Or maybe, "The Attack Of The....."  ;-P

Playing/experimenting with media (and image_mapped buildings.) I'm not yet sure
if this is a WIP, or just an experiment. This small test alone took 55 hours to
render, on my dual-core Windows 7 box-- with no AA or radiosity.

Getting a dense, self-shadowing, *almost* pure-color media is a bit difficult.
I'll probably post something about that separately. (This test is with
scattering media-- plus extinction-- along with absorbtion media.) But no eddies
or swirls as the gas cloud envelopes the buildings-- that's a *far*-different
problem, involving fluid dynamics.

The buildings were a challenge-- the idea being to generate randomly-sized
boxes, but to have the buildings' windows (simple image_maps, downloaded from
the 'net) retain their appropriate sizes without distortion, no matter what the
size or shape of the buildings. And to map the windows on all four sides of a
box. Strangely, I had never attempted such a combination before.

Currently, the buildings look more like plastic 'parts bins'  :-O

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Attachments:
Download 'green_gas_cloud_mp4_file_1.mp4.mpg' (3303 KB)

"Kenneth" <kdw### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> Or maybe, "The Attack Of The....."  ;-P
>
> Playing/experimenting with media (and image_mapped buildings.) I'm not yet sure
> if this is a WIP, or just an experiment. This small test alone took 55 hours to
> render, on my dual-core Windows 7 box-- with no AA or radiosity.
>
> Getting a dense, self-shadowing, *almost* pure-color media is a bit difficult.
> I'll probably post something about that separately. (This test is with
> scattering media-- plus extinction-- along with absorbtion media.) But no eddies
> or swirls as the gas cloud envelopes the buildings-- that's a *far*-different
> problem, involving fluid dynamics.

Maybe get a similar effect if you could use several individual
media statements, cobbled together in locations where the building interactions
are expected to take place. Not only that, but I suppose 'trace' would help
automate the locations.
Changing density (turbulence, scale, translate too?) those portions can
disappear and reappear as buildings are encountered.

> The buildings were a challenge-- the idea being to generate randomly-sized
> boxes, but to have the buildings' windows (simple image_maps, downloaded from
> the 'net) retain their appropriate sizes without distortion, no matter what the
> size or shape of the buildings. And to map the windows on all four sides of a
> box. Strangely, I had never attempted such a combination before.
>
> Currently, the buildings look more like plastic 'parts bins'  :-O

I was too busy watching out for the approaching green cloud. Was only the lack
of AA that drew my attention to buildings. :)

Wish I had done more with media clouds by now but my impatience stopped me from
doing too much, and I'm not fond of complexities either. Time consuming and
there's always other things in life. ha ha

Bob

Bob

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On 6/12/2017 3:26 AM, Kenneth wrote:
> Or maybe, "The Attack Of The....."  ;-P
>
> Playing/experimenting with media (and image_mapped buildings.) I'm not yet sure
> if this is a WIP, or just an experiment. This small test alone took 55 hours to
> render, on my dual-core Windows 7 box-- with no AA or radiosity.
>
> Getting a dense, self-shadowing, *almost* pure-color media is a bit difficult.
> I'll probably post something about that separately. (This test is with
> scattering media-- plus extinction-- along with absorbtion media.) But no eddies
> or swirls as the gas cloud envelopes the buildings-- that's a *far*-different
> problem, involving fluid dynamics.
>
> The buildings were a challenge-- the idea being to generate randomly-sized
> boxes, but to have the buildings' windows (simple image_maps, downloaded from
> the 'net) retain their appropriate sizes without distortion, no matter what the
> size or shape of the buildings. And to map the windows on all four sides of a
> box. Strangely, I had never attempted such a combination before.
>
> Currently, the buildings look more like plastic 'parts bins'  :-O
>

I like this a lot. Especially the way the camera moves slower than the 
cloud. :)

Maybe a little emission in the cloud to ameliorate the building shadows?
Also difference the buildings from the media container.

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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"omniverse" <omn### [at] charternet> wrote:

>
> Wish I had done more with media clouds by now but my impatience stopped me from
> doing too much, and I'm not fond of complexities either. Time consuming and
> there's always other things in life. ha ha
>

My animation was *supposed* to run to 200 frames-- but I ran out of patience at
something like frame 184, ha!

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Stephen <mca### [at] aolcom> wrote:

> Also difference the buildings from the media container.
>

I actually forgot to do that. :-/ (Although, the buildings' underlying gray
texture and the window image_maps are all opague, so I may not need to go that
route...unless I decide to add some interior structures to the buildings, for
realism.) "Success lies in the details." ;-)

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On 6/12/2017 9:41 PM, Kenneth wrote:
> Stephen <mca### [at] aolcom> wrote:
>
>> Also difference the buildings from the media container.
>>
>
> I actually forgot to do that. :-/ (Although, the buildings' underlying gray
> texture and the window image_maps are all opague, so I may not need to go that
> route...unless I decide to add some interior structures to the buildings, for
> realism.) "Success lies in the details." ;-)
>
>

That is true. I remember years ago when I was using billboards. I put 
planks behind them to hold them up. :)

I mentioned it because at one point I could see the cloud passing 
through one of the buildings. But thinking about it that wouldn't help. 
You would need a particle system to get the cloud to move around it.

The cloud reminds me of gas burning. Years ago before the UK oil and gas 
platforms exported the hydrocarbon gas to shore. It was flared off.
I've spent hours looking at it, almost hypnotic. Especially at night.

