet surface keeps the samples down, more cloud depth = lots more samples! Cut corners wherever you can!
).
There are only a total of three non rendered planets making up this one cumulus, duplicate them and move them around with their bounding boxes to manually build infinite cloud shapes.
Forget everything you've learned about TG's cloud height/depth settings when using these meta-clouds. Read on...Each meta-cloud object has it's own cloud layer. These will pop up in your atmosphere tab when you import the clipfile.
One density fractal supplies all the cloud data. It's scales are set for this size of 100m radius planet as my defaults. If you raise the object size/raise the scales to match...
'Cloud altitude' and 'cloud depth' with these
doesn't mean 'height above x,y,z. in your TG world anymore.
These clouds are volumetric OBJECTS(3x100m radius TG2 planets) and will appear in your objects tab. To control their position you'll use the x,y,z values there.(
or, even easier, just drag each cloud's bounding box!).
Cloud altitude, in meta-clouds, is now based on the planet that the particular puffball of cloud surrounds. If you don't make the cloud altitude offset, to reach the middle of the planet, you'll get a hollow cloud-ball or a 3D 'doughnut' effect. Think of the 'depth' of your meta-clouds as a radius, from the point in the centre of each cloud-puff, to it's outer limits. Does that make sense? Good!
The following image shows the diversity that can be achieved by
only adjusting the very first 2 sliders in each cloud layer shader!
I think I've got the scales and densities pretty decent for a model of this size, nothing really needs touched except those first 2 sliders but, feel free to do what you want with it.
Here's a mini-tut image on easy usage and the .tgd and .tgc for the default meta-cloud model. (pictured first in the image).
[attachimg=#]
Cheers.
d
andelO.
EDIT: Substitute the words 'Level' and 'Height' in my preview image for 'Altitude' and 'Depth', respectfully. Sorry, my mistake.