That is indeed a long list of improvements in v8.
But being that the mats work(I didnt realize it would work, but I tried and it did)... wouldnt it be worthwhile for you to try setting in v7 all the common parameters to the same values as you have in v8 and see how it looks? I mean I'm sure you are right that they are better in v8, but for v7 users it might still represent a worthwhile product...
Just a thought- I dont know the proportion of users who are not upgrading yet  (or at all).

Sure, it could still be a good product for Vue 7.

There is also another point.
I greatly appreciate the work the Vue developers are doing, always trying to push Vue further...and with Vue 8 presenting a more stable version with far less bugs than the previous generation.

I want E-ON to have the resources necessary to get on.
Therefore, if I can make a little contribution to make Vue 8 even more attractive, it makes me happy.

Quote -
...Vue 8 presenting a more stable version with far less bugs than the previous generation.

I want E-ON to have the resources necessary to get on.
Therefore, if I can make a little contribution to make Vue 8 even more attractive, it makes me happy.

Sorry - I strongly disagree here.

Dont you see the flaw in the logic and decency here?
People who bought v7- for good money- expected a working application, a bug free stable version. A year later they still dont have that there are bugs, some very significant. There are random crashes. Still.
Now you are saying 'Hey you people with a hole in the pocket and defective products, why dont we reward e-on for not delivering what they promised by giving them more money for  v8. It  will not have bugs and will not crash, honest!"
It is wrong of them not to fix the problems in v7 before moving on to a new generation. I'd say it is wrong of you to want to reward their strategy. How come you are not motivated to do what's possible  to alleviate some of the sufferings of v7 users who are stuck with a  less stable more buggy version?
But that's between you and your conscience. If that's what makes you happy- go for it.

Well, I'm about to order my upgrade to Vue 8 infinite so I should be able to tell you what it's like soon enough :)

Quote -
But that's between you and your conscience. If that's what makes you happy- go for it.

Hey, ArtPearl, cheer up a bit.

I consider that, when you have a vision and are passionate enough, you will find workarounds and ways to get it done...despite any hurdles.
Even Vue 8 is not entirely bug free. But it`s far better than Vue 7. 

Quote - Well, I'm about to order my upgrade to Vue 8 infinite so I should be able to tell you what it's like soon enough :)

Cool! :-)

Hi!

Just bought Vue 8 and I'm pretty new to the whole Vue scene. I bought the first part of your cloud system and installed it but I can't seem to find the PDF. Where should I look?

Thanx!

Tony

Hi Tony.

Thanks for buying!

The PDFs are located in the zipped folder you downloaded. You need to extract (unzip) the folder first. You then should see the PDFs, the ReadMe and the example files, when you open this folder.

Please note that CloudControl is not a Plug-In that you can install. Of course you can drag the CloudControl folder into  the Vue8 folder, however the PDFs are not accessible directly from within Vue.

I hope this helps.

After downloading it I clicked it and it said that it installed. Now I can't find it anywhere. Guess I just burned $14.95 LOL.

Tony

Nah - you can download it again if you can not find it anymore. Go to your account at Cornucopia3D and there to your purchases. You have 5 downloads and if you used them you can let support there reset your downloads.

Quote - After downloading it I clicked it and it said that it installed. Now I can't find it anywhere. Guess I just burned $14.95 LOL.

Tony

Did you download the self installing .exe??   If you can't find where it decided to install the content, then go back to your purchases and choose 'no' on the option to self install.  That way you will download a .zip file and you can decide where you install it to (then hopefully you should remember where YOU installed it ) 

Thanx, one can only "hope" at my age...

Thanks Wabe and Gill.
Seems I`m not much of an expert on C3D downloads...

Tony, you will get your files. Promised.

I got 'em! Thanx to everybody for the help. Now to dive into this program a bit...

Tony

Hi folks!

Quite a while since my last post...

First I would like to thank everyone for buying and using my cloud products at C3D!

In the meantime I continued to develop and experiment (amongst other stuff) with new cloud files/types. Many of those functions/files are still in experimental stage. Also some functions are simply too complex (and therefore require an enormous amount of horsepower) to be useful with the current computer generation.

One type of files I have been dealing with a lot are the flat layers in combination with the Spectral 3 atmospheres. Since those layers are flat they are actually 2D, and not 3D like the regular Spectral Clouds. Also, compared to flat layers when using Standard Atmospheres, those flat layers are not shaded. The values coming from the functions translate into varying degrees of transparency. The color is determined by the overall color (Color&alpha tab).
The great thing about flat layers is that they use just a fraction of the resources compared to real 3D clouds. This makes it possible to use much more complex functions while keeping render times moderate.

IMO when using untreated/unfiltered noise to produce such clouds makes them look rather boring. That`s why I was concentrating on techniques which should enhance the look and feel. Fortunately some techniques/tricks which I was using with Artmatic/Voyager (software for Mac developed by Eric Wenger) are working equally well with Vue functions.

