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[HiFlyer]

Hopefully in short time. The preview version was originally used in a simulator prototype as a proof of concept, but the simulator was ground based and didn't need the full scale rendering modes for the clouds, so we took some shortcuts to save time.

Recently I started working on it again, this time also incorporating a global cloud density map and addressing some of the problematic points of the prototype. When there's something presentable I'll surely post it here.

Great! There was a request for a gliding video, but essentially way up high, a glider appears almost motionless at high Frame rates, and it would be much better to do things like that with some clouds gliding by to give a sense of motion/speed. 

[Acetone]

Hopefully in short time. The preview version was originally used in a simulator prototype as a proof of concept, but the simulator was ground based and didn't need the full scale rendering modes for the clouds, so we took some shortcuts to save time.

Recently I started working on it again, this time also incorporating a global cloud density map and addressing some of the problematic points of the prototype. When there's something presentable I'll surely post it here.

Great news
Good luck with it, no doubt it must be fairly complex to get everything working fine considering your objectives !

I'm particularly interested in how they look from high altitude and long distance. 

There is this old shot from the FMX presentation page, in case you didn't see it already :

[aWac9]

Time-Lapses outerra

see 720pHD



 

[cameni]

WIP clouds time lapse video with static camera above the clouds.



This is using a global cloud density map with resolution around 5km, which is driving the fractal cloud generator. Both the speed of clouds and dynamics of shape change are adjustable, although the wind speed is global and blowing always to the west.

[Jagerbomber]

It'd be cool if you got some wind direction effects on the clouds other than just all moving entirely at the same speed in a general direction.  Whispy clouds, cirrus clouds and whatnot.  (I don't exactly know what to call them).

[M7]

It's looking really good from that point of view. I presume clouds dont cast shadows yet, will they in future update?

[John514]

Awesome! Good to see some major progress being made. We`re all about eye candy it seems!
How complex are the cloud formations that can be made? Or is it just a layer of clouds at a certain altitude?

[Steve.Wilson]

I have a hunch that the resources used here might be of use, Cameni:  https://www.windyty.com/?surface,wind,now,42.064,-87.992,4

[Foxiol]

This is incredible. Hands down...developer of the year...heck, of the decade, right here ladies and gentlemen.

[Abc94]

Brano, those clouds look awesome! Are you using 4D noise to generate them?

I have a hunch that the resources used here might be of use, Cameni:  https://www.windyty.com/?surface,wind,now,42.064,-87.992,4

Very, very cool. Lots of information there and it looks fantastic! 

[KW71]

This is beautiful! I really mean it!

The engine, as is now, is incredible for me... And when this clouds arrive...

Where is another engine that give you an entire planet out of the box to explore?

[cameni]

It's looking really good from that point of view. I presume clouds dont cast shadows yet, will they in future update?

Not yet, but some shading will have to be done even with shadows off, because terrain lighting is wrong with overcast.





It should be not only under shadow, but also the atmospheric scattering should lose bluish tones, unless the sun is actually below the clouds. Also the ambient lighting now must be different for stuff under and above the clouds.

[cameni]

How complex are the cloud formations that can be made? Or is it just a layer of clouds at a certain altitude?

Right now it's just a single layer. High altitude clouds will be in other (simpler) ones. Some other clouds will be probably created on top of this layer but using a different technique. The used fractal gives it somehow unified look, so I would like to use some predefined patterns broken by fractals in the future, but there's a problem how to map these onto a spherical world.

[cameni]

I have a hunch that the resources used here might be of use, Cameni:  https://www.windyty.com/?surface,wind,now,42.064,-87.992,4

Yea that would be ideal as one of possible weather drivers. Right now we are using a single 8k*4k texture with cloud densities (~5km res), and rotating it. From weather plugins we would need at least two such maps, each representing a snapshot at different time. The density will be interpolated between them; meanwhile the plugin would prepare the next one. This would provide weather that predeterminedly lags behind the real one.

Another option, that also allows weather modification, is to simulate weather cells and precipitation transfers, winds, sources and sinks.

[Levi]

Absolutely stunning!