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View Full Version : swirling Earth cloud formations from space map?

thethule
07-06-2004, 02:49 PM
Phew! That was a title and a half!

Hi everyone, i was wondering if i could ask for opinions on this matter. I have just received a brief from our client that describes the opening shot being of the earth with its cloud formations swirling, and getting thicker and denser as they do. Basically, describing global warming. Now, i have no problem creating a photoreal earth, but im a bit stuck on getting this animated map created. I looked all morning in vain on the interweb for a satellite animation we could buy, but nothing. So i have decided to try to paint one in combustion. We own a cd with D1 cloud footage, and i was hoping to overlay them (ive picked the best clips) on a still of earth clouds that i already have, basically like a mosaic, with lots of feathering etc...and using swirls in combustion to create localised vortexes. Does this seem like a good idea? I could use advice from texture painters who are more knowledgeable than me (not difficult, its not my field), or maybe even if someone knows of one that i can buy/download. Thanks


Regards,


Marc Khachfe
EricChadwick
07-06-2004, 06:15 PM
Sounds like you're on the right path.

The recent issue of Cinefex has some info about how they did a space-view of the super-storm in The Day After Tomorrow. Mostly a brute-force approach, hand-painting a ton, then using a little displacment to get parallax. But they had very little motion, and it was fullscreen with no motion blur to hide errors.
thethule
07-07-2004, 09:54 AM
Yeah, maybe im on the right path, but the client is only paying for 3 days of my time, so i think its going to have to be a crappy after effects swirl motion. I tried mosaic-ing cloud footage and it will definately work, but i will need more than a few days to make it look sweet. Anyway, thanks for your reply mate.


Regards,



Marc
Tantramancer
07-09-2004, 11:28 PM
I've seen someone where I used to work use this plugin for Photoshop:

http://www.flamingpear.com/lunarcell.html

It's supposed to be able to get realworld cloud data from internet satellite sites or something like that. I haven't used it myself, but from what I saw it seemed pretty quick to use and I think it could do animated clouds as well. Everything can be exported in layers for application in 3D.
thethule
07-14-2004, 11:58 PM
Thanks for the link tantramancer. Thats some pretty nifty software there. Shame the real world cloud data looked awful, but the rest of it is pretty good. Will definately keep that one on the side for future reference. Eventually i ended up just using a huge earth cloud map i got off the internet and applying animated noise to it in Max, then saving off 1000 frames as an animated textures. Looked better than i thought and the client is happy.


Regards,


Marc
Tantramancer
07-15-2004, 12:18 AM
Whatever works is the important thing. That and whatever is going to make you the most money for the least effort. I'd be interested in hearing of the tech aspects of your solution or seeing an example if you ever find the time. About 60% of my freelance work is in illustration with the rest divided between modeling and texturing. I don't get to play around with effects stuff like this very often. I think I've gotten too specialized over the years. I'd like to play around with other fun things like this but rarely seem to have the time for experimenting outside my specialties.
thethule
07-15-2004, 01:16 AM
Tantramancer, i have sent you a private message.
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