F15 over Desert - for HD indy film

[Jon]

Using Infinimap EXR on all of these desert shots. Began with 2 meter / pixel resolution sets from Digital Globe. I have an average of 5-6 terrain objects per shot, each mapped with an 8K diffuse, color, bump and normal map.

http://ldvfx.pixelgraft.com/LDFX_301FX_01_web.mov

[lightwolf]

Hi Jon,

wow, nice. My only crit would be that it could use a bit of grit on post (i.e. grain, vignetting etc).

A very cool example of infiniMap in action though.

Have you encountered any issues except for the one we discussed? Any suggestions on what we could improve to make infiniMap easier to use?

Cheers,
Mike

[Jon]

The only thing I'd like is native support of normal maps. I've tried using DP kit's node for object tangent and I'm coming across issues in LW 9.5. I get the MSVCRT.DLL crash as well as grcore9.dll crashes on some objects when I load up an object that is mapped using an infinimap normal map image piped through his object tangent node.

Since this first post, I've resorted back to mapping to normal mapping using JPEGS and foregoing usage of the object tangent node through infinimap. and I do agree, I need more grit in some of the shots, or at least find a happy medium between camera height and the set resolution of the satellite imagery.

[lightwolf]

Hi Jon,

normal mapping is something that is planned - at least for the extended node. The main challenge will be the GUI, since there's quite a few possible types of normal maps out there. For example, there needs to be a way to assign channels to XYZ directions, flip them, etc...

Cheers,
Mike

[Jon]

should I be using the extended node in some way when I use the DP kit object tangent node for normal maps? I have only been using the standard infinimap node up till now.

[lightwolf]

No, currently the only difference is that the extended node allows you to access the extra channels that may be contained within an openEXR image (well, in a J2K/ECW as well, but those are even rarer).

Cheers,
Mike

[kat]

Using Infinimap EXR on all of these desert shots. Began with 2 meter / pixel resolution sets from Digital Globe. I have an average of 5-6 terrain objects per shot, each mapped with an 8K diffuse, color, bump and normal map.

http://ldvfx.pixelgraft.com/LDFX_301FX_01_web.mov

Very cool.
Don't suppose I could offer a hand (volumetrics perhaps) in exchange for some advice later on a similar shot I need to do?

[Jon]

Thanks, Kat.

THe volumetrics are one of the bigger areas I need to tweak. Since I posted that video, I've re-worked a lot of the textures and fine tuned the 8K workflow. I would welcome any help or advice you may have on volumetrics and will happily advise however I can on yours.

[kat]

Have a look at my old BSG demo reel at www.battlestarvfx.com and see if any of the contrail stuff there  appeals to you for the raiders in the day time over new caprica or the asteroid belt streaming dust bits on the wings of the vipers.

[Jon]

Looks great and I love the show!

Contact me off list if you'd like to chat more on how we can both aid each other. I've been toying with other voumetric things since this post and can show more of where I've gone. jon@pixelgraft.com