Another update.
As I stated in the earlier post the main Terraformed Mars texture is finished.
I have created an 8k texture and converted it to DDS for the explicit purpose of taking a few screenshots and testing the other textures that go along with it.
So you all may be asking what exactly is finished. Work on the main texture has closed, all adjustments and color calibrating has been done, at least to my liking.
Things I still have to finish:
The specmap has to be reworked to allow for the changes to rivers and other water features. This should take next to no time so it is last on the list.
Build the 16k Normalmap, I have a working 8k at the present time, so only the 16k needs finishing. Basically I just have to cut it into tiles, convert them to normalmaps, and reassemble them and then save the file. I won't be in the new format so it will not be very accurate but it will do its job.
I have started the new nightside lights texture. It is a total departure from my earlier one that was made for the Terraformed Mars Education project for Frank.
The real big project is the new cloudmap texture. After doing allot of digging around I came away with enough information I think to make an accurate cloudmap. I know some of you are wondering why I just don't do the easy thing and use a modified Earth cloudmap as I have done in the past. The main reason is scale. Water vapor clouds are the same size on Earth as they would be on a Terraformed Mars. This means using a standard Earth cloudmap is very inaccurate. The clouds simply wouldn't look right. For example, if you have a storm cloud the size of Texas on Earth it?€™s going to be the same size on Mars, but because Mars is smaller the same sized storm is going to look like its covering allot more surface area than it does on Earth. So I have been scaling all the clouds for the new cloudmap to keep things as accurate as possible. The results so far are very impressive and the earliest version of the cloudmap is looking quite good, but it still has allot of work to do.
I will show by example with three screencaps of the 8k TMars texture in its final form with the new cloudmap. The coloring you see in the texture is the final product. Also please be advised that any glitches or other graphic garbage in the clouds in these shots will be fixed in the final version.
So here are the pictures. Click them for a full sized image.
The cloudmap above was built over a four hour period Sunday night. I would say there is at least another 8 to 10 hours of work to do on it. Once I am satisfied with the cloudmap I will finish up on the other textures and put this project to bed.
I am still not sure what I will do next. Continue on and finish the Ancient Mars texture, or restart and finish one of my other projects. I may take a break from Mars for a while. I also have to take time to do screen captures of all my texture and put a portfolio of all my work together.
![Shocked 8O](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
So I will probably take a break from texture work for a short time. I do have to finish a promised texture to Frank for his education activities and then I can move on.
As always comments and input are always welcome.
Check back soon for more info and pictures.
Don. Edwards