Attached Link: http://brenthomer.tripod.com/open.mpeg

Finally got around to making the first part of that animation into an mpeg. The problems I had arnt so pronounced in this clip b/c I used some after effects to help cover it up. Actually this whole animation sucks, but hey, if it impresses the correct people I guess I can live with it :) The thing I did learn was you can go above the clouds and they don't look very 3d...anyone have any hints? anyway you prob will have to rightclick on the link and download it that way...Tripod is pretty nasty about downloads..so keep trying. btw: That plug-in listed below just rules!!! I had a ton of fun playing with it. -brent "I cant believe I get paid to make this stuff"

Despite the fact that it sucks, it's good. (Wait...does that mean that I'm one of the right people?) For legitimate looking 3-d clouds, I highly recommend Lost Horizons Software Carrara Power Pack. The volume clouds are awesome. (it's not in the free one, it's in the buy one) It takes a little getting used to but you can control color for the main cloud body and change the color out towards the edge of the clouds. Just like the stock volume clouds with Carrara, you can control complexity but the LHS stuff adds more detail. You can also 'split' a single volume cloud into 'levels' and apply specific color adjusments with in that level. Very cool. If you want to use the Wind settings though, just move the sky up hight than the default 100 inches. Mark

Duluth! That's where I live. Nice animation. I like it but, I see what you mean about the clouds and the spots on the horizon.