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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"Kenneth" <kdw### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> "omniverse" <omn### [at] charternet> wrote:
>
> >
> > Wish I had done more with media clouds by now but my impatience stopped me from
> > doing too much, and I'm not fond of complexities either. Time consuming and
> > there's always other things in life. ha ha
> >
>
> My animation was *supposed* to run to 200 frames-- but I ran out of patience at
> something like frame 184, ha!

 Luckily some things don't need a high frame count.  Turbulent slow moving cloud
is probably one of those things.

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On 12-6-2017 23:08, Stephen wrote:
> On 6/12/2017 9:41 PM, Kenneth wrote:
>> Stephen <mca### [at] aolcom> wrote:
>>
>>> Also difference the buildings from the media container.
>>>
>>
>> I actually forgot to do that. :-/ (Although, the buildings' underlying
>> gray
>> texture and the window image_maps are all opague, so I may not need to
>> go that
>> route...unless I decide to add some interior structures to the
>> buildings, for
>> realism.) "Success lies in the details." ;-)
>>
>>
>
> That is true. I remember years ago when I was using billboards. I put
> planks behind them to hold them up. :)

Never too careful! ;-)

>
> I mentioned it because at one point I could see the cloud passing
> through one of the buildings. But thinking about it that wouldn't help.
> You would need a particle system to get the cloud to move around it.

Yes indeed. Differencing the buildings won't do anything. Which reminds 
me that the buildings here remind me of the City7 macros by Mike 
Williams. I wonder where those originated from. I looked but could not 
find their origin any more; not from Mike's site at least. I have them 
in my own system but others might be interested.

>
> The cloud reminds me of gas burning. Years ago before the UK oil and gas
> platforms exported the hydrocarbon gas to shore. It was flared off.
> I've spent hours looking at it, almost hypnotic. Especially at night.
>

Those were the days when oil and gas were thought inexhaustible... :-/

-- 
Thomas

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On 6/13/2017 8:03 AM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
> On 12-6-2017 23:08, Stephen wrote:
>
>>
>> That is true. I remember years ago when I was using billboards. I put
>> planks behind them to hold them up. :)
>
> Never too careful! ;-)
>

Safety comes first. :)

>>
>> I mentioned it because at one point I could see the cloud passing
>> through one of the buildings. But thinking about it that wouldn't help.
>> You would need a particle system to get the cloud to move around it.
>
> Yes indeed. Differencing the buildings won't do anything. Which reminds
> me that the buildings here remind me of the City7 macros by Mike
> Williams. I wonder where those originated from. I looked but could not
> find their origin any more; not from Mike's site at least. I have them
> in my own system but others might be interested.
>

They do look familiar. I was thinking of Chris Colefax's City Include 
File. But it is so long since I used it all I can remember is that they 
were very rectangular.

Another thought that struck me would be to use Runes Particle System to 
make the cloud container. It can flow around obstacles.

>>
>> The cloud reminds me of gas burning. Years ago before the UK oil and gas
>> platforms exported the hydrocarbon gas to shore. It was flared off.
>> I've spent hours looking at it, almost hypnotic. Especially at night.
>>
>
> Those were the days when oil and gas were thought inexhaustible... :-/
>

Hmm! not really. It did take a few years to lay a gas pipeline after 
putting down the oil pipeline. Remember in the early days it was very 
expensive and there was not that much revenue coming in. Unlike the way 
Norway developed their oil and gas. The UK gave tax concessions to 
private companies to develop the oil and gas fields. And their bean 
counters were more interested in profits.

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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On 13-6-2017 9:45, Stephen wrote:
> On 6/13/2017 8:03 AM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
>> On 12-6-2017 23:08, Stephen wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> That is true. I remember years ago when I was using billboards. I put
>>> planks behind them to hold them up. :)
>>
>> Never too careful! ;-)
>>
>
> Safety comes first. :)
>
>>>
>>> I mentioned it because at one point I could see the cloud passing
>>> through one of the buildings. But thinking about it that wouldn't help.
>>> You would need a particle system to get the cloud to move around it.
>>
>> Yes indeed. Differencing the buildings won't do anything. Which reminds
>> me that the buildings here remind me of the City7 macros by Mike
>> Williams. I wonder where those originated from. I looked but could not
>> find their origin any more; not from Mike's site at least. I have them
>> in my own system but others might be interested.
>>
>
> They do look familiar. I was thinking of Chris Colefax's City Include
> File. But it is so long since I used it all I can remember is that they
> were very rectangular.
>
> Another thought that struck me would be to use Runes Particle System to
> make the cloud container. It can flow around obstacles.
>
>>>
>>> The cloud reminds me of gas burning. Years ago before the UK oil and gas
>>> platforms exported the hydrocarbon gas to shore. It was flared off.
>>> I've spent hours looking at it, almost hypnotic. Especially at night.
>>>
>>
>> Those were the days when oil and gas were thought inexhaustible... :-/
>>
>
> Hmm! not really. It did take a few years to lay a gas pipeline after
> putting down the oil pipeline. Remember in the early days it was very
> expensive and there was not that much revenue coming in. Unlike the way
> Norway developed their oil and gas. The UK gave tax concessions to
> private companies to develop the oil and gas fields. And their bean
> counters were more interested in profits.
>

That is right. Costs and profits...

-- 
Thomas

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