Flight animation in desert at various heights, How to do desert?

[Morne]

Hi all

I need to do a few animations flying over the desert at various heights such 50ft and as height as about 10000ft. Each height will be different animation. How would you go about doing the desert ground? I was thinking of a VRay plane with maybe satelite images mapped onto it? (Its just a random desert so doesnt have to be excact). The sat images could work for the height flying, but what about the low flying?

Any ideas or other suggestions?

[Morne]

Anybody have some ideas or suggestions?

[Morne]

I suppose I'll do it my way then...

[dbibb]

Sounds like your method is as good as any. You could also maybe add some low poly proxied trees or cactus every once in awhile to give it some dimension and break up the satellite map.

[JonAngelo]

suggestions...

When closer down make the landscape slope a bit. a few rocks and and peebles spread around can be nice.

I suggest you find images of desert scapes with an look similar to what you want and then break them down into elements.

http://images.google.com/images?as_q=desert+landscape

Even the most baren desert is ripe with details.

/JonAngelo

[instinct]

For sand i found NaturalShaders by rebelthink not too bad:

http://www.rebelthink.com/images/nat...and_RENDER.jpg
http://www.rebelthink.com/images/nat...owers_COMP.jpg
http://www.rebelthink.com/images/nat...aylight_HI.jpg


http://www.rebelthink.com/html/products.html

But it's been quite a while since i played with it

Regards,
Thorsten

[instinct]

just noticed it might be a "tad" outdated lol

[Morne]

thanks for the info guys. I'll have a look at your suggestions ind give it a try. Unfortunatly I dont have time to make it look as realistic and nice as it can be. Got project yesterday, need to show client 1st draft early next week. So I have a day or two to mess around, then need to render!