dome like hills overhead

[TheBadger]

Would it be possible to center the image, focusing on the two hills with the monoliths? The compensation with that half hill on the left, makes for (IMHO) a visually disturbed, unbalanced composition! Other wise nice work?

Regards to yo.

Cyber-Angel     

Yes I agree. Now that you have worked out other issues perhaps you will show some other angles, or just more of this world in general.

[Zairyn Arsyn]

Would it be possible to center the image, focusing on the two hills with the monoliths? The compensation with that half hill on the left, makes for (IMHO) a visually disturbed, unbalanced composition! Other wise nice work?

Regards to yo.

Cyber-Angel     

Yes I agree. Now that you have worked out other issues perhaps you will show some other angles, or just more of this world in general.

done, new pov added
now i added FrankB's advanced cracks to them ground, now i just now i just have to perfect the surfacing.
bbl with a new render.

[Zairyn Arsyn]

soon, TheBadger, soon, i just need to show another render with the new ground surface

perhaps you will show some other angles, or just more of this world in general.

[Zairyn Arsyn]

added frankB's advanced cracks with some changes to frankB's fake stone bed.
added a third Pine Tree population in the middle ground.
added soft shadows

this isn't the full size the original was 2800x1800
render time was little over 4 hrs.

C&C welcome.

[Tangled-Universe]

I see you reverted back to your big resolution rendering
I still think the lower resolution with the somewhat ridiculous AA looks a lot better, especially on the bushes (in the background).
That's a personal thing of course
This cubic b-spline filter together with that crazy AA still gives sharp images, but with that natural looking softness. I think I love it lol

The softshadows really add something extra, though the new brighter lighting makes the shadows themselves a lot brighter and thus the soft shadow benefits are somewhat lost. See where I'm going?
How did you hook up Frank's crack shader into your network? There seems to be a conflict somewhere because you have some facetted faces.

I hope you consider my suggestions constructive and not as me being negative

Cheers,
Martin

[FrankB]

I think the cracks look alright, but i am more worried about the stones. They don' look like my fake stone bed at all.

Anyway, slowly this image is becoming interesting. Good teamwork here

Regards,
Frank

[FrankB]

One more thing. I think the image will reach the next level by refraining from using an even distribution of all the same object models. You need a distribution shader for say the bush model, that clumps them together in one part of the area, and leaves them out entirely in other parts. Then you would add a second and a third model, each using their own distinct clumping distribution.
A hint of a treaded path leading through the vegetation towards the hills would be the cherries on the cake.

Lastly, contrairy to Martin, I see no gains from his way of applying AA settings. Maybe in direct comparison, but I am not sure if it is worth it really. Your last render looks good quality wise (to me).

Regards,
Frank

[Tangled-Universe]

Lastly, contrairy to Martin, I see no gains from his way of applying AA settings. Maybe in direct comparison, but I am not sure if it is worth it really. Your last render looks good quality wise (to me).

Regards,
Frank

That's a matter of taste of course. However, I do agree with you that if you have a modest/slower machine that it is too much.
It's only a "gain" because it is possible without having to wait for too long when you have a latest generation rendering slave

Just after submitting the above I realized that his previous render with crazy AA took <3 hours @ 2k resolution, while this one took ~4 hours @ 2.8k resolution.
It's not that bad actually.

[Zairyn Arsyn]

i checked the render settings this morning after this render was done and it was only 9AA (not sure how got set on that) so it wasn't nearly so high this time , personally high AA isn't so much a problem for me if my computer can get it done for in a certain amount time, as long as its done before i wake up/get home.

@frank
yeah i made some modifications to the stone bed, maybe too much.

never strayed away from the big resolution rendering, TU.
now that i have 16GB and a 2600k i can push them farther. '

will post a node network screenshot later.

[Zairyn Arsyn]

different pov, rendered this late last night.

some of the populations need to be extended. fixed that, now doing another render from a different pov showing more of the other "domes".

C&C welcome

[Dune]

The down to earth version is more exciting, Zaai. If you want another POV, why not more underneath one of the spikes, looking up in wide angle?

[Zairyn Arsyn]

The down to earth version is more exciting, Zaai. If you want another POV, why not more underneath one of the spikes, looking up in wide angle?

i got your reply this early morning, i managed to set up a new POV before i left for work, should be done when i get home.