CGTalk - Effects : Aurora Borealis

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InfraRed

04-24-2003, 10:20 AM

Hi

I am looking for a way to create a 3d effect like the aurora borealis or tracers from fast moving fire for example. Organic, light imagery is probably a better way to describe it with direct control over the parameters.

Does anyone know of a way to do this ?

Maybe a plugin for max or whatever. I have tried the particle systems in Max but can't seem to get the desired smooth effect with diminishing blur.

Thanks for your help

regards

N

EricChadwick

04-24-2003, 04:49 PM

Awhile ago I played around with using Volume Lights for this. You can either use the noise function in the Volume Light, or better yet use a procedural map in the Projection slot. Renders slow as heck, but you can get some nice nebula-type effects. Lots of control with a Map.

BrandonD

04-24-2003, 05:13 PM

Nope, there hasn't been much call for an "Aurora" plugin. However, the tools are there to make a convince one. Try animating splines, extruding them, and mapping them with colorful gradients mixed with noise (obviously using opacity too).

InfraRed

04-25-2003, 08:50 AM

Thanks, I'll give it a go.

N

TapioKa

04-25-2003, 08:38 PM

A few years ago, I did an aurora borealis for a logo animation.

Essentially Brandon is correct.

I took an audio .wav file into After Effects, overlayed another using the waveform plugin, in AE and rendered two movies as animated texture maps with the color scheme I needed.

I then animated several splines and extruded them, UV mapped them and used animated movies. Worked great, as long as the camera doesn't move through them. Mixing animated opacity maps helps too to remove regularity.:)

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