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General => Image Sharing => Topic started by: Tangled-Universe on October 06, 2009, 01:37:09 PM

Title: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Tangled-Universe on October 06, 2009, 01:37:09 PM
After some fiddling I figured out how to grow an ivy on a procedural terrain :)

Please click on the image for full resolution:

(http://img208.imageshack.us/i/051009l.jpg/)

Rendered @ 1920x1200 in 2 crops in about 30 hours, because I needed 256 atmo samples with raytraced shadows to get a decent clean render and the type of lighting I was after.
Also, there are a dozen different types of models which made the scene very heavy to render. Both crops rendered using 2,6GB RAM and 2,9GB VM.
Other settings: detail 1, AA10, GI 2/4

More info will follow (soon)

Cheers,
Martin
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Seth on October 06, 2009, 01:45:50 PM
Marvelous Martin !!!
good job on the ivy and on the light !
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: nvseal on October 06, 2009, 01:50:20 PM
 :o

Wow.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: cyphyr on October 06, 2009, 01:50:31 PM
Beautiful, I'm speechless, just wow :) I'll prob have more to say later but for now, just wow again :)
Richard
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: old_blaggard on October 06, 2009, 01:53:23 PM
As I mentioned before, this is absolutely amazing.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: dandelO on October 06, 2009, 01:58:48 PM
Whoah! :o
Just fantastic, the lighting is superb!

Did you export a .lwo terrain to grow the ivy on?
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Kevin F on October 06, 2009, 02:22:23 PM
Absolutely beautiful.
The colours and lighting are superb.
One of the best renders I've seen.
If we still had image of the week/month this would be the one!

Whatever happened to image of the week by the way?
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: inkydigit on October 06, 2009, 02:24:46 PM
damn fine render, Martin!
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Zairyn Arsyn on October 06, 2009, 02:26:13 PM
WOW!! this is incredible....it left me speechless

my jaw dropped when i first saw this.... :o :o :o :o :o

so lush..

Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: N810 on October 06, 2009, 02:31:31 PM
 :o :o :o

I am still not convinced it's not a photo.  ;)
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Walli on October 06, 2009, 02:35:28 PM
very nice render, the mood is superb.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: littlecannon on October 06, 2009, 02:39:08 PM
 :o Seriously Martin... Wow, the lighting is absolutely sexy. The population placement is sublime and the displacements are MMmmm. All making a beautiful image... up there with the best, if not the best. I'll stop now. ;D
cheers, Simon.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Gannaingh on October 06, 2009, 02:48:13 PM
Oh my God!!! This is the best render I have ever seen! Fabulous work! My only critique would be that there appear to be some grass clumps that look like they are floating on the left middle part of the image.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Henry Blewer on October 06, 2009, 02:54:03 PM
This is fantastic, except... I was looking at the strata on the left/middle side of the image. It looks great until that spot. There is something that reminds me of fluting on something man made. I think the vertical breakups/cracks maybe too regular in interval. This is the only thing I can find. More Ivy in this area might fix this.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Seth on October 06, 2009, 02:59:15 PM
where ?
can you circle it ? I can't see the part you are talking about or i don't understand what you see ^^
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: domdib on October 06, 2009, 03:01:47 PM
Astonishing work, Martin - I hope you'll be showing it off at the CGSociety!
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: mhall on October 06, 2009, 04:19:27 PM
WOW - that's really gorgeous. I love that.

Seriously impressive stuff.

I've love to take a walk there. :)

~Micheal
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Kadri on October 06, 2009, 04:40:54 PM
Martin.i know here are many WOW' but i have too say the same.
One question...Are there more then one Sun objects?....the strata wall is a litle bright...just curious.İf this was mine i would very proud of it :)

Kadri.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Tangled-Universe on October 06, 2009, 04:59:11 PM
Thank you all so far :)
Glad you like it all, the pleasure was mine creating it  ;D

@ Dandel0: yes I exported pieces of terrain, grew ivy's on them and imported them back.

@ Kadri: There's one lightsource, a sun with strength @ 5. The reason why some parts look brighter is because they are more directly lit but especially because I have applied a bit specularity to it.