Btw. such techniques have been used to create the "Cirrus 5" cloud layer contained in the
CloudScapes Collection #1...
...as well as in the cirrus layers I posted a download link in a thread about a year ago.
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=2769345

Below are a couple of renders of such clouds. As you will see, flat layers can not only produce cirrus clouds, but different types of hight altitude clouds like cirrostratus or cirrocumulus.
I will also add a comment to each picture. (Please give me some time to upload the images)

Modified version of the "Cirrus 5" cloud layer.

This technique (which is used in most of the other files) basically uses 2 identical noise nodes.
Noise A is displaced by Noise B. To achieve this, Noise B is transformed into a vector (by using a Composer node) which is then displacing the origin of Noise A.
Noise A and Noise B are then mixed (Combiner node in "Add" mode). Often Noise B is set to a negative value, which then cancels out parts of Noise A.

Sound more complicated than it actually is.

What I found out is that even 2D layers have a strong influence on the way the terrain is lit.
For instance this terrain is brightened up by the cloud layer and and some yellowish tone is added.
(compared to the next render)

Looking once again very good (we will forget about the faked 3D clouds ;). I really hope some of those will show up in a future pack at C3D :)

p.s. You can click on the pics to see a bigger version (with more detail).

 Thanks, Abraham!

Yes indeed I would like to make some of them available at 3DC.

Currently I am a bit limited with my computers.
 I have a PC and a Mac. The PC is used for Vue and WM2, all other apps are on my mac, Unfortunately my Mac, which I need for editing, creating documents, uploading, and communicating  is about to die. As soon as I have a new machine I will start getting such a set together.

This is a great new (not the mac about to die of course :( ). I have always been envious when looking at Terragen renders and the gorgeous skies but you managed to bring them in vue, and this is really great :)
For now I also have some computer problems and I really hope my computer will last long enough until the I9 is out. I guess this beast will be really expansive but maybe still affordable. So, it gives you a bit of time ;) (joking of course, you have all the time in the world, in the meantime I can still droll on my keyboard while looking at those wonderful renders :)

Abraham, again, thanks!

I think that, besides TG2 having some really nice fractals for terrains, Vue can do everything TG2 is able do.
What TG2 clouds/skies are concerned, Vue(8) has the potential to beat them.

Yeah, I have heard about the upcoming Macs with the latest Intel chips. As you say, they might be bloody expensive. Rumors claim they will be released only in June. Not sure if i can wait that long...
.might get myself an iMac...

Wish you good luck, so your computer will live till June.

Luckily for me I'm on a PC (nothing against the Macs btw, they are wonderful machines with a great 'nix based OS, I don't participate in the "PC vs. Macs" war, my choice is only economical). So I will "only" need to buy a new motherboard, cpu and memory which will still hurt a lot but should remains below the cost of a full machine. I expect the processor alone to be around €1000 to €1200 so :( :( :(

 I see. The new processors are really expensive (the price we have to pay if we want the latest/fastest)

Im not interested in the PC vs. Mac discussion either. The PC which I bought one year ago is running really smoothly and has been reliable all the time. The main reason I need a Mac is that some of the apps I am using (and loving) are only available for OS-X (Artmatic, Voyager, RapidWeaver, Logic etc.). Another reason is that I feel more secure when Im connected to the internet....and then there are all the contacts, music etc. which are stored on the Mac.
Ok, as a long time Mac user there is also the aspect of feeling "at home".

But I`m not a fanboi. The decision to get myself a new Mac has purely practical reasons. And even with a new Mac I will most probably continue to run Vue on my PC.

 Dick,

Stunning stuff! I, too, look forward to your new Cloud products. I think you've really hit a sweet spot here with 2D clouds which render fast. Wonderful.

Thank you, Chipp!

I`m glad you like those. (no cauliflower cumulus though )

Agree, 2D clouds are a nice alternative. And, since far more complex functions can be used without straining the machine too much, you can achieve an upreceded level of detail and variation (without causing the clouds to become too heavy or predominant in a scene).

those are absolutely stunning, well done indeed! :)

I like the, oh what's it called, "mackerel scale" ?? effect of some of them, as you get in real life, sort of wavy lines of clouds.

Thanks, Silverblade!

I love those wavy clouds too. It`s remarkable how close those "waves" sometimes resemble sand ripples. In fact the same function could be used to create decent sand ripples.
Below is a screenshot showing a possible function used to create such bands, along with a short description.

2- Bands B: A second math pattern noise node Sine Waves set to 1/0/0 again followed by an Absolute filter node.

3- Above the 2nd Sine Waves node I placed a Rotation&Twist math node, and set z-Rotation to something like 15 degrees.

4- Perlin Gradient Noise, followed by two nodes, which filter the values so they reach exactly from 0 to 1. The output of this branch feeds a Blender node, which blends between Bands A and Bands B (rotated 15 degrees on the z axys).
A Blender works as expected when its extracted blend parameter is fed with values between 0 and 1.

5- This branch applies turbulence to the bands. A regular Turbulence node would do the job as well.

Note: The reason why I am using two Sine Wave nodes with one slightly rotated is because this "double bands" phenomenon can be observed over and over again in real life clouds (and sand ripples).

Eonite
oooh cheers for that! :)
another one to add ot my fave tutorials

oh, great site of extreme clouds/weather you will probably love!

http://www.flatrock.org.nz/topics/environment/sun_pillars.htm