HOME | DD
utak3r — On The Top Of The World
Published: 2005-05-29 13:11:31 +0000 UTC; Views: 1562; Favourites: 18; Downloads: 178
Redirect to original
Description
Yes!
Finally some Terragen render of me...
After such a long break.The terrain used in here is Fishbone by Philippe Bullot aka peten.
The clouds, stars and the moon made in Photoshop.
I hope you like it
*EDIT*
OK, after your really useful comments, I've reworked it a bit. I've fixed the stars, the dark side of the moon, the horizon line and the clouds.
I really appreciate your support, I'm glad it turned out so good, and I was able to improve my work
Thank you!
*EDIT 2*
Huh... I'm getting tired with this scene...
I think this is the last time I update it.This time I added clouds reflection in the water
and fixed a bit the moon's geometry.Thanks people for your instant help!
Related content
Comments: 40
Nice work, the moon is accurately lit in relation to where the sun is, and the terrain is great! the clouds don't seem to fit though, they look more like they belong in a bright - middday scene, and they seem to fade into nowhere on the left, I probably would have chosen early-afternoon clouds that are more in shadow, a bit like the ratio of light and shadow on the Moon, and same angle too.
Still, it's a nice and natural-looking scene
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks a lot
I was working on this piece so long, and changing it so many times, I don't think I'm able to take it once again
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
your final render and post work are great.
I think the surf map is amazing
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Fantastic work, I love everything about this scene. Fabulous, and a
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Perfect title! It's good to see you haven't lost your touch. Fave!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Yeah... in these days I start to be afraid if I can do it yet
Thanks a lot for a 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
First off, lovely render.
I wouldn't go into further detail, but you did ask for an advanced critique...
I think the clouds are a bit too bright and stark a white for the lighting you have. Keep in mind, the light on the clouds has to come from the same place as the rest of the light, so there would be stronger shadows to the right in the cloud bank. If you mean for this to be high enough altitude (or a planet with a thin enough atmosphere) that the stars are visible during the day, then the water would be frozen and the clouds would likely be the thinner flatter type.
My only other major gripe (that I think many others have mentioned) is that you have stars were the dark side of the moon should be. If you ever look at the moon when it is about half full, late in the day, you will find that you can often see the dark side of the moon. Even if it is completely black, or the color of the sky (because the sky is between us and it), you will never see stars in the area that would be occupied by the dark side of the moon, as the bulk of the moon would be blocking them out.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Many many thanks for your really useful comment
If only people were giving more such comments like yours and Mr.Messy's...
So, if you want, you may take a look at it now, I've fixed some problems with it. You know, I was working on it in a full sunny daylight
So, again - thank you for your helpful comment, and please take a one more look at it now
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Better, but still a few things... The moon looks a bit taller then it is wide (oval, where it should be round), though there is a chance that has something to do with the aspect ratio. I have carefully configured my monitor to display square (or round) things as square visually as well though, and I know that is not the case with many displays and resolutions. On some of them, you can draw what appears to be a circle, and have it come out as an oval when you go to print it.
Secondly, while the clouds being less bright does help, if you look at the part of the cloud that sticks up highest at the right, you can see that the lighting on it is coming from above (putting the shadows bellow), not from the left to the right, as it is in the rest of the image, the moon included. It isn't as bad as before, as it isn't as bright, but it is still noticeable. I hope that makes sense. Sorry to shoot more holes in it, but you did ask... *pats*
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
OK, I worked on it a bit more again...
I've fixed the moon's geometry (I've put an orange background as a helper
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Better, and I like the texture on the surface of the water... Did I say that before? Sorry I didn't respond for so long, but real life got more then a bit complicated.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
By the way, you did a very good job of rendering the puffy white clouds, and if it wasn't for the angle of the lighting on them, they would be very nice.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Yup, I agree with everybody that its nice. I noticed the stars on the dark side of the moon, but I have also noticed stars on the darker parts of the cloud. Nice cloud by the way. As a former weather observer I am critical of the clouds that people draw - and yours passes my litmus tests
Okay, you asked for advanced critique, so here I am being "picky".
There was something bothering me that I couldn't quite put my finder on, but I think I figured some of it out. Its the angle(s) of light in your render. The amount of shadow indicates a vertical angle of what, 35-40 degrees above the horizon? But this angle is not consisted with the angle of the shadow on the moon. Another angle is the angle in relation to the obersver, the horizontal angle. I am not sure, but seems that the light source is not on my direct left, but a bit farther forward by 10 or 15 degrees. This angle would affect the phase of the moon.
I think another aspect that has me bothered is the fact that it appears to be daylight but with a night time sky (shades of Magritte here). But I can dismiss that aspect if I assume it is an alien landscape - thus alien atmosphere and all. I think the "atmospheric" fade to the horizon is perhaps a bit too intense. My own opinion would have the fade go to a blue, not white. I would also apply some form of that fade to the cloud. Like the distant hills that were faded by the blue, something similar could be done to the cloud to give the impression that the cloud is closer than the distant peaks, but further away that the peaks in front.
