Weird Terrain

Started by ZStar, July 16, 2008, 08:18:17 PM

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ZStar

I am fairly new to TG so maybe someone more experienced than myself would never create the Terrain node network that I did.  The terrain is not at all what I was expecting.  I thought I would get layering on the steep mountain slopes.  Instead, what I go is so bizarre that I had to share it.  I have attached a crop render of a high resolution image (2400x1800). 

I am curious what others think of it and what they can do with it so here is the .tgd.  I must warn you that the heavy displacement in areas makes for a slow render.

moodflow

This is due to the compute terrain node's patch size being set to a low number (meaning there are more sample points to define the first power fractal).  Since the size of the next displacements are likely larger than this size (default is 20), they are folded in on themselves trying to match this smaller number, which creates those wierd shadow artifacts.

Its very similar to how curtains "bunch up", or crumbled paper folds in on itself.

To avoid this, you could increase the patch size to a number roughly the size of the original displacements. 
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ZStar

Thanks for the explanation, Moodflow.  I'll try changing the patch sizes to be more compatible and see what happens. 

In the meantime, I moved the camera father into the background and found an area that looks like shattered, layered, egg shells.  I don't think the shadows are artifacts.  I think they are accurate for the bizarrely distorted terrain. 

peejay

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moodflow

Quote from: ZStar on July 17, 2008, 07:38:31 AM
Thanks for the explanation, Moodflow.  I'll try changing the patch sizes to be more compatible and see what happens. 

In the meantime, I moved the camera father into the background and found an area that looks like shattered, layered, egg shells.  I don't think the shadows are artifacts.  I think they are accurate for the bizarrely distorted terrain. 

I do think the shadows are near correct, but the intensity doesn't match the lighting.  I have one image I created recently where this shadow even stretch across a water surface.  I hope Planetside resolves this, as using the compute terrain/compute normal is actually quite powerful and is useful for generating truly proportional detail on terrain (unlike most other terrain software).  Another way of saying it is, true overhangs can be created, from large cliff bulges down to texture sized grain.
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Mahnmut

I Like it anyhow, thanks for sharing! ;D