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Favorite Starry Space Maps for SkySphere or SkyDome?

KickAir 8PKickAir 8P Posts: 1,865
edited September 2012 in The Commons

I'm trying to do a space scene. And I've just realized that, although I have some terrestrial nighttime skies, and I have some wrap-plane space shots, I don't have any SkySphere or SkyDome maps of space. I'm not looking for anything fancy, just reasonably realistic stars. And since we're halfway through the PA sale month (oh, my aching wallet!) it'd be great if they were free, but I'll look at anything potentially helpful.

So, any of you have some favorite seamless starry space maps for either a SkySphere or SkyDome you can recommend?

Edited to add: appreciate everybody's input! Any more? I'll try to keep this list updated:


Consolidated Suggestion List:

Free RDNA Skydome 3 and EvilInnocence’s Starfields -- thanks DaWaterRat!

Space Sphere by coflek-gnorg -- thanks Cagnazzo82!

Free NASA Star Maps -- thanks cridgit!

Free Space Enviro Kit LE -- thanks mjc1016!

Post edited by KickAir 8P on

Comments

  • cridgitcridgit Posts: 1,757
    edited May 2022

    Redacted

    Post edited by cridgit on
  • DaWaterRatDaWaterRat Posts: 2,882
    edited December 1969

    I've often used EvilInnocence's Starfields textures with the RDNA Skydome 3, both free, for starry skies. I'm fairly certain that they would work as a full starfield too.

    http://www.evilinnocence.com/starfields.html

    http://forum.runtimedna.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=229

    In DS4, I've noticed I have to remember to turn off cast shadows on the skydome, and of course the textures have to be manually applied.

  • KickAir 8PKickAir 8P Posts: 1,865
    edited September 2012

    cridgit said:
    Just download a starry wallpaper and add it to your skydome. Google for "NASA star wallpaper" they have lots of good quality and real images . . .

    Wallpapers distort horribly when mapped to a sphere primative (see attached), and I haven't googled anything by NASA that didn't have something "interesting" in it or was uselessly low-res. A texture intended to map seamlessly to a sphere or dome has to be specifically set up for that purpose -- I was able to do several daytime skymaps (available free here) using Bryce, but a star-filled Space spheremap is beyond my limited skills. Surely somebody's done a few, though?
    getMediumImageSphermapped.jpg
    800 x 1200 - 164K
    Post edited by KickAir 8P on
  • KickAir 8PKickAir 8P Posts: 1,865
    edited December 1969

    DaWaterRat said:
    I've often used EvilInnocence's Starfields textures with the RDNA Skydome 3, both free, for starry skies. I'm fairly certain that they would work as a full starfield too.

    http://www.evilinnocence.com/starfields.html

    http://forum.runtimedna.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=229

    In DS4, I've noticed I have to remember to turn off cast shadows on the skydome, and of course the textures have to be manually applied.


    Still distorted, but EvilInnocence's Starfields textures are lovely -- if I can't find some proper sphere or dome maps I'll use 'em mapped to a plane primitive. Thanks!
  • DaWaterRatDaWaterRat Posts: 2,882
    edited December 1969

    KickAir 8P said:
    DaWaterRat said:
    I've often used EvilInnocence's Starfields textures with the RDNA Skydome 3, both free, for starry skies. I'm fairly certain that they would work as a full starfield too.

    http://www.evilinnocence.com/starfields.html

    http://forum.runtimedna.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=229

    In DS4, I've noticed I have to remember to turn off cast shadows on the skydome, and of course the textures have to be manually applied.


    Still distorted, but EvilInnocence's Starfields textures are lovely -- if I can't find some proper sphere or dome maps I'll use 'em mapped to a plane primitive. Thanks!

    Did you try them with the DNA Skydome 3? I know it's only a half sphere, but I've never noticed any distortion. (Randomly selected section of 9 tile skydome with starfield1)

    Random_Sky.png
    679 x 679 - 386K
  • cridgitcridgit Posts: 1,757
    edited May 2022

    Redacted

    Post edited by cridgit on
  • KickAir 8PKickAir 8P Posts: 1,865
    edited December 1969

    cridgit said:
    KickAir 8P said:
    cridgit said:
    Just download a starry wallpaper and add it to your skydome. Google for "NASA star wallpaper" they have lots of good quality and real images . . .

    Wallpapers distort horribly when mapped to a sphere primative (see attached), and I haven't googled anything by NASA that didn't have something "interesting" in it or was uselessly low-res. A texture intended to map seamlessly to a sphere or dome has to be specifically set up for that purpose

    http://maps.jpl.nasa.gov/stars.html (free)
    Better than I was able to find -- thanks!
  • KickAir 8PKickAir 8P Posts: 1,865
    edited December 1969

    Cagnazzo82 said:
    The space sphere is by far, by far my favorite: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/space-sphere/85743

    There's also massive planets and suns included on the sphere, so you might have to rotate it to get the scene you want. It's pretty amazing if you're using it for an outer-space scene however :)


    Cube-mapped sphere, interesting. And not a bad buy, but since I've had some free options suggested I'll probably go with one of them. Wish-listing this though, thanks!
  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited December 1969

    For a space environment...how about this?

    http://www.blackraven3d.com/

  • KickAir 8PKickAir 8P Posts: 1,865
    edited December 1969

    mjc1016 said:
    For a space environment...how about this?

    http://www.blackraven3d.com/


    Oh, nice and free! This might be what I go with. But I very much appreciate everybody's input, and there's no reason to stop -- I'm sure I'm not the only one who'll ever need this info. I've started a list in the first post, I'll try to keep it updated with any more suggestions.
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