I've seen lots of interesting depictions of flames. The problems with
most of the algorithms I am aware of  are either unnatural edges (such
as a hard sphere cutting through the flame "media") or would involve
unnaturally modelled flames (using sPatch to make a grossly cartoony
flame shape.)    Or at least this is the limit of my understanding.  I
think I have seen excellent-looking jet and rocket exhaust, but this has
too much radial symmetry (?) for my current project.

Are there good examples of algorithms (not just pictures) for say,
-- something like the surface of the sun,
          as if you were just a few hundred meters above it.
-- something like a sun or fireball where there is natural "exinction"
          of flames, perhaps using multiplied densities  ?


I want something that looks like a bonfire, not a candle in a still
room.


Thanks for any pointers.

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Greg M. Johnson wrote:
> 
> I've seen lots of interesting depictions of flames. The problems with
> most of the algorithms I am aware of  are either unnatural edges (such
> as a hard sphere cutting through the flame "media") or would involve
> unnaturally modelled flames (using sPatch to make a grossly cartoony
> flame shape.)    Or at least this is the limit of my understanding.  I
> think I have seen excellent-looking jet and rocket exhaust, but this has
> too much radial symmetry (?) for my current project.
> 
> Are there good examples of algorithms (not just pictures) for say,
> -- something like the surface of the sun,
>           as if you were just a few hundred meters above it.
> -- something like a sun or fireball where there is natural "exinction"
>           of flames, perhaps using multiplied densities  ?

Well, this wouldn't help you with SHAPE per se, but you could probably
get a neat extinction effect by animating a phase-shift on a texture.

As an aside, phase-shift plus translation of some sort would probably
result in some neat time-lapse cloud animations. I haven't had the time
or processing power to test it, though.

-Xplo

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