@ Darthvader: yes that's a bit of a problem with the type of strata and this pov. The strata are quite sharp and flat and when you look just "straight" on the edges you won't be able to see the distance between the layers of strata and thus objects appear to be floating, especially when directly lit.

@ njeneb: like Franck (Seth) I haven't been able to figure out which part you mean exactly. So if you could point me to it please then I might fix it since I'm maybe planning to polish this image here and there.

As soon as I have figured out a fool-proof approach to grow ivy's on procedural terrain I will make a tutorial for it. It will probably be a video tutorial. At the moment it is quite some tinkering and too much "if this then that, or..." etc. Will keep you posted.

Cheers,
Martin
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: buzzzzz1 on October 06, 2009, 05:10:31 PM
Best thing to come out of TG2 thus far! Hats off to you!  :o
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: neuspadrin on October 06, 2009, 05:16:55 PM
woah, i literally double checked i was in the tg2 image sharing section not the open discussion with actual pictures.

only thing that seems to give it away is some of those clumps look odd.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: FrankB on October 06, 2009, 05:33:27 PM
Told you this is a killer image! Hats off!
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: tee on October 06, 2009, 06:42:53 PM
I'd had a little play with the ivy generator before on a simple object result was a huge file to try an import back in to render and then I couldn't get correct images to show on ivy so kind of gave up on that.
This is a stunning example of how it can be done right, luck forward to any further detail.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: jcinbama on October 06, 2009, 08:21:10 PM
unreal on a scale of 1-5 this is a 10, great job :o :o :o
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Henry Blewer on October 06, 2009, 09:30:31 PM
I put a yellow rectangle around the area.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: mhaze on October 07, 2009, 02:06:20 AM
stunned silence. awsome work.

mick
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Dune on October 07, 2009, 02:32:12 AM
It is absolutely stunning, Martin! The light and atmo are really superb. There's so much detail, your eyes wonder around all the time. There's one critique though, shared with Darthvader, about the seemingly floating grassclumps. Lower left. They kind of look like mushrooms growing on the verticals. I guess they positioned themselves at tiny horizontal ridges and thus protrude forward. Better (IMHO) paint(ed shader) them out and replace by some vertical grass or moss. Or tilt the population there by 90 degrees.

---Dune
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Tangled-Universe on October 07, 2009, 03:21:47 AM
Quote from: Dune on October 07, 2009, 02:32:12 AM
It is absolutely stunning, Martin! The light and atmo are really superb. There's so much detail, your eyes wonder around all the time. There's one critique though, shared with Darthvader, about the seemingly floating grassclumps. Lower left. They kind of look like mushrooms growing on the verticals. I guess they positioned themselves at tiny horizontal ridges and thus protrude forward. Better (IMHO) paint(ed shader) them out and replace by some vertical grass or moss. Or tilt the population there by 90 degrees.

---Dune

Thanks :)

You're right about those clumps, see my explanation above:
http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=7718.msg82341#msg82341 (http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=7718.msg82341#msg82341)

I have used a couple of painted shaders to get rid of them, but I have to report some problems with it to PS.
As soon as I have painted, saved the project, and then open the painted shader again then the painted areas shift or sometimes even disappear partially.
In some places I have rotated them 90 degrees. If you look carefully you should see them ;)
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Falcon on October 07, 2009, 03:31:35 AM
Absolutely incredible render. I'm speechless. If my own renders were half this quality, I'd be proud.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: reck on October 07, 2009, 04:25:52 AM
There's nothing more that I can add other than what other people have said. Put simply this image is stunning.

I'm sure it was a lot of work to create and it's certainly paid off big time.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: schmeerlap on October 07, 2009, 06:51:34 AM
Echo the plaudits above; an exceptional render. A wee section of it, for me, detracts from the rest of this beautiful scene, and that's where the fronds of the ferns (or it may be ivy, I'm not sure) high up on the cliff have lost all definition, and are reduced to green splodges. I know they are in semi shadow, but in my view they need to recover some of their detail.

