Stepped Terrain

[efflux]

Nice results but I didn't go further with the modulo idea because it would mean going in a very different direction with the basic planet file on here. It's not suitable to integrate the modulo but it definitely needs further exploration.

I wanted to totally push the limits of some things I've been doing with terrain so I used the terrain in the first post here and brought in subtracted voronoi limiting it to the cliffs with altitude terrain blending. This is about as far as TG2 can go along these general lines. This is really pushing the limits with only terrain. Very steep cliffs as well. I'm surprised it even looks this good. No surface displacements at all so in essence it doesn't even need to be this extreme. Surface displacements would do a lot of work but I'm into pushing the limits. It can be improved on and optimised to get cleaner results. Probably better graphs as well.

In the other thread, where I used voronoi, I actually negatively displaced it. Here I subtracted it from the main terrain via a merge shader just to be accurate about it. That should be a no brainer for people to try though. It's also several voronoi of different sizes simply chained together.

I might tweak around and improve things a bit and post more renders but I'm done with TG2 for a while I think.

[Dune]

Very nice stuff, guys. Before you go, efflux, a nice tgd or tgc would be very informative  I do hope you'll continue with your explorations in the blue field.

[mhaze]

Hi Hetzen, I've sorted out the stepping but I cannot get a smooth transition any help even a screen shot would help. Thanks efflux for starting these threads very inspirational! Mick

[Hetzen]

I'm liking that last image a lot Efflux. Loads of potential.

Here's a screen shot of a stripped out version I was using Mick, with explainations if anybody else is interested.


EDIT Nutz! There should be a divide by the 'difference scalar 01' before the 'smooth step', to bring the ramp peak value back up to 1

[mhaze]

Cheers Hetzen, I understand now - WHOPEEEEE!!!

[efflux]

Thanks Hetzen.

When I read the messages I though I'd have to sort out another tgd. Your graph is basically the same as mine. I've really had enough and need a break. I spent ages on some of the images you see in my WIP thread.

[efflux]

Dune.

I'm not sure if you mean a tgd of what Hetzen has come up with here on the other thing I was doing. Hetzen has solved the other modulo thing with a graph screenshot. My last image actually has a bad graph idea that I realise now. What you often see is me testing things but I don't necessarily give a tgd because sometimes I find problems.

The correct way to do the last picture I posted here (not the way I actually did it) is to use the terrain I posted at the start of this thread and incorporate that terrain in the second file of the Terrain Altitude Blend thread. That's it. You'll have to tweak it around to get a desired result. I have no file as I just described. I used subtract instead of negative displacement so it's not the best solution. You may find that this doesn't get you the exact same look (I haven't experimented totally with it) but the last picture here creates too much calculations and isn't a nice clean method. I won't use that again.

[efflux]

Now I know a way to further what I did in that last image to make it cleaner.

The problem is guys. This just goes on and on. I have dozens of ideas where there isn't even any work done yet.

[efflux]

I'm constructing a full blue node terrain stepper. The red node version is too slow. This will require a mass more blue nodes though.

[efflux]

Stepped terrain version 2 will be coming. This is WAY better than the last file. It's all blue nodes. Has to done this way.

I'm just going to look into the possibility of building in some other functions before I post it.

[efflux]

OK, there are problems with this. Basically you can remove the red displacement nodes except the last and replace them with scalars chaining the thing in the same way.  What scalars? Well this is the problem. There are a hundred and one solutions and how they are interacting with the final displacement shader is totally relevant. Every different solution gets different results so I can't see how to build a do it all graph because one that works in one way will create a problem in another way.

I've built lots of stepped terrains and every single terrain has a different shape and a different graph depending on what I need to do. I have no idea what kind of steps people are going to create. Every one has a totally different graph some with different profiles of steps in places.

[digitalis99]

Amazing work.  This looks just like the SW US.  Keep it up!

[efflux]

digitalis99.

You highlighted the problem I just mentioned. I can build a stepped terrain that is better than that. Looks exactly like the kind of mesas you are talking about but it won't be good for other things.

This is why we need a curve graph!

[digitalis99]

Different need = different tool

I'm sure you'll come up with something.

[efflux]

OK guys. I've come up with this simple concoction which allows a lot of variety except changing step profiles. Changing the step profiles creates a lot of extra hassle. Basically each step has a multiplier (or divider). This works in conjunction with the final red node displacer. The severeness of the steps depends on what relationships of values you use between the multipliers and the final displacement node value. There are no hard rules as to what values to use except what looks right.

If this one is deemed good I'll put it in the first post so people find it more easily.

EDIT:

The file is now on the first post of the thread.