NextPreviousHomeUpcoming feature: plasma as displacementmap



michiel | 6 years ago | 19 comments | 17 likes | 2,462 views

ID Production, SparkyVegas, Thor5ten and 14 others like this!

Adventurous users will already have tried to use the plasma and colourmap layers as displacementmaps.

Technically this already works, but the quality isn't very good.

To fix this, the next version will have a few adjustments:
1) the resolution of the plasma layer will be doubled. This removes the jaggies.
2) an option to render the plasma and colourmap layers in HDR. This removes the terracing effect.
3) the plasma layer introduces a few new styles that work great as displacementmaps, including Perlin noise.

As you can see, it works great as colourful abstract backgrounds for all kinds of projects.

And realize that it all animates in realtime!




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This is why HDR is important.

On the left, the plasma layer is generating an LDR texture: 8 bits per colour component: 256 different heights resulting in terraces.

On the right an HDR texture is generated: 16 bits per colour component: 256 x 256 = 65.536 different heights resulting in a super smooth displacementmap!

en.wikipedia.org...

michiel, 6 years ago




This is how the GUI looks like.

Perlin noise is added as a new style to the 1st dropdown.

And the 2nd dropdown is used for the LDR/HDR selection.

We now have 1 dropdown left. Any ideas?

michiel, 6 years ago


Awesome Michiel! :)

LostBoyz, 6 years ago


Looks cool! Great feature!

Filip, 6 years ago


WOW !!!
To make it even better, you could add more than two colors to the plasma.

Michiel the first photo is great, it looks like chocolate!

Franco Aversa, 6 years ago


Great new feature, Michiel! ?

Ulli, 6 years ago


Wonderful...update thanks Michiel and team..

wow..Plasma layer has drop down menu!!! really amazing update..
I think coming update would be full of surprises !!!

Dani, 6 years ago


Plasmatastic Michiel,

Perlin noise and displacementmap in HDR, how far are we then from a landscape generator?

- a four colour heightmap (property setting like double vertical gradient but then for height)
- a randomizer setting (freeze-frame) so that this settings stays the same on every startup and PC (templatable)

Just an idea.....

komies, 6 years ago




Thank you all!

Franco, your video clearly demonstrates why we need HDR :)

Komies, apply the Filters\BitDepth effect to the camera of the colourmap and you'll have your 4 terraces.

Komies, set the SPEED property of the plasma layer to 0 and control the result with the RANDOM SEED property.

michiel, 6 years ago


I'll try with the next update. ?

komies, 6 years ago


Yes Michiel, I did it on purpose ? ?

Franco Aversa, 6 years ago


Simply put.....FANTASTIC!!

SMSgtRod, 6 years ago

Whoa, this is pretty!

Thor5ten, 6 years ago


Woow, this is very cool! Congrats Michiel for this. Is it possible to have text/model/container layer stand/float on the displacement like we have it on the water layer? Thanks.

Kauzito, 6 years ago



Yes, this is possible!

michiel, 6 years ago


Woow! I can also see shadows...... awesome!

Kauzito, 6 years ago

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حظا سعيدا

Sma, 6 years ago


Is the modeling directly on the plasma layer?

Franco Aversa, 6 years ago


The plasma layer is used to create a displacement map.

This displacement map can be used in other layers. For example in a picture layer or in a landscape layer.

michiel, 6 years ago


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About michiel

Michiel den Outer is the founder and lead coder of Outerspace Software. He lives in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

If he isn't busy improving BluffTitler, he is playing the piano or rides the Dutch dikes on his bikes.

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