Planet Shader

GoK

[disclamer - someone else on this board has already made a planet shade its there idea i just made my own version, i tried to post this as a reply to his thread but it didnt work ]

virtuosic's thread can be found at http://boards.polycount.net/showthread.php?t=67107&highlight=planet+shader

This is my current WIP, a planet shader from unreal.

The planet shader uses vertex painting to lay down your land masses, water, ice ect. You have full control over ice colour and spec, ground, water (which is animated and has spec), 2 cloud layers (which are animated), lights from citys (colour and brightness) and also atmosphere colour and density... ill add more to this as i build it.

Iv now updated it added a lot more control and you can now make suns and moons too... also turn off clouds and atmosphere (also more control over the atmosphere. here take a look.

Heres some demo vids of it.

http://www.jodygallagher.co.uk/Files/Demo2.mp4

http://www.jodygallagher.co.uk/Files/Demo.mp4

And some pics

DarthNater

Looks interesting. I think one thing to add that would really make these pop would be some shadows under the cloud layers. How do these look with a little bloom added also?

adam

*so cool*

ImSlightlyBored

looks great
my one issue with these planet shaders is
they're typically quite expensive and considering planets, when seen at the detail these shaders do, I would have thought normal textures would have been a little cheaper?
Stick a variety on one page, splice the UV's in the shader, job done. Do your clouds/ambient anim and material definition and thats it.

BUT that's just from a production stand point. As a standalone, it looks great!

GoK

Thanks guys!

ImSlightlyBored- yes very true although it is very usefull when you are creating say hundreds of planets for example... time saved over resources used i think wins in that situation. It can also make it easier for a non artist to edit and place new planets in game. But i do get your niggle.

Jody

Neox

if you want to do further, i'd try to make the water and clouds more dynamic instead of just moving the uvs you could distort them, so they don't just move in one directions.

GoK

Thanks Neox, I wonder to if if i could use a second UV channel for doing that... ill have to test it out, cheers.

Neox

you won't need that, just add a scrolling noise to the uvs of the clouds, look into how ut does the branches and grass stuff, that tweaked and changed a bit is perfect for clouds

GoK

Ahh i think i know what you mean! the wavey effect! we use that at work for tree leaves too ill add that cheers!