Plan for Mike Kuklinski
by Mike Kuklinski · 07/29/2004 (10:15 pm) · 5 comments
In order to make a fully functional weather and day/night system, I am scrapping the skybox-based clouds, and am going to resort to what I did not want to do -- a particle based cloud system. We are aiming for 50 large sized particles per cloud, majority occluded, of course. We are creating a custom object, CloudObject, that is easier to manipulate, so that created particles are always bound to the node that created them, so when the node moves, the cloud moves with them. Every time the CloudObject is created, it generates a random cloud.
I am still writing it. I hope to have it done within the week. After that, we will implement quite a few lines of script so that there are always 100 CloudObjects in the sky, and every 2 hours or so, they delete and a new one takes there place in the $cloud[] array. This keeps it dynamic. Also, we will have the clouds check every 5 minutes or so for changes, so, for instance, if
$weather == clear, there is a 3/4 chance that the cloud will startfade, as opposed to overcast, where there is a 4/5 chance, and opposed to Thunderstorm, where 100% of the cloudes are visible, and, the particle shades darken to a random grey, and the clouds themselves are scaled up anywhere from 200% to 400%. The ultimate modification, but not planned yet, would be stencil shading for the clouds.
We could, theoretically, apply the same changes for day/night effects, making the nighttime 'red cloud' illusion work properly, and beautifully.
Here is an example of the noise code:
The first chart is before PNoise added, the second is after.
I am still writing it. I hope to have it done within the week. After that, we will implement quite a few lines of script so that there are always 100 CloudObjects in the sky, and every 2 hours or so, they delete and a new one takes there place in the $cloud[] array. This keeps it dynamic. Also, we will have the clouds check every 5 minutes or so for changes, so, for instance, if
$weather == clear, there is a 3/4 chance that the cloud will startfade, as opposed to overcast, where there is a 4/5 chance, and opposed to Thunderstorm, where 100% of the cloudes are visible, and, the particle shades darken to a random grey, and the clouds themselves are scaled up anywhere from 200% to 400%. The ultimate modification, but not planned yet, would be stencil shading for the clouds.
We could, theoretically, apply the same changes for day/night effects, making the nighttime 'red cloud' illusion work properly, and beautifully.
Here is an example of the noise code:
The first chart is before PNoise added, the second is after.
About the author
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#2
07/30/2004 (4:01 am)
This is pretty cool, Mike. Make sure you keep us updated on your progress
#3
07/30/2004 (11:09 am)
I'd love to see some screenshots of this! Sounds like a pretty cool thing.
#4
Here is a thought for you guys, I would like responses before tomorrow:
Say if the particles are generated randomly to initially create an ovaloid, say:
Particle Creation Position from Node:
X=rand(1,10)
Y=rand(1,5)
Z=rand(1,5)
Technically, that should create a statistical ovaloid. But, in order to simulate noise (and create cloud "wisps"), I was thinking of processing the position more on each particle, and moving it a random number from 1 to 10 on every axis, making an odd ovaloid, like most clouds. Do you think that would work as to introducing 'pseudonoise'?
07/30/2004 (5:45 pm)
I am waiting for my partner (the one who usually does particle effects, he did smoke, etc) to finish the parameters for clouds so I can analyze and implement... if I don't get them by tomorrow I will work on it myself. Here is a thought for you guys, I would like responses before tomorrow:
Say if the particles are generated randomly to initially create an ovaloid, say:
Particle Creation Position from Node:
X=rand(1,10)
Y=rand(1,5)
Z=rand(1,5)
Technically, that should create a statistical ovaloid. But, in order to simulate noise (and create cloud "wisps"), I was thinking of processing the position more on each particle, and moving it a random number from 1 to 10 on every axis, making an odd ovaloid, like most clouds. Do you think that would work as to introducing 'pseudonoise'?
Torque Owner Mike Kuklinski