John
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Henry Blewer on October 07, 2009, 07:50:33 AM
The problem with the painted shader only occurs when the project is reopened? It looses the rotation of the face it is painted on? That's curious... Perhaps a compute normal will solve this.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: MacGyver on October 07, 2009, 08:24:52 AM
Congratulations from me also :) This is really one of the most asthonishing works that I have seen coming out of TG2 so far :D
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: j meyer on October 07, 2009, 09:06:14 AM
Another nice Huisman! ;)
Really well done.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Tangled-Universe on October 07, 2009, 09:08:58 AM
Thanks again guys :)

Quote from: schmeerlap on October 07, 2009, 06:51:34 AM
Echo the plaudits above; an exceptional render. A wee section of it, for me, detracts from the rest of this beautiful scene, and that's where the fronds of the ferns (or it may be ivy, I'm not sure) high up on the cliff have lost all definition, and are reduced to green splodges. I know they are in semi shadow, but in my view they need to recover some of their detail.

John

Thanks John :)
Yes you're right about those mosses (they are supposed to be mosses). Though I tried to mask them out with a painted shader I wasn't succesful. Somehow the mask is not being stored or it is working half. Like the mask is not "bright" enough.

Anyhow, regarding their loss of definition and detail: That's very tricky and hard to solve. Maybe even higher GI settings might give it better lighting, I doubt it will look that much better anyway. The main reason it looks weird is just because it is on flat slopes of the strata which you can't see from this pov. If you have suggestions on the lighting I'm happy to hear them, I have yet not ideas.

Quote from: njeneb on October 07, 2009, 07:50:33 AM
The problem with the painted shader only occurs when the project is reopened? It looses the rotation of the face it is painted on? That's curious... Perhaps a compute normal will solve this.

Hmmm...it should be a compute terrain because the painted shader probably needs texture coordinates, but besides that where would you add this compute normal/normal then? The painted shader has no input, so it is not linked somewhere within the network. I think the painted shader paints on the final normals and texture coordinates of the final shader. If it does on the last compute terrain then it would make sense to use it as last shader and then start painting.
This theory needs confirmation from PS then.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Henry Blewer on October 07, 2009, 09:52:34 AM
I don't use the paint shader. It's very useful, but I am concentrating on other things Terragen 2 now. I just thought that computing a normal, or terrain might keep it properly oriented. Could it be that since it is used many for populations, it works best on the x and z planes?
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: dandelO on October 07, 2009, 10:49:04 AM
QuoteThe painted shader has no input, ...

Huh? Every shader node seems to have an input , and also some non shader nodes. Or, do you just mean it isn't taking any inputs from the rest of the scene? Sorry if I'm mixed up.
So far as I can tell(bear in mind my brain is somewhat skewed at the best of times), the painted shader doesn't require any terrain or normal calculations, it just seems to paint on top of whatever surface is directly beneath the brush. That's why it is able to be directly painted into any preview window, even in 3D. It basically acts only as a mask, although, you could create a completely painted render from it aswell, a shocking one, mind you! ;)

I'm sure I just have the wrong end of the stick from your post, though, Martin. Or maybe the painted shader has no input in the version of TG you are using?
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: cyphyr on October 07, 2009, 11:40:23 AM
Just a thought, prob daft as usual, but is your painter shader set to "Plan Y" or "3D"? At a guess plan Y (usually most useful for object distribution) will be not so good on vertical and near vertical surfaces. I'd go for a 3d projection or try a plan x or plan z...
Richard :)
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: otakar on October 07, 2009, 11:50:46 AM
Frakking amazing! When you look at the low-res version, it looks almost perfect. The full size version reveals the flaws already discussed, although I don't want to be too critical, just trying offer some constructive feedback. What I am thinking is this: The scene looks fairly lush. Maybe some reflectivity on the ivy leaves would work. The lit parts looks fantastic, while the plants in the shade look flat. Flooding the scene with light would surely destroy the atmosphere, so that can't be the solution. I marvel at the foreground. Maybe you should add some mushrooms where those clumps are now :)
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: choronr on October 07, 2009, 01:27:19 PM
One of your best Martin! This place reminds me very much of the 'Oak Creek Canyon' just north of Sedona, Arizona ...fire up your printer; this is a keeper!
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: rcallicotte on October 07, 2009, 01:46:02 PM
Wow.  I know you like detailed analysis or comments, but I can't give you any.  Just - WOW. 
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: ra on October 07, 2009, 02:13:49 PM
Very impressive and detailled work! Great!
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: Tangled-Universe on October 07, 2009, 05:41:34 PM
Quote from: dandelO on October 07, 2009, 10:49:04 AM
QuoteThe painted shader has no input, ...

