How to get the most of the Depth Map of bomber? Learn to use it better

Hello, I wanted to start this thread to be able to share some useful hints and tips on how to get the most of the Depth Map of bomber, and be able to learn to use it better and know different possible ways to use it and what possible components could be used to make a depth map for this setting

Quote

Filter Forge Help Bomber Depth Map Depth Map Defines the height (Z-order) of particles according to the brightness level of the image supplied by the connected component: dark areas correspond to low height values, and bright areas correspond to high height values. If no component is connected to the Depth map input, all particles are considered to lay on the same level, and Depth Map has no effect

So according to this text, I think it means that any grayscale image with different lighting values (shades of grey or black or White) will give the corresponding depth to the final particles of the bomber situated on these lighting values, so any brightest area will be put at the highest in the result and the darkest parts will be shown in the lowest level behind all the others

So I wonder what components would be good, interesting and useful to give the best results when connected to the depth map in bomber

I have searched on the forum for even more information about this topic, and found very ittle, only this thread where Indigo Ray explains one way to use this

newbie questions about the bomber

He is using Perlin noise to make the map for depth map, but I think there cold be other components that could be good for making a map for this depth map, although maybe the reason for using the Perlin with a small amount of little dots is to make the distribution more smooth

So I would appreciate and thanks for any tips and suggestions about how to use in the best way and get the most from this depth map setting in bomber

I AM ASHAMED I DID NOT CARE ABOUT THIS BEFORE

Since it was released in FF 3.0 I never knew and understood how to use of the depth map in bomber, it was interesting as explained in the help page (see below) but did not know how to use, and the bad thing and shame is that I did not care at all to learn and search any information about it, and very wrongly I did not thought that was something very important or needed. Now I know I was very wrong, and this is really something very important and very powerful that changes much the possible results of the bomber and can give really awesome and amazing results and adds layers it.



I have been MUCH more interested now in these depth map thanks to ThreeDee since I have seen what can be really be done with the depth map with the amazing and awesome Buttons Image by ThreeDee filter shown here above

ThreeDee is also using a Perlin noise to make the depth map for the buttons

In the case with depth maps, anything that's black and white = good to go.

As long as what you want to appear in the foreground is white and what you want to appear in the background is black, you're set to go.

It was good to bring back this thread. There are probably many people (me too) not using the Depth Map at its best.