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Howto:Make nice screenshots: Difference between revisions
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→Environment: add tip about overlays, Earthview, and regional sea colour. cleanup
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Nature is always changing, often in cycles. This [https://www.flightgear.org/tours/simulating-the-ever-changing-scenery/ article] from 2015 details some ways in which Flightgear simulates this constant change. Since that article has been written things like Auroras have been added. The settings are in <tt>Menu > Environment > Environment settings</tt>. To control volcanic activity (March 2020), fly near a [[Volcanoes|listed volcano]] and goto Environment > Volcanoes to see a list of volcanoes in the region. | Nature is always changing, often in cycles. This [https://www.flightgear.org/tours/simulating-the-ever-changing-scenery/ article] from 2015 details some ways in which Flightgear simulates this constant change. Since that article has been written things like Auroras have been added. The settings are in <tt>Menu > Environment > Environment settings</tt>. To control volcanic activity (March 2020), fly near a [[Volcanoes|listed volcano]] and goto Environment > Volcanoes to see a list of volcanoes in the region. | ||
The position of the sun, planets, and moon follow reality and are driven by Flightgear's accurate celestial simulation. The arc the sun describes will vary according to time of year and how far away from the equator you are. In winter the arc of the sun keeps lower the further you move towards the poles. Moon phases vary in a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_phase monthly cycle]. Remember the moon is visible during the day too, and can create some striking views especially when zoomed in a bit. | The position of the sun, planets, and moon follow reality and are driven by Flightgear's accurate celestial simulation. The arc the sun describes will vary according to time of year and how far away from the equator you are. In winter the arc of the sun keeps lower the further you move towards the poles. Moon phases vary in a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_phase monthly cycle]. Remember the moon is visible during the day too, and can create some striking views, especially when zoomed in a bit. | ||
[[Earthview]] displays the Earth from high altitudes or orbit with cloud shadows and cheangeable atmospheric properties. There are high resolution texture maps available [[Earthview#Customization|here]]. Try [[FlightGear space program|spacecraft]] like [[Vostok-1]] or [[Space Shuttle]], high altitude craft like the [[North American X-15|X-15]], or fictitious craft like the UFO or a [[FlightGear hangars|3rd party]] craft. | |||
Flightgear supports small scale detail with ''3d structure'' (volumetric detail) on terrain with the use of [[:Category:Screenshots of overlays|overlays]]. Overlays can show detail down to individual grass blades on airport keep, and are therefore are GPU intensive. Try them out if you have a recent GPU with the [[Anti-aliasing#Transparency_anti-aliasing|Multi-sampling]] variety of transparency anti-aliasing enabled. Some regions will have performance to spare as they are less demanding on GPUs because they don't have trees or bushes like Iceland, which can help FPS on older GPUs while using overlays. Overlays are easy to toggle, and switching to a smaller resolution in windowed mode may help. | |||
There is a 2nd type of grass that is currently [[FlightGear_Newsletter_February_2015#ALS_Volumetric_Grass|turned on through XML]] as it looks bad without ALS renderer (March 2020). It's used in some sceneries like the [[User:Wlbragg#Kansas_Custom_Scenery|Kansas/Midwest scenery]] to add smaller plant layers on top of grass. More examples and instructions in [https://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=34547 this] forum thread. | There is a 2nd type of grass that is currently [[FlightGear_Newsletter_February_2015#ALS_Volumetric_Grass|turned on through XML]] as it looks bad without ALS renderer (March 2020). It's used in some sceneries like the [[User:Wlbragg#Kansas_Custom_Scenery|Kansas/Midwest scenery]] to add smaller plant layers on top of grass. More examples and instructions in [https://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=34547 this] forum thread. | ||
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<gallery mode="packed"> | <gallery mode="packed"> | ||
