Real-Time Artistically Inspired Cloud Simulation and Rendering

Noah Brickman

David Olsen

Gillian Smith

Problem

• Hard to render

• Important scene element

• Artistic control

Solution

• Specify cloud shapes

• Artistically inspired

• Physically based

• Realtime rendering

Related WorkSimple Non-Interactive Solutions

• Imposters, Skybox

• Pros:– Fast rendering

– Simple solution

• Cons:– Not interactive

– Limited control

Related WorkArtistic Control

• Pros:– Artistic

manipulation

• Cons:– Not physically

based animation

– Non-interactive

Related WorkCellular Automata

• Pros:– Physically based

simulation

– Simplistic simulation system

– Interactive

• Cons:– Limited control

Method Overview

• Specify 3D model

• Voxelize

• Cellular automata

• Rendering

Voxelization

Voxelization

Cellular Automata

• Rules– Growth

– Extinction

• Bounded voxel grid

Rendering

• Point cloud

• Billboards

• Variable size

• Variable shading

• Evolving cloud structure

Results

Conclusions

• Direct artist control

• Cloudify 3D models

• Physically based simulation within bounding volumes