Spherical mapping for noise components

Mapping a 2D texture onto a 3D sphere distorts the texture toward the poles (and the equator unless you use 2x1 aspect ratio). Now I know Ken Perlin developed his noise algorithm to cope with that.

Perlin noise in FF shows only the x and y coordinates in noise space, I assume the randomizer controls z. So the image you get is a plane in the noise field. It should be fairly easy for you FF developers to create a sphere in the noise field and let the randomizer control a fourth noise coordinate. That way you'd have a seamless spherical map.

Since FF is also very focussed on textures for 3D I think this extra feature would enhance the seamless tiling policy rather than break with it.

I know it should be easily possible for the perlin noise component since I've coded spherical maps with that in Processing. I don't know about the other noise components though.

There is a filter in Photoshop CS called 'Polar Coordinates' which sort of works for this. I've used it on some of my hand-drawn texture maps when I needed to map them onto a sphere. But, it definitely isn't perfect.

I wonder if something similar could be added in Filter Forge, in the 'rendering maps' as another option alongside the bump and diffuse maps and so forth. A 'spherical map' option, so to speak...

Sjeiti, originally we planned the Z coordinate for all the Noise components (useful for animations and some nice effects). The reason why we dropped it was because it slowed things down too much, compared to the benefits it offered.

as an alternative.....how about doing global height control like this.....

http://www.filterforge.com/forum/read...9&TID=5383