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View Full Version : Give your characters footprints in the snow

fxnut
09-26-2004, 02:47 PM
Hi guys,

Just wanted to share this technique with you. It's a LW based tutorial (hence the cross post in the LW forum) but the technique is easy enough to transfer across to any 3D app. My tutorial uses a sphere to create deformations in the snow, but you can just as easily use a character's feet to do the same. It's an image based technique, so there's no time wasted using lengthy dynamics or cloth simulations.

To quote from my website:

"This tutorial shows you how to automatically create displaced trails in the snow. The process is automatic once it is set up, and it will let you make trails using pretty much anything. Useful for footprints and vehicle tracks."http://www.andynicholas.com/thezone/index.php?area=art

Here's a quick anim in two formats:

DivX (105 Kb)
http://www.andynicholas.com/thezone/content/art/files/SnowTrails_DivX.avi

Indeo5 (364 Kb)
http://www.andynicholas.com/thezone/content/art/files/SnowTrails_Indeo5.avi

Enjoy!

Regards

Andy
tel
09-28-2004, 01:11 PM
hey friend. thank you. the tutorial is cool... im maya user but.. now i can try to find the best way for use this technic.

peace.
fxnut
09-29-2004, 07:34 AM
Cool, glad you found it useful :)
jimcoldt
09-29-2004, 09:22 AM
This is very cool... and quite an interesting way to solve this problem.

My only complaint is that the snow just disappears, which is not much of a problem if someone just stepped on the snow--it'd just get compacted. But if something actually moves through the snow, as in the movie you posted, the snow would have to go somewhere. It'd have to pile up as it got displaced.

Maybe a similar technique could be employed to create a buildup of snow around the 'carved' areas...
jimcoldt
09-29-2004, 09:24 AM
ok...duh. If I had read the tutorial more closely, I would have seen that you address this issue on the last page.

:blush:
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