[Mark Bell]

Expand on the Maxwell Sky, Volumetrics and Grass features by adding a 'sky generator' so clouds can be added to the Maxwell Sky option.

[choo-chee]

huh... I asked for that years ago to implement something like that, after seeing it in Artlantis renderer.

[Forum Moderator]

Hello,
Would you expect clouds that only show as a background without an actual volume? As if we added an HDRI with clouds?
Making them as volumetrics would be quite expensive in render time, but as an enhancement of the physical sky, I think it would be nice and fast and wouldn't break any Maxwell "rule". I'll add that to the wishlist.

Best,
Fernando

[choo-chee]

I think that no need for real volume is needed - HDR -like is excellent . and maybe even add the "infinite ground plane" I mentioned a few years ago, with simple color or texture control to have a really complete surroundings that help the render get really physically correct as buildings are not flying in the air on big rectangular planes

[Nasok]

I think one of the way it could be done is to allow HDRI mixing .. basically to allow mixing more than single HDRI. Or allow sky + HDRI - where your HDRI would be a clouds on alpha channel.

Mixing few HDR images for environment would be pretty cool feature - you could have your main BG + clouds, fog, or extra lights in some areas - would allow for more artistic renders - plus animation.

[Mark Bell]

Nasok wrote "Mixing few HDR images for environment would be pretty cool feature - you could have your main BG + clouds, fog, or extra lights in some areas - would allow for more artistic renders - plus animation."

This sounds a good mix/play off against adding more visual options to renders without too much expense in render times. I think something that gives us more options to add alternative sky-backgrounds to the Maxwell Sky with various clouds will improve the palette of tools we have when creating renders/animations. Thanks for considering this.

[Nasok]

Just wrote a quick note to Mark Segasby (co-founder of HDR Light Studio) and he mentioned that such functionality like HDRI maps with alpha channel already a possibility (if you export it in EXR format) - so step one is done. Now it is up for the support of alpha channel in HDR images (for environment).

Cheers.