Micropolygon Displacement Basics Part 1/2 – Blender Tutorial

31

    Discover how to use the Micropolygon Displacement in Blender to create stunning landscapes, planets, sci-fi patterns, asteroids and much more!
    This is part 1/2 of the Micropolygon Displacement Basics tutorial from the free update to Space VFX video course.

    Download the Project Files (lite version)

    microdisplacement tutorial blender

    This feature is also called Tessellation or Adaptive Subdivision

    terrain heightmaps blender world machine

    Heightmaps from the software like World Machine can be used with the micropolygon displacement to create landscapes

    subdivision rate and bump map

    micropolygon displacement blender

    Follow these 3 steps to start using micropolygon displacement in Blender

    micropolygon displacement tutorial blender

    Micropolygon displacement is perfect for adding the surface details to exoplanets

    micropolygon displacement blender

    Micropolygon displacement can be used with the procedural textures, like the Voronoi noise (or a simple Noise like in this example)

    micropolygon displacement blender

    By tweaking the subdivision rate you can adjust the polygon count of your 3D model

    What’s in this Space VFX Update 1.1?

    1. Micropolygon Displacement Basics Part 1
    2. Micropolygon Displacement Basics Part 2
    3. Exoplanet: Zoom to the Surface

    If you have Space VFX you’ll get all the project files, textures and animations.

    micropolygon displacement tutorial

    The 1.1 update is free for everybody, but the Space VFX owners have access to all the project files

    What is Space VFX?

    After watching this 14+ hours video course you’ll be ready to create any space object in Blender. Quasars, gas giants, planets, black holes, asteroids and more.
    Aidy Burrows and Gleb Alexandrov, two Blender geeks joined forces to create this cosmic tutorial series.

    Gleb Alexandrov

    31 comments

    1. Michel Rochette

      Again, thanks for the share Gleb!

      0

      • Gleb Alexandrov

        Michel, you’re more than welcome! It’s our pleasure.

        0

      • Gleb Alexandrov

        Hey Ruben, that’s cool! Actually in the second part of this tutorial we make something similar, but with the Vertex Weight Proximity modifier (+ Mask Modifier). But your method looks promising as well! Can you share some details on how did you make it?

        0

        • Ruben Carvalho

          I’ve just created a cube and parented with the cam (adjust the size of the cube to the camera view). Set the cube to brush in dynamic paint wtih volume + proximity , the “sphere” to canvas in weight mode and to use the same vertex group as the mask modifier. Take the blend and see for yourself 😉

          http://pasteall.org/blend/index.php?id=45230

          PS: Keep the good work, i always learn something in your tutorials.

          0

        • Ruben Carvalho

          I tried with vertex weight modifier and i think is harder to set and control the effect. In my way you just need to play with the paint distance to make sure everything appears in camera.

          0

    3. Aaron Adam Rosene

      Gleb, what GPU are you using?

      0

        • Aaron Adam Rosene

          Thanks! For the info!

          0

        • Jacob Cullum

          Hey Gleb! Do you just have your build incredibly optimized, or do you use SLI? I have a GTX 1080 Ti and your viewport still renders faster than mine. 😛

          0

          • Gleb Alexandrov

            I have just one 1080. You have an impression that I have a faster viewport because I speed up the videos for tutorials. I think that’s why, at least 🙂

            0

            • Jacob Cullum

              Ooh, that makes sense! Thanks! Great tutorial btw, I look forward using this feature in my projects!

              0

      • Gleb Alexandrov

        Oh dammit, this is a whole different spin to this mountain. Well done! the sci-fi overmind is happy with you.

        0

    5. Enzio Probst

      If you put the subtract node before the multiply for dispacement you can just keep it at 0.5. So you can adjust the displacement strength on the multiply without having to set the value of the subtract to half of it again.

      0

      • Gleb Alexandrov

        Enzio, many thanks for the tip, it will definitely help us to save some time. cappuccino to this gentleman!

        0

    6. Francois "CoyHot" Grassard

      Hello Gleb,

      I made some tests with the micro-displacement after its integration in Blender, and noticed that the Pointiness was took into account before the displacement, and not after.

      Just to mention this limitation. 🙂

      0

      • Edward Baker

        Those are some huge trees 😉 Still looks good.

        0

    10. Qin Xijie

      Sry I know it’s a stupid question but I cannot find the “Adaptive” in my subdivision modifier, also I don’t have “ture” in my setting.My blender is v2.78c but the interface is looks quite different with yours. How can I fix it?

      0

      • Ádám Krisztián Skovrán

        I have the exact same issue, I don’t know what’s going on, and I don’t know how to fix it.

        0

      • Ádám Krisztián Skovrán

        Turn on experimental mode. 😛

        0

    11. Rohan Ramchandran

      Did you make the mountain color texture in photoshop? Amazing series this btw.
      rohanR3

      0

    13. Jean-Marc

      Does this work with the ocean modifier? Is there a way to reduce mem usage by having less detail the further the ocean geometry is from the camera?

      0

    Comments are closed.