Speaking of the cloud, perhaps a little bit of detail in the bright parts? I would keep it very faint, almost invisible. Its amazing what the eye/brain will pick up on without the viewer ever knowing.
Oh, and one final thing. Put colour into your stars. Stars frequently have a hue to them - Our sun is technically yellow for example. I would give the average star a slight blue hue, but then add more stars, red, yellow, and darker blue ones, but keep the number of them reduced. You don't want a rainbow sky unless that is desired
I hope you don't mind me being as picky as I was. It really is a good render. Its good enough to make me want to dust off my PovRay and get back into doing 3D stuff again.
I really like the texture you applied to the landscape. It not only makes the mountains look good, it makes the rock up at the front look just as good.
I only just noticed that you have a bit of mist, um, about a third of the way up. It looks like it was over the water, but I can see that it is over the land as well. Wonderful effect. I would tweak the mist so it fades out just a little more gradually over slightly more distance.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Whoa! Thanks a lot, man
I'll have to work a bit on this scene, you're right with this moon phase...
As to the dark/night sky... I ment to create the scene 'on the top of the world', er... I mean it's on a very high altitude. I have no idea how it should look, but I thought the atmosphere there is rather low, so we can see the stars in a full daylight... or not? I don't know, to be honest
Yeah, go and run your povray
Once again, thanks a lot!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Ah, high altitude, yes, you succeeded in pretty well capturing that. I am thinking of what the sky seems like from an airliner at 10,000 to 15000 metres, and you certainly have some of that captured. Make it higher, and you would pretty well see what you rendered - except for the note I made about reducing the white at the horizon. That darn amateur scientist in me is saying that if you are high enough to see stars, then the bulk of the atmosphere is below you so that the white should be lower than it is. Of course, I like the idea that its also alien, which allows more freedom for you
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
So, please take a look at it now, I hope it improved
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Sorry to take so long getting back to you.
Another user mention aspect ratio of the monitor as being a factor in viewing the moon. That could be the case. I run 1280 X 1024 both at home and at work. It seemed rounder from home than from work. Plus, that has a different ratio from 1024 X 768. A less than round moon could be a viewer problem and not a rendered problem.
The same user (too lazy to go back and see who it was) suggested that the lighting on the clouds isn't at the right angle. I'm not sure I agree. I think it is a lot closer than he realizes, but he may correct in suggesting that its not quite right. But even though I admit that, to me the clouds "feel" right even though I cannot articulate why I feel they are right.
I was thinking more about the sky and the stars. Look at some pictures of the milky way. Some areas look as if they have a whitish mist, which is nothing more than smaller stars. There are also dark lanes through the stars, visible because they are silhouetted against the stars and the while misty areas. If you want an alien sky, you could also get into nebulas and stuff, but that might be taking it a little too far.
Oh, I just found something else that I didn't notice before. The cloud doesn't appear to be reflected in the water.
I hope you realize that at this point you are tweaking an already good product into something better.
And I just downloaded Povray 3.6 - may go for the beta 3.7
M.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
OK, here's a next tweak... and I think it's the last one - I'm starting to be tired with this scene
Obviously I've added the clouds reflection in the water
Thanks for your help
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Yup, I know what it's like to work and re-work a bit of art. I have unfinished works of art because I got tired of the process of refining things. Or worse, I have worked on something for a while, then realized first, that there is a mistake, and second, that it is now too late to correct it. I have a half finished guitar case because of that
And speaking of renders, I do not think there is anything else left to tweak..
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Heh... maybe you can re-render your case
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
awsome utak3r, the most blatent thing i see is the moon seems to only be half a moon, unless of course thats intentional, but i never have heard of/seen a half moon before
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Yes, you're right... will have to work on it later...
Thanks!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Those clouds are a nice touch to that wonderful render... I can see some stars through the dark side of the moon, but still a nice piece indeed.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Yeah, those stars... I was working in a full daylight, and just didn't notice that. I'll have to fix it.
Thanks!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Wonderful...... my only complaint is that you have stars on the clouds and on the part where the dark half of the moon would be... other than that it is beautiful!!!!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks
Yeah... After a few hours of working I've noticed that - after posting, of course
I'll have to fix that.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Looking good. Although the terrain and clouds might be slightly too bright seeing as the sky is so dark.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Wow it looks beautiful, I would like to be there right now! One thing, the faded out mountains in the background. They dont do it for me, I think coz you can still see the colour of the sky behind them.
LOVE the clouds!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
it's really well done.
other than that, it's beautiful. <3
👍: 0 ⏩: 0