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General => Image Sharing => Topic started by: christianfly on June 23, 2009, 12:03:15 PM

Title: Some try with clouds
Post by: christianfly on June 23, 2009, 12:03:15 PM
Just a try with distance shader attached to a camera

Christian
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: Seth on June 23, 2009, 12:05:23 PM
wow big clouds !!!
nice shores Christian
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: rcallicotte on June 23, 2009, 12:12:23 PM
Very nice clouds, especially that big one in the middle.
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: MacGyver on June 23, 2009, 12:39:15 PM
Huge :)
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: littlecannon on June 23, 2009, 12:49:24 PM
This is looking gooooood. Love the massive clouds. I'm still trying to understand this "distance shader with camera on the clouds" type thing at the moment... I have been deconstructing Franks clouds and kind of understand what's happening, but can't seem to replicate it at the this point in time. So if anyone out there fancies explaining this way of masking, I'd be very grateful. Sorry to hijack this thread. Simon.
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: deepdish on June 23, 2009, 01:19:08 PM
Quote from: littlecannon on June 23, 2009, 12:49:24 PM
This is looking gooooood. Love the massive clouds. I'm still trying to understand this "distance shader with camera on the clouds" type thing at the moment... I have been deconstructing Franks clouds and kind of understand what's happening, but can't seem to replicate it at the this point in time. So if anyone out there fancies explaining this way of masking, I'd be very grateful. Sorry to hijack this thread. Simon.

Me too, I tend to have a problem where if I use the distance shader with some cumulus clouds, it gives me a solid line of cloud that looks nothing lie a normal cloud  :'(

but all problems aside, this is an amazing picture! The clouds would be good on their own, but the amazing islands below make it truly awesome

I gotta try harder in terragen  ;D
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: buzzzzz1 on June 23, 2009, 01:20:56 PM
Very Nice Christian!
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: buzzzzz1 on June 23, 2009, 01:22:01 PM
Quote from: littlecannon on June 23, 2009, 12:49:24 PM
This is looking gooooood. Love the massive clouds. I'm still trying to understand this "distance shader with camera on the clouds" type thing at the moment... I have been deconstructing Franks clouds and kind of understand what's happening, but can't seem to replicate it at the this point in time. So if anyone out there fancies explaining this way of masking, I'd be very grateful. Sorry to hijack this thread. Simon.

Frankb put out a tutorial, I guess you missed it?  Anyway it's here---->  http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=6784.0 (http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=6784.0)
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: christianfly on June 23, 2009, 01:50:13 PM
Yes, you're right.
Thanks to Frank for sharing this!
Basically, you create a camera and attach a distance shader to this camera that will be used as blend shader for the clouds.
The cloud coverage MUST be 0.0!!
You can play with the minimum and maximum distance to apply the coverage where your clouds will be. And don't forget to play with the focal length.
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: inkydigit on June 23, 2009, 01:52:53 PM
j'accord avec seth!!
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: littlecannon on June 23, 2009, 02:17:38 PM
Thanks peeps... I'll check the tut. I must have been away from the scene at the time (pun intended).  ;D
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: Phylloxera on June 23, 2009, 02:51:14 PM
C'est chouette je dirais même mieux c'est Couette !
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: Naoo on June 23, 2009, 03:07:22 PM
Hi

Excellent work. I love the surf!


ciao
Naoo
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: FrankB on June 23, 2009, 03:08:58 PM
Quote from: christianfly on June 23, 2009, 01:50:13 PM
...
The cloud coverage MUST be 0.0!!

Salut Christian, why? the cloud coverage is not important for blending clouds through a distance shader, to the best of my knowledge. I mean, my cloud coverage is almost never at 0 ;D

Regards,
Frank
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: domdib on June 23, 2009, 03:14:17 PM
Fantastic realism - love the island and the clouds.
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: Tangled-Universe on June 23, 2009, 05:55:51 PM
Cool clouds, quite massive :)
I like this image, the only crit I have is that it took me a while to see what's actually depicted: an island with huge clouds over it.

Quote from: FrankB on June 23, 2009, 03:08:58 PM
Quote from: christianfly on June 23, 2009, 01:50:13 PM
...
The cloud coverage MUST be 0.0!!

Salut Christian, why? the cloud coverage is not important for blending clouds through a distance shader, to the best of my knowledge. I mean, my cloud coverage is almost never at 0 ;D

Regards,
Frank


Are you sure Frank? As far as I know the cloud coverage is a kind of offset. Any value above 0.0 will add color the to the (distance)shader's mask.
Anyhow, since you're the cloud-expert here you're probably right, but I remember I once was told to use it @ 0.0.
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: FrankB on June 23, 2009, 06:14:02 PM
no, the problem is with masks that generate color higher than white. For example, if you use a power fractal as a mask for another power fractal, the mask must have "clamp above white" checked in order to contain the second fractal inside, otherwise you'll wonder why the blended second fractal doesn't obey to the visible boundaries of the blending mask.
Sounds weird, I know.

