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General => Terragen Discussion => Topic started by: QMTD on April 19, 2011, 12:19:06 PM

Title: Projector
Post by: QMTD on April 19, 2011, 12:19:06 PM
Hello

Is there a way to use an image as a gel to colour light sources or in other words to create a projector, please?
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: Oshyan on April 19, 2011, 01:05:27 PM
This is not directly possible at this time but there may be creative workarounds.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: QMTD on April 19, 2011, 01:17:05 PM
Thanks for your reply.

Do you mean like interposing a transparent textured object? Sorry, but I'm completely new to this programme, I would greatly appreciate a hint.
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: Oshyan on April 19, 2011, 02:09:20 PM
Yes, something like that. Or possibly using the texture with Through Camera projection and making it luminous (not the same effect but the visual result might be similar). Unfortunately the effect you're trying to achieve probably won't be easy with present limitations.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: Matt on April 19, 2011, 11:11:08 PM
Cloud Layers cast shadows, and the cloud's density shader can be coloured to produce coloured shadows.

Matt
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: Oshyan on April 20, 2011, 02:26:34 AM
Ah, great idea Matt.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: Tangled-Universe on April 20, 2011, 02:29:50 AM
Quote from: Matt on April 19, 2011, 11:11:08 PM
Cloud Layers cast shadows, and the cloud's density shader can be coloured to produce coloured shadows.

Matt


Really? That doesn't sound logical to me...?
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: Dune on April 20, 2011, 03:30:06 AM
It does.
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: Tangled-Universe on April 20, 2011, 04:35:17 AM
Not a very clear example if you'd ask me Ulco...?

I suppose I'd either expect yellowish shadows or complementary coloured shadows, in this example violet? But to say I can 1) clearly see shadows 2) which are clearly yellow/violet. No.

Regardless of all of that: it's not logical to me that the density shader controls this.
It should control cloud shape, together with the density/edge sharpness settings (1st tab in cloud node, basically).
I'd suspect the cloud/scatter colours to be of importance and perhaps the ambient setting in the tweak tab, may be.
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: Seth on April 20, 2011, 04:59:24 AM
I must admit I don't understand.
why does density shader would control colours of shadows ?
and, like Martin, don' really understand your example too, sorry :)
I will do some test later today, as I am doing some coloured clouds for some days now, and my shadows are always the same, whatever colour are my clouds...
I'll try as you did on your node network Dune.
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: FrankB on April 20, 2011, 05:24:10 AM
It does work though. Apparently the density shader does more than be just a cloud mask for the atmosphere. This was new to me as well.  :)
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: Kadri on April 20, 2011, 12:55:55 PM

It is confusing !
The node network you see here is one of many.
Like in many places in TG2 you can get much variation by changing them.
(I put the light cone-cloud in the air for better colored shadow view )
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: Dune on April 20, 2011, 01:24:10 PM
Well, the effect is very obvious if you do what I did. As soon as you add the multiply color the cloud shadow changes color from pure gray to this bluish/violet!
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: Matt on April 21, 2011, 09:17:52 PM
The reason this works is that cloud density is similar to opacity. The opacity can be different in each colour channel.

The way Terragen's density shader works is that it also affects the shape of the cloud. But if you want to control the density in a straightforward way without changing the shape, you can use the final density modulator plug instead of the density shader plug.
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: dandelO on April 21, 2011, 11:26:32 PM
When I was messing around with noctilucent clouds, I noticed that I could light a whole scene from clouds alone, even without a sunlight.
If that was localized then it would make a nice, quick-render spotlight, I'd think, since clouds don't require 'enable ray traced shadows' to cast onto other scene elements. You could use whatever mask you'd like in the density shaders to cast the shadows onto the atmosphere and surfaces.
Title: Re: Projector
Post by: neon22 on May 15, 2011, 07:36:22 PM
Quote from: Matt on April 21, 2011, 09:17:52 PM
The reason this works is that cloud density is similar to opacity. The opacity can be different in each colour channel.

The way Terragen's density shader works is that it also affects the shape of the cloud. But if you want to control the density in a straightforward way without changing the shape, you can use the final density modulator plug instead of the density shader plug.

I first saw this (colour in density shaders) in a tgd called "From Orbit.tgd" here:
http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=3691.msg110938#msg110938