Huh? Every shader node seems to have an input , and also some non shader nodes. Or, do you just mean it isn't taking any inputs from the rest of the scene? Sorry if I'm mixed up.
So far as I can tell(bear in mind my brain is somewhat skewed at the best of times), the painted shader doesn't require any terrain or normal calculations, it just seems to paint on top of whatever surface is directly beneath the brush. That's why it is able to be directly painted into any preview window, even in 3D. It basically acts only as a mask, although, you could create a completely painted render from it aswell, a shocking one, mind you! ;)

I'm sure I just have the wrong end of the stick from your post, though, Martin. Or maybe the painted shader has no input in the version of TG you are using?

The nodes have been designed with inputs, but that doesn't mean they always really have one or use it. The "get position" node for example also has an input but it has no function.

Quote from: cyphyr on October 07, 2009, 11:40:23 AM
Just a thought, prob daft as usual, but is your painter shader set to "Plan Y" or "3D"? At a guess plan Y (usually most useful for object distribution) will be not so good on vertical and near vertical surfaces. I'd go for a 3d projection or try a plan x or plan z...
Richard :)

Oh damn man...now I see how and what :) haha...this is funny and emberassing at the same time :P I have never touched the "transform" tab within the painted shader...lol :)

So to answer your question: I painted in the standard/default mode which is plan Y and now I also see which options you have regarding painting on "final position" or "position in terrain/texture" so that's also an answer on njeneb's thoughts at the same time :)

Thanks a lot Richard for starting up my brain ;D
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: schmeerlap on October 08, 2009, 06:25:53 AM
Quote from: Tangled-Universe on October 07, 2009, 09:08:58 AM
Anyhow, regarding their loss of definition and detail: That's very tricky and hard to solve. Maybe even higher GI settings might give it better lighting, I doubt it will look that much better anyway. The main reason it looks weird is just because it is on flat slopes of the strata which you can't see from this pov. If you have suggestions on the lighting I'm happy to hear them, I have yet not ideas.

Now that you have more options available to you with the Painted shader, you could probably erase the green blotchy moss from that cliff face and redeploy them there as a separate pop (if you still want them there) on the vertical plane of the cliff with either the 3d, X, or Z projection. And as they will be a separate pop you could play with Diffuse and Translucency values or even Displacement in its Default shader to try and bring out more detail without affecting the rest of the moss. Moving the sun is probably not an option as you have probably got it an optimum position for the rest of your scene. Not being a purist I won't hesitate to make post TG2 adjustments (if all else fails 3d-wise) to simulate detail if I feel it is needed. I suppose it depends where one draws one's post adjustments line. I did five minutes distressing on those blotches in PS to break them up a bit. Whether you think that resulted in an improvement . . . who knows.

John

Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: mr-miley on October 08, 2009, 10:48:32 AM
Weeeellll, its alright, I suppose, OK for a beginner......

;D


Holy Crap, who am I kidding. Possibly the best TG2 render I have ever seen.... ever..... Definately one to post on the CG Society site.

Miles
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: efflux on October 08, 2009, 12:59:28 PM
Awesome atmosphere.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: MGebhart on October 24, 2009, 02:51:29 PM
I'm surprised your your computer didn't catch on fire.

Excellent Work.
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: matrix2003 on October 24, 2009, 03:59:57 PM
Quote from: MGebhart on October 24, 2009, 02:51:29 PM
I'm surprised your your computer didn't catch on fire.

...whew !  I LOL'd here.   :D
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: freelancah on November 09, 2009, 11:26:12 AM
Man this has to be one of the best if not the best terragen work I've seen so far! Marvelous work!!
Title: Re: Inside a Deep Forest
Post by: chris_x422 on November 10, 2009, 05:13:16 AM
One of the best works I've seen from T2.

I know I'm just echoing what's allready been said, but well done Martin.

Wonderfull composition, depth, lighting and balance of detail.