Procedural Modeling of tron rock

[jim c]

I'm trying to model the rectangular rock surface for Flynn's safe house, or for that matter, any of the rock like surfaces on the grid.

One approach would be to make a simple geo form, and then sculpt everything in ZBrush. Seems rather time consuming.

Another approach is to create some sort of DA SOP that would create the basic details via geometry, and then you could add some sort of displacement map for the rock "grain". So any ideas on how this might work? I've started experimenting, but it's only so-so at this point. I'm hoping some of you guys might have some pointers or ideas for how to tackle this. Attached are some pics for what I'd like to try and get close to.

[smaugthewyrm]

i've been digging all over odforce and cannot find the post. maybe someone will recognize the thread.

looping displacement created some very similar results. the result is very crystal-like. the sample pics make me think of a microscopic view of silicon.

see attached pic from that thread i cannot find.

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edited:

i still cannot find the thread, but the newly attached hip file i believe was the posted example... but even that won't render. i suspect it is from pre-h11.

maybe you can get it to work.

displace_example_154.hip

Edited September 2, 2011 by smaugthewyrm

[jim c]

So your approach would be done entirely with displacement right?

[smaugthewyrm]

well... not my approach, but yes. darnit i just couldn't find the thread. maybe it is on the sidefx forums. i'll look there.

the renders are just amazing.

personnally, i would try this shader in combo with modeling. the horizon shapes are very trapezoidal and look easy to rough out.

then wire the shader to add the displaced details.

Edit...

How about some greebles?

http://forums.odforce.net/index.php?/topic/7838-challenge-2-greeble-pbowmar-greebler-system-4000/page__hl__Greebles__fromsearch__1

Some of the results look similar to what you need.

Edited September 2, 2011 by smaugthewyrm

[pclaes]

i've been digging all over odforce and cannot find the post. maybe someone will recognize the thread.

i still cannot find the thread, but the newly attached hip file i believe was the posted example... but even that won't render. i suspect it is from pre-h11.

That double displacement loop is from this thread (still some very cool work in there! -- I had to look for it by user as I remembered swann did some cool renders and Jason posted that double displacement workflow.):

But yes, displacements is definitely the way to go about it.

[smaugthewyrm]

Omg, thank you peter. I waded through all 23pages in the shader subsection looking for that thread.

Now you can see how some of the results look like minerals under a microscope.