Adobe After Effects Effect Plugin

Fractal Noise 3D

User's Manual version. 1.00

Copyright 2012 CROSSPHERE

Fractal Noise 3D is an effect generates cloud works with composition camera and lights.
You can set an obstacle layer in the cloud.

-----Platform----Adobe After Effects CS3 or later.

GPU OpenGL version 2.0 or later
-----Install----Place the Plug-in to Plug-in folder of After Effects.
Default Folder:
(win CS5.5)
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects CS5.5\Support Files\Plug-ins
(mac CS5.5)
/Applications/Adobe After Effects CS5.5/Plug-ins
-----Uninstall----Remove the Plug-in form the Plug-in folder.
-----Set Up----Prepare a layer the same size and pixel aspect ratio as the Composition, and apply the effect to the
layer.
This effect is a 3D effect. Do not apply this effect to the layer with the 3D switch on.

-----Error----This effect is using GPU with OpenGL. So the machine is required to have OpenGL 2.0 or later. Or
a cyan screen will be rendered as an error message.

Cyan screen rendered: The machine do not have the OpenGL 2.0 or later.
-----Check OpenGL version----By clicking About... button on the top of the effect panel, you can check OpenGL version in the
information panel.

Effect Overview
1. Generate 3D Cloud
This effect plugin generates 3D cloudy field, working with composition camera and lights.
2. Geometry Options

Horizontal Geometry

Spherical Geometry

3. Accept Lights The 3D Cloud is able to accept lights.

Accept spot light

The effect uses at most 8 lights.

4. Set Obstacle Layer/ Back Ground(:for 3D CG composite)

Spot light and Obstacle layer

Back Ground Depth map

Back Ground Color Image

Composite with noise field

What the effect render

1. Generate 3D noise field
The noise geometry is decided by parameters of Geometry topic.
2. Set camera in the field
(active composition camera)
3. Decide rendering rays for each pixel
4. Do volume rendering
From the radius (Raytrace Depth + Transparent Radius) to the radius (Transparent Radius)
See the section Parameter Details for more details.

Fig. Rendering parameters and image

Parameter Details
-----Noise Settings Topic----Settings of the noise field itself. Those parameters are similar to the parameters of the Fractal
Noise.
The noise field comprises a base level component and high level components.
For more details of the fractal noise (Perlin noise), visit the below web site:
http://freespace.virgin.net/hugo.elias/models/m_perlin.htm

ssenthgirB
ssenthgirB
ssenthgirB
ssenthgirB

Boost the brightness of the noise field.

elacS
elacS
elacS
elacS

Adjust the scale of the noise field.

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The influence of high level detail noise components.

elacS buS
elacS buS
elacS buS
elacS buS

The scale of high level detail noise components.

ytixelpmoC
ytixelpmoC
ytixelpmoC
ytixelpmoC

Decide max level of the detail component.

tsartnoC
tsartnoC
tsartnoC
tsartnoC

The contrast of the noise field.

noitulovE

The evolution of the noise field.

Z tesffO
YX tesffO
YX tesffO
YX tesffO
YX tesffO

Offset of the noise field.

Z tesffO buS
YX tesffO buS
YX tesffO buS
YX tesffO buS
YX tesffO buS

Offset of the sub noise components.

-----Geometry Topic----In this topic, you can choose the geometry of the noise field.

erehpS|latnoziroH|mrofinU yrtemoeG

Uniform : generates uniform noise field. Any other parameters in this topic are invalid (gray
out).
Horizontal : under the y of the Geometry Center XY parameter is uniform, over the point, noise
decrease up to Fadeout Distance parameter.
Sphere : makes uniform noise cloud sphere. Position and radius are decided by the parameters
below.

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ecnatsiD tuoedaF
ecnatsiD tuoedaF
ecnatsiD tuoedaF
suidaR
suidaR
suidaR
suidaR
Z retneC yrtemoeG
Z retneC yrtemoeG
Z retneC yrtemoeG
Z retneC yrtemoeG
YX retneC yrtemoeG

The distance fadeout the noise field.

rotcaF tuoedaF
rotcaF tuoedaF
rotcaF tuoedaF
rotcaF tuoedaF

Decide how much fade out the noise. If this parameter is 1, the nose field completely clear up out
side of the geometry. If this parameter is 0, geometry becomes Uniform.

fig. Geometry types and parameters.

