Plane object + heightfield or image map.

Started by TheBadger, February 09, 2013, 03:49:48 PM

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TheBadger

Hi,

so I never spent much time thinking about using heightfields, other than trying to understand using satellite data.
But now a project  has got me thinking about them.

I was curious to know if its possible to apply a heightfield or an image map to a plane object in the same/similar way to a global terrain. So that the planet object can be deleted/made invisible, and just the area of the plane rendered.

If so, does this make rendering faster? Do the same difficulties rendering verticals apply?

I thought I had read some discussions on this before. But I don't remember since I was reading out of curiosity rather than purpose.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.
It has been eaten.

cyphyr

Yes it certainly can be done. You will still need a planet to hold an atmosphere and provide a reference for height based shading but you can make the planet invisible. The only other issue I can think of is that populations will need to be referenced to the Plane rather than the Planet in the terrain tab of the population node. I was doing something like this ages ago with the floating rocks. The issue there was that the plane could be masked (to produce a rough rock shaped plan view edge) but the shadow cast was still of a square plane.
Interested to see what you come up with.
Richard
www.richardfraservfx.com
https://www.facebook.com/RichardFraserVFX/
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Ryzen 9 5950X OC@4Ghz, 64Gb (TG4 benchmark 4:13)

TheBadger

Thanks Richard

Would you mind also linking to the images you mentioned. The new Version of TG2 has a new plane object. I would like to consider the differences and it may help me to have something visual for context.


It has been eaten.

cyphyr

Quote from: TheBadger on February 09, 2013, 05:04:02 PM
Thanks Richard

Would you mind also linking to the images you mentioned. The new Version of TG2 has a new plane object. I would like to consider the differences and it may help me to have something visual for context.

Here's a link to a demo of the floating islands Link
and some images here

Hope this helps

Richard
www.richardfraservfx.com
https://www.facebook.com/RichardFraserVFX/
/|\

Ryzen 9 5950X OC@4Ghz, 64Gb (TG4 benchmark 4:13)

TheBadger

It has been eaten.