Planetary Surfacing Study

Started by nvseal, March 15, 2010, 07:15:55 PM

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nvseal

For a long while I've been trying to perfect planetary surfacing to match some of the work I have seen done in programs like photoshop. This isn't quite where I want it to be yet but it is getting close.


http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/074/1/6/Planet_Surfacing_Study_1_by_nvseal.jpg


http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/074/e/e/Planet_Surfacing_Study_2_by_nvseal.jpg

CCC

Nasty swampy planet.    ;D

I think there is too much turbulence all over. When i see warping i usually think of mountain chains, rivers and canyons. I think IMHO there needs to be more patchy fractals and more of a distinction between large-scale fractals and small-scale fractals for faking climate and terrain zones. It all looks a bit to uniform in size. I am thinking overall, a separation of climate zones and mountainous regions.

inkydigit

I like what you have done, and kinda agree with AL33...keep at it and keep us posted!

Gannaingh

The surfacing does seem a bit uniform in appearance. I think one of the biggest differences between terragen and photoshop planets is the level of depth and texture. Photoshop provides more texture, but in reality planets of that sort would have unusually rough mountainous terrain. Terragen is more realistic but on occasion the artist may not be going for complete realism. Keep working on this, it's looking good!

CCC

Let me put it more clearly and what has been missing here. There should be a clear distinction between more rigid terrains like mountain chains, certain desert type environments and the appearance of thick forests. Climate and tall rigid terrains to more smooth less colorful terrains like alpine, polar, desert and grass lands. Usually turbulent fractals are seen as mountains, all types of canyons and long river systems. More patchy fractals can be seen as what goes on with everything else. However, the turbulent parts representing powerful fluvial forces and plate tectonics usually tend to separate different types of climates as well as other factors which is too complex to explain here and why i do not even attempt making planets due to the complex nature which i could spend several years trying to figure out. I think to get more control over planets there needs to be a macro system set in place which each macro has a distinct terrain type depending of the planet one wants to create and distinct climate types all within a painted shader, that way there is a realistic level of control of where exactly a user wants his/her terrains and biomes to be therefore having a level of believability weather it is a arid world, a tropical world or a iced over world. Obviously fluvial forces and plate tectonics can be faked with fractals, both old and badly needed new types.

nvseal

Thanks for the comments. I agree with pretty much everything everyone has said and already have these things on my to-do list. Right now I am focusing on the one surface type (the forst/swampy look as I think, for me, this is most difficult to look right) but I will be exanding to other types later. My primary focus now is the melding of large scale "warping" and the small scale clumping of greenery. The current version is primarily a test of the general greenery warping. Its easy to be looking through my library of space reference images and get distracted by different effects so on this I'm trying to focus on one thing at a time  ;D. Still a work in progress...

CCC

That sounds good nvseal. Also in all honesty you worked very hard at this and i can see that judging by the deep details of what is going on with the overall images. These WIPs indeed have a slew of potential to become something never before seen but even what they are right now is never before seen speaking of using layers and layers of procedurals and no textures what so ever. We look forward to seeing what comes in the near future.    ;)