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Outerra Tech Demo download. Help with graphics driver issues

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Author Topic: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress  (Read 115947 times)

John514

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #60 on: September 20, 2013, 11:43:27 am »

I'm interested in seeing what the clouds do when they are in line to smash into a mountain. They can't just pass through so some weird and awesome scripting to bypass and shape the clouds around the mountains.

I guess that the wind will take care of that, if it is made to follow the terrain. Wind hitting the side of the mountain will be forced upwards, making an invisible wall for the clouds.
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aaronsb

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #61 on: September 20, 2013, 12:48:11 pm »

My guess is that for a while, nothing will happen. It is computationally prohibitive to determine how the clouds bypass the terrain. Most likely they will just intersect the terrain and that will be that. It may be possible to craft some ways to cheat around the issue by setting cloud levels in certain areas, or possibly some sort of displacement map, but anything computed on a global scale will most likely impact performance considerably. I strongly believe that's a reason why atmospheric effects are fairly limited in games currently.


I'm interested in seeing what the clouds do when they are in line to smash into a mountain. They can't just pass through so some weird and awesome scripting to bypass and shape the clouds around the mountains.
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cameni

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #62 on: September 20, 2013, 01:15:44 pm »

To the dev folks.  Will there be different algorithms for different types of clouds?  Clouds are formed differently based on their distance from the ground.  There is a low, middle, and high cloud layer with only the cumulonimbus (thunderstorm cloud) being in all the layers and above them.  Rain only comes from 2 types of clouds also: nimbostratus and the cumolonimbus.

Perhaps it would help you to know the types of clouds and the places/time of year they are most likely seen.
The same algorithm will be able to handle multiple layers and shapes, ultimately creating complex stuff. There will be probably a problem with the lighting it all correctly though.
Initially we'll go after a relatively simple configuration, one high thin layer and one thicker lower cloud layer, modulated. Once the rest of the engine grows up we shall move it further too.

I'm interested in seeing what the clouds do when they are in line to smash into a mountain. They can't just pass through so some weird and awesome scripting to bypass and shape the clouds around the mountains.
The clouds aren't really simulated as bodies of vapor, that would be too costly. However, what can be done is a modulation of the density function that determines the cloud coverage. This will work on a much coarser scale, so in theory it could be possible to simulate the flow of the density, and use it to modulate the cloud algorithm.
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John514

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #63 on: September 20, 2013, 01:30:50 pm »


The clouds aren't really simulated as bodies of vapor, that would be too costly. However, what can be done is a modulation of the density function that determines the cloud coverage. This will work on a much coarser scale, so in theory it could be possible to simulate the flow of the density, and use it to modulate the cloud algorithm.

I almost didn`t understand a thing, but still I believe that is the best solution!
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monks

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #64 on: September 20, 2013, 08:03:54 pm »

 ;D  8) ...great to see things ticking along! Looking sweet.

monks
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James

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #65 on: September 21, 2013, 10:24:23 pm »

Quick question, does or will Outerra ever use or be able to use DirectX 11? I love the glossy realistic look.
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Jagerbomber

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #66 on: September 21, 2013, 10:52:06 pm »

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James

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #67 on: September 21, 2013, 11:13:41 pm »

No, something can be realistic and look glossy. At least it does to me sometimes.
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Jagerbomber

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #68 on: September 21, 2013, 11:15:04 pm »

It's your glasses.  8)
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"Perhaps this speaks to some larger trend within society today...  A prevailing desire on the part of indie developers to recreate the entire world into one where you can charge more than $15 for your game design degree coursework." - Yahtzee ;) :P

cameni

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #69 on: September 22, 2013, 03:09:51 am »

OT won't use DirectX, no need to give up portability for ... nothing?
Graphics API doesn't have anything to do with ability to implement glossiness or anything. "DirectX11 effects" speak mainly about the hardware capabilities, not about the API.
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aaronsb

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #70 on: October 09, 2013, 12:40:36 pm »

Any more progress on clouds? I noticed in the update notes you made changes to rendering pipeline, perhaps to support efficient rendering of a certain...difficult to illuminate volumetric shape?
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cameni

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #71 on: October 11, 2013, 07:42:57 am »

No, those weren't related to the clouds. I managed to fix just a few minor bugs, but there's still some work to get them from the preview mode to being globally usable. I've made a few compromises here and there, to see if the approach works at all. Now I have to redo it properly, with other things that are affected.
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John514

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #72 on: October 11, 2013, 07:44:42 am »

I cant wait to fly around a towering rain cloud.
(You know the weird-named one)
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You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling

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I just like to help people around the forum.

PytonPago

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #73 on: October 11, 2013, 08:35:55 am »

I cant wait to fly around a towering rain cloud.
(You know the weird-named one)

 ... those are not weird names ... those are awesome nature-scientific expression-indexes to certain specifically defined natural geometrical hi-density atmospheric humidity accumulation patterns. :D Don't be so rude to them cloud-names. :D
« Last Edit: October 11, 2013, 08:37:26 am by PytonPago »
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We are still undeveloped as long as we don´t realize, that all our science is still descriptive, and than beyond that description lies a whole new world we just haven´t even started to fully understand.

aaronsb

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Re: Clouds - a peek at the work in progress
« Reply #74 on: October 11, 2013, 05:51:15 pm »



I cant wait to fly around a towering rain cloud.
(You know the weird-named one)
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