Need a little help here....nothing new on that part. :) Does anyone know how to create realistic blowing sand without lots of distortion that effect the overall outcome of the render. I've tried, but I'm not getting very good effects. Pls help or direct me to a tutorial site that explains. Thanks for your time. Mel

As i expected it, no answer. Things like that are some of the most difficult things in computer graphics/animation. Only the big programs are able to do that more or less realistic. To do that you need not only a particle system but one that allows to let the particles follow specific paths. Uh oh. What you can try is the fog method (intersectioning spheres with a volumetric material) . Change the color and maybe other values in the material editor and see what you get. How about winning the monthly contest and use this as a theme for the next month? Loooong ago we had things like that. Themes like "create fire in Vue". Or "let it rain" etc. Maybe we can do a contest beside the normal monthly one. But who would organize that? Anyway, never forget that you are dealing with a relatively low price package, not one that is called high-end (Maya or Softimage). Even they have problems with that. BTW, when have you seen last time a good computer graphic image with realistic sandstorm? I am curious if that exists! Surprise me!

" Things like that are some of the most difficult things in computer graphics/animation." I think not. After Effects will render sand in real time & so will combustion or 3d studio max. Its vue that has no particle generators so it is difficult to achieve. Compositing the sand effect is your best result with Vue. War craft 3 has a movie with a sand city that is crushed with a monsters hands that is awesome. Blizzard makes the best animations. Vue4pro should have a particle generator because it is a mid and going higher priced package. Vue4pro needs more differences then Vue4 and a particle generator would be a welcomed addition to that list. With that in mind a python script can make a particle system that reacts to the wind as the trees do. Now we need to make it.

Thanks guys really appreciate it! Sounds like I'm either going to have to do it in post or just keep experimenting and see what I come up with. Yikes...scary thought. Wabe the monthly theme idea is great! You are right. Since I'm just learning view, I'll try and get more involved in such things. I'm always up to learn and challenge myself and others around. bonnyclump...I'm hoping to get VuePro before too long, but it would be awesome if they did have a particle generator/script for vue...

Try lilzeeks waterfall tutorial only instead of water make sand. All things are Possible.

Message edited on: 06/05/2004 21:34

One of Iloco's earliest images in the gallery here had a good dust storm. Not that's a lot of help as; I've no idea how he acheived it, he would appear to have deleted it and he doesn't seem to be around the forums to ask. But I guess the fact it's been done means it's doable, at least for a static image.

John

I removed a few of the images from my gallery that I didn't like and the sandstorm was one of them. I have been busy andd haven't been on RR much lately but saw this post. Not sure if this is what you are looking to do with vue and to be honest I am not sure I could duplicate how I did it again. I think I used spheres and smoke material or maybe another material to get the effect. I got the wind effect on the trees in Vue Pro using the wind effect that was added in Vue Pro. It will work with only Vue Pro plants.:) jwhitham you have a good memory. That image was posted quite a while back.:o)

Thanks iloca, that's pretty good...I figured it would be something along that line, but editing it in the materieals editor was the challenge for me. :) I don't have VuePro yet. I also was looking to make dust from like herding animals, maybe not so much a dust storm. Again I appreciate all the replies!!

Look at my Stage Coach scene in my gallery and see if that is what you are wanting to do with dust. I used cylinders and materials to get the effect. You can get the same effects in Vue 4. :o)

Yep, that's exactly what I'm talking about! :) Great job by the way...looks really fantastic! What kind of material were you using and did you have to tweak it quite a bit? Would love to see you possibly do a tutorial on that because it's pointless to make an action scen such as you did without rising dust and it looking at least half way decent. :)

Sorry, I'm on my photography account and didn't realize it till after I posted this....aka DrmzRmyne is my art gallery. Sorry for the mixup there. lol

What I did was used 3-4 cylinders and add a material called steam which is a free material but I have forgot where I found it. Hope this helps explain with attached image. :o)

explains perfectly! Thanks, I'll see if I can't locate the free material. I'm sure it's around somewhere. :) Again, thank you...huge help!

Glad it helped. I sent you a pm to your other account if you need help with material. :o)