Semi-Transparent Planetary Rings Example

[WAS]

Was helping with a rings example for Ralf on FB. This is what I came up with. Semi-transparent rings with ray-traced reflections.

Gathered Project Download: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1yb5O3gMDnypy1R_5K6_p1KL-veJluUdC

Second image I increased the contrast of the alpha map.

[Ralf Maeder]

Thank you very much WASaquatch.
Works like a charm and is simple to use. Two thumbs up.

[cyphyr]

Great use of the Glass shader here. The only issue I can see is the the rings them selves won't cast "semi transparent" shadows on the planet because of how the glass shader works.

[WAS]

Great use of the Glass shader here. The only issue I can see is the the rings them selves won't cast "semi transparent" shadows on the planet because of how the glass shader works.

It uses a basic opacity map for the shadows. Same story as using opacity in general. Not to mention being a disc shadows on the planet itself are hard to achieve. I can't even get the sun in an angle to produce them.

[WAS]

Speaking of the shadows though, I noticed I forgot to delete the SSS shape which is breaking them, which is why I can't find shadows. This example scene has the shadows fixed, and in an angle to view them. Also lowered reflection settings. At this angle though sun actually hitting the face of the disk is minimal.

[cyphyr]

Simple and effective ... mayne add a little roughness to the reflection (or would that break it?)

[WAS]

Simple and effective ... mayne add a little roughness to the reflection (or would that break it?)

I tried adding roughness to the reflection map (which is the alpha), and tried using the roughness alone, with the alpha it makes it contort to the rings, like the rings were bulbous, with just the map it made it bulbous all over. So wondering if maybe displacement, though not sure if cards can do displacement, which means using something not compatible with semi-transparency. Oi.

[bobbystahr]

Thanks Jordan, yet again.