File:Seasons_transition_from_summer_to_autumn_at_Innisbruck,_Austria_(Flightgear_2019.x).jpg|Transition of seasons from summer to autumn | File:Seasons_transition_from_summer_to_autumn_at_Innisbruck,_Austria_(Flightgear_2019.x).jpg|Transition of seasons from summer to autumn | ||
File:Kilauea_Lava_Lake,_Hawaii_(Flightgear_2019.x).jpg| Lava lake showing 3d structure of cooled lava with overlays enabled at Kilauea, Hawaii | |||
File:SOTM-Sept17.jpg|'Weeping wall' waterfalls at Mount Waialeale, Island of Kauai, Hawaii | |||
File:BK_117_on_the_shore_of_lake_Zurich,_Switzerland_(Flightgear_2018.x-19.x).jpg|The moon is visible at daytime. Changing date slightly changes phase | File:BK_117_on_the_shore_of_lake_Zurich,_Switzerland_(Flightgear_2018.x-19.x).jpg|The moon is visible at daytime. Changing date slightly changes phase | ||
File:Aurora_Borealis_and_Sun_halo_in_Northern_Norway_in_Autumn_(Flightgear_2019.x).jpg|Aurora Borealis and Sun halo in northern Norway (sun below the horizon). The rays of the low sun are red, making the halo red | File:Aurora_Borealis_and_Sun_halo_in_Northern_Norway_in_Autumn_(Flightgear_2019.x).jpg|Aurora Borealis and Sun halo in northern Norway (sun below the horizon). The rays of the low sun are red, making the halo red | ||
File:SOTM_2019-03_Look_at_those_clouds_by_Thorsten.jpg| Earthview | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
=== Notable optical and lighting effects === | === Notable optical and lighting effects === | ||
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* Sun halos: 22 degree ring around the sun. Halos occur frequently, upto a 100 days per year. | * Sun halos: 22 degree ring around the sun. Halos occur frequently, upto a 100 days per year. | ||
* Rainbows: in rain volumes forming a 40 degree ring around the point opposite the sun (anti-solar point). Heavier downpours with larger droplet sizes makes bows more intense. | * Rainbows: in rain volumes forming a 40 degree ring around the point opposite the sun (anti-solar point). Heavier downpours with larger droplet sizes makes bows more intense. | ||
* Aurora: A ring around both magnetic poles at all times of the year. | * Aurora: A ring around both magnetic poles at all times of the year. Normally seen at latitudes above 60 degrees. Large disturbances in the magneto-sphere by solar activity can cause Auroras to be seen further towards the equator. Auroras have been seen as far away from poles as Austrian Alps/Germany(2015), Florida(1989), and even reportedly Honolulu (great solar storm of 1859). | ||
* Clouds: Colour change of high (cirrus) clouds with angle because of the way ice crystals interact with light - try a low sun. The "silver lining" at edges of clouds. | * Clouds: Colour change of high (cirrus) clouds with angle because of the way ice crystals interact with light - try a low sun. The "silver lining" at edges of clouds. | ||
* Ground and surfaces: Lighting of water, puddles, snow, and ice. Water includes rain, fog, and ice on canopies. Snow can build up on flatter surfaces, including roofs. Experiment with the sun at low angles, snow thickness, and sunlight that is reddish or yellowish at sunrise/sunset. | * Water colour: the colour of water depends on the depth, suspended particles bouncing light back toward the camera, light from the overhead sky, and time of day. Suspended particles or depth changes the colour from region to region in Flight-gear. Green algae can make the water in the Colorado river different from the clear shallow blue-ish Caribbean sea, or the mouth of the Amazon river which is brownish from silt. An overcast sky will make the sea grey-ish. | ||
* Ground and surfaces: Lighting of water, puddles, snow, and ice. Water includes rain splashes, fog, and ice on canopies. Snow can build up on flatter surfaces, including roofs. Experiment with the sun at low angles, snow thickness, and sunlight that is reddish or yellowish at sunrise/sunset. Experiment with wind-strength, direction to create waves. | |||
* Earthview: Try increasing the dust levels. Try manipulating the clouds after temporarily un-ticking cloud shadows. Terrain relief is best seen with a low sun angle. | |||
<gallery mode="packed"> | <gallery mode="packed"> | ||
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File:Silver_lining_of_clouds,_EC135_over_Zurich_in_Switzerland_(Flightgear_2018.x).jpg|'Silver lining' in the fringes of clouds | File:Silver_lining_of_clouds,_EC135_over_Zurich_in_Switzerland_(Flightgear_2018.x).jpg|'Silver lining' in the fringes of clouds | ||
File:SOTM_2019-12_Caribbean_Island_by_Madbyte70.jpg|Shallow clear waters of the Caribbean under a clear noon sky | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
<br clear=all> | <br clear=all> | ||