ROAM Planet rendering

[Jeroma]

Hi, I just want state my keen interest in your project also.
Love the vid on youtube,( I'd like to see it with some of JohnJ's paged geometry in action ).

You mention merging user created Terrain Height maps, this sounds very interesting, as one of my main questions would be the creation of unique terrain areas such as deserts, canyons, alpine, mesa's, etc.. even unique / 'alien' geography.
Are you considering some kind of texturing technique for allowing varied terrain styles to exist ( ie: not just height based ) ?

Anyway impressive work so far and I really like the fact you plan to implement some nice end-user features.

[DavlexDesign]

G'day Jeroma,

You mention merging user created Terrain Height maps, this sounds very interesting, as one of my main questions would be the creation of unique terrain areas such as deserts, canyons, alpine, mesa's, etc.. even unique / 'alien' geography.

Yeah, I am working on this, with climate driven fractals as such, taking into account the most predominant type of erosion that would take place at that locations' Lat Lon on the planet surface. Still experimenting with fractal blending to make things look right. As for the alien looking stuff, that's pretty much handled I think, as this thing doesn't only work on height fields only any more.

Are you considering some kind of texturing technique for allowing varied terrain styles to exist ( ie: not just height based ) ?

The old shader in those videos really isn't just height based, it's more based on slope as well as height, but is also driven by a sort of Height and slope based splat map as such, so you can change what it does to your liking (in Photoshop say). The textures are Atlas based, so you can change them too, so really any surface is possible, it is quite a flexible system.

Alex

[LordBaal]

So... how it's all going?

[Sovaka]

So... how it's all going?

Very very slow... Between working and family commitments, there isn't a whole lot of progress.

Though I am hopeful we will get this done some day

[ultramedia]

Maybe you should think about open sourcing the project so that it can move forward?

Don't get me wrong, we all know how attractive the idea of making an income from building something special is. But the problem with doing something by yourself is of course the very real danger that it *never* eventuates into something usable by you or anyone else (cough infinity engine cough).

[Neomex]

Interested in it aswell. Great work.

Do you plan on releasing source? Would love to keep expanding it, but I don't see myself writing all of that from scratch, especially since someone did it already.

[LordBaal]

Again, why not a kickstarter??? It could help to financially maintain the project while keeping control of it (not releasing the source) and profiting from it on the future. It could also allow you to even hire someone to work on it.

[Zonder]

Again, why not a kickstarter??? It could help to financially maintain the project while keeping control of it (not releasing the source) and profiting from it on the future. It could also allow you to even hire someone to work on it.

I have to agree on this https://www.kickstarter.com/australia

[HeadClot]

Again, why not a kickstarter??? It could help to financially maintain the project while keeping control of it (not releasing the source) and profiting from it on the future. It could also allow you to even hire someone to work on it.

I have to agree on this https://www.kickstarter.com/australia

10/10 would back!

Seriously guys you have something special here. Put it up on kickstarter

[DavlexDesign]

G'day guys,

Kickstarter is a good idea, but ! (there's always a but ! hay ?), I've been away working for quite some time, only getting home for short periods, so sorry about the lack of information flowing through this forum. I should be done with my contracts after November, then I will get back to it propper. So kickstarter won't make a differense right now, because I can't devote too much time until December on.

Once again, sorry guys, and the work is still going on this, I haven't stopped.

Alex

[LordBaal]

Don't worry dude, we patiently wait.

[UT2007]

Put it on github, and let people contribute.... after all you will have last word to push the updates into your project.

It will help go faster, x50 more fast.

[Kohedlo]

what status of project? how can i get it? (buy or get git hub)

[andrewfenn]

I've been following this thread for years, and this still looks like the best Planet Renderer I've seen yet. I hope this doesn't just collect dust on your hard drive.