Creating a Cloud Fly Through with Pyrocluster
I found this Pyrocluster preset kicking about in my 3D library today and I cannot remember where I got it from. If you sent this to me, then please let me know and I’ll credit you in this post.
Pyrocluster with Thinking Particles
I’ve used pyrocluster many times and although I feel that there is much room for improvement, it is still a unique tool within the Cinema4D feature set. If you haven’t ever used this volumetric shader system then this short tutorial should get you started.
Pyrocluster Volume Tracer
In this tutorial take you through the steps to create a simple cloud fly through. Pyrocluster has got a bit of bad rap over the years for being painfully slow. This tutorial demonstrates some simple tricks to speed up workflow and ensure you are not waiting around for renders when setting up these type of complex volumetric effects.
Pyrocluster Preview
The setup is fairly basic but there is a lot of scope to take this type of technique much further and create some cool effects. I’d definitely encourage you to play around with the lighting, use falloff, add shadows. Check the lights ‘Project’ tab where you can choose to use specific lights for Pyrocluster Illumination and Shadow Casting. Of course there are so many things you can do with MoGraph and generating Thinking Particles, shading those particles with Pyrocluster opens up a whole new world of rendering.
Tim, that is just brilliant. Thank you.
Nice tutorial.
Unfortunately we can’t cache/bake the solution of TP + Pyrocluster ;o(
That’s an old limitation.
Like it tim, do you have any projects where you have used this?
Very helpful Tim!
Thanks
@Regis If you use MoGraph to generate the TP then you can bake it with the MoGraph cache tag. If not then there is always TP Partio http://aescripts.com/tp-partio/ or PCache http://www.plugins4cinema4d.com/pcache.html (which is awesome by the way).
@Neil Check out the MSN Butterfly spots I worked on with Ash Bolland from Umeric. The second spot has a weather butterfly and all the clouds were made with pyrocluster. http://www.luxx.com.au/motion_msntalk.shtml
Tim, love your tutorials. I’m always looking for more. This is the best pyrocluster one I’ve seen. Thanks.
Thanks Tim, for quite a detailed yet simplified tutorial that I have been wanting to learn. I knew the basics, but this was so much more comprehensive and informative… esp with reducing the steps, the variance on the shader and overall set up. Really appreciate your time to help us along.
Great Tutorial Tim, however I have one question.
I have recreated a similar scene using the techniques shown in this video but I am experiencing a strange issue. As time goes on the clouds seem to be growing.
For example at Frame 1 the clouds are the right size and look pretty good but at frame 70 they have grown out of proportion and now just blur the entire screen.
Any advice on how to fix this?
Thanks!
@Laurel Guy Thanks for the feedback, glad you enjoyed the tut.
@Harry Do you have the ‘Use Age Effects’ enabled in the pyrocluster material? They’re for controlling parameters like size and colour over time. Check the Pyro material, Age tab.
@Tim
Thanks Tim that has fixed it, your a legend!
Thanks Tim!
@regis
In version 14, you can bake your TP with the new Alembic export.
Thanks guys for pointing solutions to bake TP with pyrocluster. Sorry for late reply as I relocated in Montreal and my stuff just arrived after 8 weeks ;o)
Cheers
Regis