[Adam Trachtenberg]

All of the problems you’re having seem to be down to the fact that you have the axis tool enabled rather than the model tool — so you’re moving the controller’s axis rather than the controller itself.

[Adam Trachtenberg]

Hi Mike,

R11’s transparency channel has an absorption component that isn’t in R10+. That was actually the basis of the effect in the file I put together.

Coloring the ground is actually a good workaround. I would use a 3D linear gradient set to work in the Y direction:
https://www.3danvil.com/tutorials/tropical_absorption_0001.c4d

You can use variations of the gradient in the alpha channel to overlay different materials on the surface, under water ground, and coast (foam).

[Adam Trachtenberg]

We aims to please. 🙂

[Adam Trachtenberg]

Motion tracking will be more or less the same no matter what 3D application you use: you’ll need separate 3D tracking software.

That said, there is a new plugin that allows you to do 3D tracking right inside Cinema: https://www.scenespector.com/

I’m not aware of an equivalent for other 3D applications.

[Adam Trachtenberg]

I would try using a third material to get the back side of the continents darker. Duplicate the continents material and make the color darker. Then drop it on your object and set the texture tag’s “Side” parameter to “Back”. Then set the “Side” parameter of the original continent material to “Front”.

For the banding effect, you might try using the Posterizer shader in the color and/or transparency channels. Put a colored gradient in the posterizer’s texture slot.

[Adam Trachtenberg]

Are the two spheres you’re using the exact same size? If so that can cause problems. If I was you I’d use one sphere with two materials. Use an alpha with the second material (continents) and drag it onto the sphere so that the tag is to the right of the other texture tag.

[Adam Trachtenberg]

The first image still isn’t showing up.

[Adam Trachtenberg]

Is this in the ballpark? [requries R11]

https://www.3danvil.com/tutorials/tropical_absorption.c4d

[Adam Trachtenberg]

Hi Josh,

The image link isn’t working, so I can’t tell exactly what you’re after.

[Adam Trachtenberg]

Metaballs create a lot of polygons and when you put them inside a HN you are at least quadrupling the number of polygons, and probably more than that depending on your settings.

Instead of using a HN, decrease the Render Subdivision setting in the metaball object. Also keep in mind that by default the editor subdivision setting is much lower than the render setting, so unless you adjust that you won’t see how smooth it really is until you render.