Over at CGTalk http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/eon/ (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/eon/)for the last few months there has been running a competition to re-create some of the scenes from Greg Bears Sci Fi book "Eon". This centres around the adventures of our hero's within an enourmous hollowed out asteroid divided into 7 chambers. Each of the first six chambers have the following dimensions. Width 30km, hight to central axes 25km as indicated below.
My question is will it be possible (either now or in future releases) to use some of the more esoteric "functions" to create a cilindrical atmosphere, terrain and cloud platform? The problem here is that every single lighting model I have come accross always make the same assumption, namley that your on a flat or sphereical world. It would be interesting for example to see the effects of "Red Sky Decay" if the density of the air between the viewer and the lightsource faded in and out rather than just linearly fading out to zero.
Richard
At one point I was thinking about a similar thing. . . only mine was "will it be possible at some point to have a world on the INSIDE of a sphere instead on the outside?
But I never went further than thinking it because I know at the moment the spheres are one-sorfaced.
Bump, nevertheless.
i dont think it will be possible, ever
This has absolutely nothing to do with the question...I just thought it was interesting to see this brought up since I did the cover art for the book.
Ron
Hi Ron,
who are you addressing?
@cyphyr: This is a very interesting question. I guess non of the creators have thought of it - yet.
I just made a small planet and set the camera inside. Did not try to make surface yet - but will tell you soon.
Volker
Hmm intresting I was think about this for trying to make a ring world but I haven't found a way Im going to keep playing but I'll definatly tell you if I find a lead.
you did the cover art Ron what did you do it in?
Regards,
Will
Well,
I do not know the book thatswhy there are multiple choices.
a) are the caves filled completely with an atmosphere? Should be as the decay of atmosphere should be a part of the outer part of the asteroid.
a) Do the caves have an independent lightsource?
a) Are the caves open to each end?
Either way, I think it is possible.
I am thinking of the following:
- Create a terrain with a displacement sized in the dimension of the cave - going in the ground. There is the basic cave which can be bumped and displaced by your likes.
- Disable TG's primary sun and light up the cave with other lightsources.
- Disable TG' atmospheres and create your own inside the cave using clouds.
I am not shure about the second opening - but if there is one in the book - is it necessary to be seen in the animation anyway?
Regards,
Volker Harun
I have attached a schematic of how I understand the hollowed out asteriod / Ring world concept. As you can see an observer at point A is able to see through two layers of atmosphere to point B seeing the bottom of clouds on the nearer portion of the layer and the tops of them on the opposing side. Another point of note is that He is actually looking through Less atmosphere than if he were looking at a nearer point. What I am hoping is that in future versions of terragen we will be able to "envelope" things like the decay and light absorbtion of an atmosphere to mimic this effect. It would also be usefull to be able to apply some of the more severe and esoteric distortions to planetary bodies.
Richard
Nice schematic.
I don't know whether atmosphere around (or inside) arbitrary objects or shapes will be possible, at least initially, but we do hope to allow modification of atmosphere density by a shader, so that you could vary atmospheric density or other settings (such as Red Decay) across the planet. In general I think the visible effect of this from orbit would be minimal, but it would at least allow you to have complete planets that behave in a more realistic way.
- Oshyan