Frank
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: Oshyan on June 23, 2009, 11:31:26 PM
Great image, but I agree with Frank, it is a bit "muddled", hard to determine what you are seeing at first. I think it's partly because everything has a strong blue cast, and also everything seems to be equally sharp and detailed. Perhaps if the island were a bit softer somehow? It is quite nice as it is though, regardless.

Edit: Forgive me, perhaps my particular taste only. I hope you don't mind the little edit Christian! Just some levels adjustment.
[attachthumb=1]

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: RogueNZ on June 24, 2009, 01:44:32 AM
Looks really similar to an image i made a few months ago - except your clouds are much nicer :P
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: christianfly on June 24, 2009, 05:51:11 AM
Quote from: Oshyan on June 23, 2009, 11:31:26 PM
Great image, but I agree with Frank, it is a bit "muddled", hard to determine what you are seeing at first. I think it's partly because everything has a strong blue cast, and also everything seems to be equally sharp and detailed. Perhaps if the island were a bit softer somehow? It is quite nice as it is though, regardless.

Edit: Forgive me, perhaps my particular taste only. I hope you don't mind the little edit Christian! Just some levels adjustment.
[attachthumb=1]

- Oshyan
No problem, Oshyan, of course  ;)
In fact, under tropical area, the haze has often a very high level, so in the real word, it is sometime quite difficult to see more than this image.
But you are right, the images can be somewhere difficult to decode ;)
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: christianfly on June 24, 2009, 05:53:55 AM
Quote from: Tangled-Universe on June 23, 2009, 05:55:51 PM
Cool clouds, quite massive :)
I like this image, the only crit I have is that it took me a while to see what's actually depicted: an island with huge clouds over it.

Quote from: FrankB on June 23, 2009, 03:08:58 PM
Quote from: christianfly on June 23, 2009, 01:50:13 PM
...
The cloud coverage MUST be 0.0!!

Salut Christian, why? the cloud coverage is not important for blending clouds through a distance shader, to the best of my knowledge. I mean, my cloud coverage is almost never at 0 ;D

Regards,
Frank


Are you sure Frank? As far as I know the cloud coverage is a kind of offset. Any value above 0.0 will add color the to the (distance)shader's mask.
Anyhow, since you're the cloud-expert here you're probably right, but I remember I once was told to use it @ 0.0.

Frank,
I am not able to see any cloud when I give other value than 0.0 for the coverage slider. But maybe I am doing something wrong.
Christian
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: FrankB on June 24, 2009, 06:01:47 AM
see this with cloud coverage 0.5
[attach=#]
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: christianfly on June 24, 2009, 11:36:08 AM

You are right! Don't know why mine is not working in some case. I will check and let you know why.
Thanks, Frank
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: littlecannon on June 24, 2009, 12:33:23 PM
I actually quite like the fact you have to look closely at the image to see what it is... Ooooh the mystery. :o  The big cloud looks like it would be nice and soft to the touch...
(And thanks Frank for the tut on distance shader. ;D)
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: dandelO on June 24, 2009, 06:39:52 PM
Quote from: FrankB on June 23, 2009, 03:08:58 PM
Quote from: christianfly on June 23, 2009, 01:50:13 PM
...
The cloud coverage MUST be 0.0!!

Salut Christian, why? the cloud coverage is not important for blending clouds through a distance shader, to the best of my knowledge. I mean, my cloud coverage is almost never at 0 ;D

Regards,
Frank


There seems to be some difference between raising coverage in cloud layers and density fractals with distance shaders.

I've seen, many times in things I'm playing with, the places where no cloud should be in the fractal, are rendered as straight fog when you raise the 'cloud layer' above '0' coverage with the disance shader in use on its fractal.

It doesn't happen with the density fractal's coverage slider. This will fill out the spaces between the clouds correctly so, use it instead. I think that's how I remember fixing this problem.
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: Oshyan on June 25, 2009, 01:57:12 AM
Correct dandelO, the Coverage Adjust in the Cloud Layer works differently than in the Power Fractal. You should use the Power Fractal Coverage Adjust preferentially in most cases.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Some try with clouds
Post by: Matt on June 25, 2009, 07:11:51 AM
'Coverage Adjust' is an offset; it adds a value to whatever the fractal produces. If you use it in the fractal shader, it adjusts the fractal before the blend shader is applied. If you use it in the Cloud Layer, the blend shader has already done its multiplication, potentially multiplying some parts of the fractal down to 0. If you increase the coverage adjust on a density of 0, you get positive values. This is in places where you wanted there to be 0 cloud.

Matt