-----Shading Topic----With the parameters in this topic, the noise material and shading are adjusted.

noitprosbA

This parameter is absorption factor: if this parameter is high, the lights behind the cloud do not
reach the camera by the absorption. The amount of the emission of the light from the cloud is
proportional to this parameter. So if this parameter is 0, then no absorption and no emission from/by
the cloud.

gnirettacS
gnirettacS
gnirettacS

Scattering factor: if this parameter is 0, no reaction from composition lights. But if this factor is
too high, no composition lights reach the camera because of too many scatterings of the lights (too
many diffusions).

noissimE
noissimE
noissimE
noissimE

Adjust emission of the light from the cloud. The actual amount of the emission is also proportional
the Absorption parameter.

roloC noissimE

The color of the cloud.

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morf sthg L 8 esoohC
morf sthg L 8 esoohC
snigeB emaN|thgiL snigeB emaN|NF snigeB emaN|sreyaL reppU morf sthgiiiiL 8 esoohC
morf sthg L 8 esoohC

The cloud accept at most 8 composition lights. This parameter decide the regulation of the
composition lights the effect uses. Name Begins ... is the option choose lights name begin with
the word.

thgiL noisuffiD tsooB

thgiL noisuffiD tsooB
thgiL noisuffiD tsooB
thgiL noisuffiD tsooB

Boost diffusion of lights: point, spot, parallel lights.

thgiL tneibmA tsooB

thgiL tneibmA tsooB
thgiL tneibmA tsooB
thgiL tneibmA tsooB

Boost the brightness of ambient lights.

rotcaF noitaunettA

Attenuation factor of the point and spot light.

-----Obstacle Topic----You can use a 3D layer as an obstacle of the lights in the noise field. You can use a 3D back
ground as an opaque obstacle. When use obstacle layer option, put the obstacle 3D layer under the

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reyaL elcatsbO
reyaL elcatsbO
reyaL elcatsbO

Choose a 3D Layer used by obstacle. Vector layer (shape layer and text layer) is incompatible.
Use precompose for vector layer.

thgiL gninetfoS
thgiL gninetfoS
thgiL gninetfoS
thgiL gninetfoS

Softening light and shadow edge of the obstacle layer.

paM htpeD
paM htpeD
paM htpeD
paM htpeD

For composite of 3D scene. Choose a layer used as a depth map.

Deeper cloud than the depth map is cut out.

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lennahC htpeD
lennahC htpeD
lennahC htpeD

Choose a channel used as a depth value.

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kcalB fo htpeD
kcalB fo htpeD
kcalB fo htpeD

Designate the depth value of the point channel value is 0 .

etihW fo htpeD

Designate the depth value of the point channel value is 1 (255 (8bpc), 32767(16bpc), 1.0(32bpc)).
...Example:
Below is a sample scene I made by 3D CG tool. I exported a color image (right top), depth map
(left bottom). The white out point of the depth map is 4,000 pixel length in AE unit, and black is 0.
So I set the Depth of White parameter to 4,000 and Depth of Black to 0, Transparent Radius +
Raytrace Depth are greater than 4,000. I also exported the camera in the 3D tool to AE.

3D CG scene

Color Image

Depth map

-----Rendering Topic----You can adjust the rendering result with this topic.

Composite Result

s
tnerapsnarT
suidaR tnerapsnarT

The radius from the camera, noise field does not exist.

htpeD ecartyaR
htpeD ecartyaR
htpeD ecartyaR
htpeD ecartyaR

The depth noise field exists.

noituloseR ecartyaR
noituloseR ecartyaR
noituloseR ecartyaR
noituloseR ecartyaR

The resolution of the depth for raytrace. This is very important parameter for the quality and load
of the machine.

deeS modnaR
deeS modnaR
deeS modnaR
deeS modnaR

Random seed value.

Tips
How to Erase the Band
The next situations cause the band rendering: Noise with Hight Contrast, geometry with Low
Fadeout Distance, the spot light with sharp feather, obstacle layer with sharp edge.
For prevent that, increase next parameters: Raytrace Resolution,Fadeout Distance,Softening Light.
Geometry band (left upper) and Sharp spot light band (right upper).resolution = 20

Those bands are disappear with high raytrace resolution (bottom).resolution = 200(left),400(right)