Wouldn't be possible in principle to reverse engineer the cloud shadows. What I mean is to paint the shadows where you want them to be, and then calculate the position of the clouds accordingly.
It would be a lot easier than randomising the clouds several hundred times. :D
But then again, you would need to somehow calculate the cloud thickness, cloud shapes (which are probably most important to most of us), light propagation and their altitude. ;) Sounds complicated when you take all items into account.
My point being, I don't really mind to keep randomizing my setups. As long as I am satisfied with cloud shapes / formations.
Alternatively though, I believe you can simply move your clouds about by using transform shader connected with the PF that generates the clouds. Right?
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UPDATE!
Bobby started a concurrent discussion. This might be what you are looking for. :)
http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,24079.0.html
You could start with a cloud type you like; shape, thickness, etc. Then you could make holes in it so that the shadows, or light spots, fall on the places you indicated with the painted shader. Moving the clouds so that you get the desired result is at least as much work as randomizing because the clouds that cast the shadow are usually outside the image.
"UPDATE!
Bobby started a concurrent discussion. This might be what you are looking for."
Oké! This should be moved to Bobby's thread I guess.
Let's say that I want to maintain the clouds as above cliff, but the light falls in the places that are indicated. With randomizing, it will take ages.
What about using simple shape shaders as masks for existing clouds?
What about "move textures with clouds" option? Would that keep the cloud shapes? If so, you can find a nice shadow area and move it accordingly.
You could use spotlights?
All these things are possible and I use them. Spotlights are the easiest but are always round in shape and therefore need masking. Moreover, spotlights do not always 'feel' right and are an additive on top of the existing lighting.
I frequently have problems with the procedural nature of Terragen and landscape software in general. Don't get me wrong, procedural is great; you get an entire planet with unparalleled detail to explore in no time, but if you want to design a landscape based on a sketch, it becomes difficult.
What I actually want is more direct control over the look and shape of everything. In this respect, matte painters have fewer difficulties; they can paint clouds and shadows without worrying about technical correctness, as long as it seems correct.
Make a black square of 100x100px, white soft spot in center. Import as image map, project by camera at an appropriate angle (say 1-10º), point camera at sun, and of course place the camera where you want the sun to shine.
Perhaps it would also possible to locate a PF over the terrain with dark patches where you want sun and then somehow calculate the height and direction in which to move those fractals and use as cloud fractal.
Thanks Dune. I'll give it go. :)
Oh, forgot to mention you have to complement color to get a black dot to mask the cloud OUT.
Quote from: Dune on January 26, 2018, 07:17:54 AM
Make a black square of 100x100px, white soft spot in center. Import as image map, project by camera at an appropriate angle (say 1-10º), point camera at sun, and of course place the camera where you want the sun to shine.
Perhaps it would also possible to locate a PF over the terrain with dark patches where you want sun and then somehow calculate the height and direction in which to move those fractals and use as cloud fractal.
Exactly the way I do these kind of things, except I use a simple shape instead of an image.
I'm actually surprised Ulco that you use an image for this, since you're the simple shape shader super sorcerer here :)
How do you project a simple shape then?
Quote from: Dune on January 26, 2018, 11:23:28 AM
How do you project a simple shape then?
I think that is referring back to Richards's Easy God Rays setup Ulco. He punches movable holes in clouds with a SSshader in that.
I vaguely remember someone (?) mentioning use of a SSS too, many years ago when I posted 'my way' of burning a hole in the sky, and I asked the same question then, but never got an answer. I don't think you can project SSS's, so it would mean moving it until the hole is at the right place. Which is tedious! I stick to my way ;)
Quote from: bobbystahr on January 27, 2018, 09:35:51 AM
I think that is referring back to Richards's Easy God Rays setup Ulco. He punches movable holes in clouds with a SSshader in that.
You are right I did use a SSS for the Easy God Rays but it's not camera projected.
Dunes way is a better in that you can place the camera where you want the light to land and point it at the sun.
SSS can only mask vertically and the Easy God Rays often creates nasty cloud "edges".
Yes, very true.
Perhaps I should have elaborated a bit more on it as I use the simple shape just to find the right place for the hole in the cloud cover.
You can also use a spherical distance shader.