What are some ways to direct terrain flow?

[TheBadger]

Other than function and the twist and shear nodes, what are some ways to direct the (perhaps not the right word) "flow" of a terrain?

Look at this image, at the globulos lava rock on the sides of the slope in front of the falls. How would you go about doing that (does not need to be molten), I am only really asking about the small scale and the direction of the terrain. And then to have terrain flowing in several controlled directions: Such as on the slopes, and the lava river.

[attach=1]

And in a similar question, how could I tell (on a larger scale) terrain to all flow to one single low point on the terrain? Perhaps best to pose this in the context of a hightfield generate node. (for example, the way slopes flow down to a river. But where the terrain in the generate node, is taller around the out side and shallower in the mid area.) If that makes more sense.

Thanks.

[Dune]

I wish I knew  These are the hardest things and only possible thru WM (and similar),  I think.

[mhaze]

Ditto!

[mhaze]

You got me thinking - SSS for basic terrain followed by lots of painted shader!

[Hetzen]

Or build your flow flat, then use that with an appropriate mask to build the landscape around it. Kind of reverse engineering. It's hard to do though.

[Dune]

You can probably paint it in Photoshop 'relatively easy', in several layers for flow masks and displacement maps.

[TheBadger]

Yeah, it has been impossible for me. So I thought I would ask because I often make things harder than they need to be. But in this case I was sure I would need some instruction.

I don't believe I could try any of your ideas in the time I want to spend on this without seeing someone having done it successfully first. Its OK to 'go for it' when at least I know it can be done, its another thing when I have never seen it work at all.

But thanks. Better to know at the start than waste several days learning the word, NO.

Although, If any of you get there, please at least post an image so we know it is possible (in a way that is somewhat practical), that is.


HMmmmmmmmm, wait a min. In theory, wouldn't we be able to do this with 'procedural erosion'? I mean, if you can control the direction of the erosion at all, couldn't you use different layer of that erosion, and set the directions differentially?

Can any of you alfa guys at least tell us if the PE looks good, and perhaps at least if this thread should just wait for the update?

[Kadri]

You are trying to make kind of a Pompei scene Michael?
Because the things you asked are mostly in that way.Just curious

[Oshyan]

Procedural erosion looks great! But it's not for creating pyroclastic flows. It's rather sort of the opposite. Although you may be able to tweak some settings to "abnormal" values and get something like this effect, hard to say. But the plugin will not be in your hands in time for the Iceland challenge, that much I can tell you.

Personally I would just do this in World Machine, it should be fairly easy. Or if you really want to do it in TG, use one of the erosion mask generation techniques that e.g. Martin mentioned recently, and then use it to mask positive displacement. Might give you a decent approximation.

- Oshyan

[TheBadger]

Hey guys. Not for Iceland. I settled on a canyon for that. But the volcano and lava stuff I will add to the scene after the contest, it is too hard to get done in time otherwise.

Thanks Oshyan. I don't have WM though. Just GC2, but it is slow and buggy, and I am still pissed that he sold it before fixing it. Though it was understandable.

I'll wait on this. Pretty advanced stuff anyway.

[TheBadger]

Procedural erosion looks great! But it's not for creating pyroclastic flows. It's rather sort of the opposite

So inverse and break up, perhaps  Cant wait to see this erosion!!!!!!!

[Oshyan]

Probably the same is possible with GC since it outputs erosion masks as well. Just run the erosion, output the mask, and use it for some displacement, small scale, a bit subtle perhaps. And you may want to soften the erosion mask a bit before use, to avoid jagged displacement edges.

- Oshyan

[archonforest]

Per the last interview we should see some pixs of the Procedural erosion about now no?

[Oshyan]

Sooooon.

- Oshyan

[archonforest]

Sooooon.

- Oshyan

Badger seeing this?
We can use as blackmail if nothing shows up Sooooon.