CGTalk - A trip in to space

StuDogg

06-16-2008, 10:33 AM

i am trying to create a space scene as a way of practicing using C4D. i have my scene layout with a shit looking space ship orbiting a moon with a larger planet behind. What i am struggling with is how i make a background that looks and feels like space. So far everything i have read says that you cant really have a space HDRi which would have been my first thought. Has any one ever done a space scene that has been easy to do and looked great? I am not in any rush but it would be handy to have some tips.

Srek

06-16-2008, 10:36 AM

You want it realistic or SciFi impressive?

Realistic: If any object is visible that is directly lit by sunlight it will outshine all stars etc. so you will only see a black background

SciFi: Create a MilkyWay and several hundred or thousand stars either as particles or more simple as a texture on a surounding sphere.

Cheers
Björn

StuDogg

06-16-2008, 10:39 AM

I think the Sci-fi look is what i am after.

wonky

06-16-2008, 11:23 AM

http://maps.jpl.nasa.gov/stars.html

Stick this on a giant sphere or sky object in the lum channel.

Joseppi

06-16-2008, 01:28 PM

Stuart,

Also, you can make allowances for the screen size. Some astonauts have said 2001 is pretty true to space travel, but for the small screen, sometimes the stars visible on the 40 ft. theater (theatre) screen, disappear into black space on the TV or compute screen, especially at 320x240 youtube with web compression... so depends a bit on your presentation.

TV shows like Babylon 5 started adding swaths of colored nebulea, or plasma clouds to break up the blackness, taking artistic license perhaps. Is your scene set in a fictional area, or between the Earth and moon? If it is Earth orbit, it would look strange to add the nebulea as we see space shuttle shots of that area and no nebulea are that close, but maybe a little Milky Way or up the size of the stars to hold up on DV rez, if that's what you're working at. Single pixel stars will probably flicker with interlacing at SD rez...

Joe

StuDogg

06-16-2008, 01:47 PM

Thanks for the advice guys. i am not totally sure as to the style i really want. i am torn between having a very empty lonely space or a busy colorful space. Lighting is proving to be a pain at the moment i have one light acting as the sun and casting shadows. but while i am looking at the scene i am thinking surly the planet would give off an amount of light which should light up my space ship.

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