How do you add a cloud PNG?

[NeilF]

I've downloaded a cloud PNG for Mars. How do I tell the program to apply them?

My current "extras" definition for Mars is:-

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extras/
        mars/
                  mars.ssc (see below)
                  textures/
                        hires/
                        lowres/
                        medres/
                                MarsVT.ctx (see below)
                                MarsVT/
                                        level0/
                                                *png files*
                                        level1/
                                                *png files*
                                        level2/
                                                *png files*
                                        level3/
                                                *png files*
                                        level4/
                                                *png files*

My mars.ssc file:-

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AltSurface "MarsVT" "Sol/Mars"
{
   Texture "MarsVT.ctx"
}

My Mars.ctx file:-

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VirtualTexture
{
        ImageDirectory "Mars"
        BaseSplit 0
        TileSize 512
        TileType "png"
}

Where do I put the actual PNG file, and what (if any) of the definition files do I need to change?

I've looked in the manual, across this site, and "help sites", and cannot seem to find an example?!

[selden]

As answered elsewhere, use Celestia's right-mouse-button popup-menu.

[NeilF]

As answered elsewhere, use Celestia's right-mouse-button popup-menu.

Sorry, don't understand that. If we take earth as an example. Press "I" adds/removes the cloud cover. Right-Click on it and there is no option applicable to:-
a) Where to put a downloaded cloud PNG.
b) Any particular naming convention for it.
c) Any script changes necessary to bind it into Celestia.

[selden]

Sorry, I misunderstood your question.

There is as yet no way to immediately select alternate cloud cover images except by putting them in the lores, medres and hires directories and typing r or R to switch among them.

(AltSurface only works for Surface textures.)

Another way would be to define different planets, each with its own specific CloudMap and Beginning and Ending directives. Then you'd have to go to specific times, perhaps by using Cel:// URLs or scripts.

[selden]

*sigh*

I've got to start reading entire posts and not thinking I know which question is being asked.

Sorry.

To add a single cloud texture to Mars as a separate Addon:
1. create the folder extras/Addons/Mars
2. create an SSC file in that folder which adds clouds to Mars. It should contain this text:

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Modify "Mars" "Sol" {
Atmosphere {
      CloudHeight 7
      CloudSpeed 65
      CloudMap "mars-clouds.*"
   }
}

3. create the folder extras/Addons/Mars/textures/medres/
4. place a 2K or smaller cloud texture image named mars-clouds.png (or .dds) in that folder

(You also can create /lores/ and /hires/ and use
r and R to switch among whatever cloud images you put in them. The images must all have the same filename, but can have different filetypes.)

5. start Celestia
6. view Mars

If you want to use a 4K or larger or a VT cloud image, then you must specify

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CloudSpeed 0

Sorry for the confusion.

[NeilF]

*sigh*

I've got to start reading entire posts and not thinking I know which question is being asked.

Sorry.

To add a single cloud texture to Mars as a separate Addon:
1. create the folder extras/Addons/Mars
2. create an SSC file in that folder which adds clouds to Mars. It should contain this text:

Code: Select all

Modify "Mars" "Sol" {
Atmosphere {
      CloudHeight 7
      CloudSpeed 65
      CloudMap "mars-clouds.*"
   }
}

3. create the folder extras/Addons/Mars/textures/medres/
4. place a 2K or smaller cloud texture image named mars-clouds.png (or .dds) in that folder

(You also can create /lores/ and /hires/ and use
r and R to switch among whatever cloud images you put in them. The images must all have the same filename, but can have different filetypes.)

5. start Celestia
6. view Mars

If you want to use a 4K or larger or a VT cloud image, then you must specify

Code: Select all

CloudSpeed 0

Sorry for the confusion.

That works... as long as I use "CloudSpeed 0".

If I use 65 then there is a strange join line/seem (vertically) down Mars.

The clouds do not move on their own (like Earth)!?

The clouds I've downloaded are:-
http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/marscloud.php

[selden]

That's a 4K texture. You have an ATI card. ATI cards have at most a 2K texture buffer. Moving cloud textures have to fit into the card's texture buffer. You'll have to use a graphics utility to scale the image down to 2Kx1K.

For stationary textures that will be pasted onto spheres, Celestia can cut large images into pieces small enough to fit into a card's texture buffer and remap the pieces onto the sphere appropriately. It can't do that for moving clouds, for planet Rings or for textures mapped onto 3D Mesh objects.

Sorry.

(Current generation Nvidia cards have 4K texture buffers.)

[t00fri]

That works... as long as I use "CloudSpeed 0".

If I use 65 then there is a strange join line/seem (vertically) down Mars.

The clouds do not move on their own (like Earth)!?

The clouds I've downloaded are:-
http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/marscloud.php

But you downloaded a 4k cloud texture. So, as Selden emphasized, it CANNOT work correctly for CloudSpeed <>0 with your ATI card.

To repeat myself: I suggest you first acquire a certain familarity with how Celestia works and how it is structured, before installing 'extreme' sized stuff. Otherwise, e.g. Selden will have a new 'fulltime' job

Bye Fridger

[NeilF]

That's a 4K texture. You have an ATI card. ATI cards have at most a 2K texture buffer. Moving cloud textures have to fit into the card's texture buffer. You'll have to use a graphics utility to scale the image down to 2Kx1K.

For stationary textures that will be pasted onto spheres, Celestia can cut large images into pieces small enough to fit into a card's texture buffer and remap the pieces onto the sphere appropriately. It can't do that for moving clouds, for planet Rings or for textures mapped onto 3D Mesh objects.

Sorry.

(Current generation Nvidia cards have 4K texture buffers.)

Aha! Thank! This is what it looks like!



At least the bump mapping is working now!

Infact a small bumpmap improves the appearance of planet far more than a new virtual texture.

For example the default Mars texture with a bumpmap looks just as good as my 280+meg virtual texture with the same bump map applied!!!

In short a good bump map would appear to make more difference than hundreds of megs of virtual textures!!

[selden]

Until you get right down to the surface.

My guess is that the shading provided by your bumpmap is limiting what you can see in your high resolution closeups. Specular, bump and surface texture maps all really need to be the same resolution.

[t00fri]

At least the bump mapping is working now!


In fact a small bumpmap improves the appearance of planet
far more than a new virtual texture.

For example the default Mars texture with a bumpmap looks
just as good as my 280+meg virtual texture with the same
bump map applied!!!

In short a good bump map would appear to make
more difference than hundreds of megs of virtual
textures!!

NeilF,


while it is certainly correct that /good/,i.e. smooth and
noiseless normalmaps/bumpmaps are /most/ essential
components of a high-quality 3d display in Celestia, your
above statement is barely ridiculous!

How long have you been a member of this forum? Please
don't forget that it hosts quite a number of experts in these
matters ...

I think you just got to see how Mars looks with some real
resolution 1st class textures! The following examples
are from 1600x1200 screendumps of my system. Sorry for
vasting space here, but it seems to be the only way to make
you think a bit before your next post....







Bye Fridger

[NeilF]

Until you get right down to the surface.

My guess is that the shading provided by your bumpmap is limiting what you can see in your high resolution closeups. Specular, bump and surface texture maps all really need to be the same resolution.

This is quite interesting... I'll start a new thread for this...