We’ve got a quick update to share!
We are making it easier to add Clouds to any place with a full release of Dynamic Skies Phase 1 into production for use everywhere (as well as in Studio). The upcoming release will be staged on desktop first, with mobile support enabled shortly afterwards.
There may be a little time between when the Beta option in Studio is removed and when Clouds can be accessed as a regular feature in Studio and Client.
The release is currently planned for the 9th of July, but it may happen a little sooner (or a little later). We’ll share an update shortly before this happens so you can plan your releases that may be using this feature.
Clouds objects can be placed anywhere in Studio for replication, etc., but are displayed only when they exist under the Workspace/Terrain object. This makes is clear and easy to manage Clouds properties before they get rendered. In future, when we add the feature to fly into and above clouds, it makes sense to keep them neatly in the world with the Terrain object (as opposed under Lighting, which as we know is more for backdrop and environment uses).
In addition to the updating the realistic shapes of clouds with Cover and Density controls, we also added the following properties to the Clouds object:
- Enabled [on/off] when Clouds are under the Terrain object, this simply shows or hides the Clouds.
- Color [RGB] this controls the Clouds particles material color (tint it orange for a smoky scene or turn it a strange color for an alien world gas, etc.)
Release Forecast
Next up, we will be doing some quick updates to the Sky and Atmosphere objects.
Then, there will be a major Phase 2 Beta and additional releases which will enable: Cloud Types, Wind Properties, and updates to Sun / Moon Celestial Objects. Not forgetting an addition of under water Atmosphere and more advanced lighting to get even better sunsets, add more shadowy volume to clouds, and have the materials lit accurately in the world when clouds are present!
We look forward to seeing places using this feature and adding to all the great feedback you’ve shared during the beta. Please continue to share your feedback and report any issues so we can continue to improve the feature even more.
