Sundog Upgrades Visual Simulation of Stratus and Overcast Clouds with SilverLining 4
ORLANDO, Fla. (April 13, 2015) — Sundog Software recently released version 4 of its SilverLining Sky, 3D Cloud and Weather SDK for simulation and game developers. The update offers a new representation of stratus and overcast cloud layers with 3D depth, and a physically rigorous simulation of how light scatters within thick clouds.
“SilverLining 4’s new stratus clouds are so realistic you’ll even see effects like fogbows, glories, and anti-solar points on them, and it just falls naturally out of the math behind it all,” says Frank Kane, founder of Sundog Software.
“The stratus clouds also have a new level of 3D detail that makes them seem even more real, and that’s especially important in today’s virtual reality applications,” kANE explained.
SilverLining 4 achieves these effects by rigorously simulating the scattering of light within clouds using the best model available: Mie scattering, which is simulated down to 0.1 degree resolution at multiple wavelengths. By taking advantage of the capabilities of modern graphics cards, this level of detail can be applied to cloud layers 200 kilometers across, while still running at over 60 frames per second.
“It’s all about creating immersive virtual environments,” Kane said. “In an outdoor scene, an overcast sky might make up half of the image. If it doesn’t look real, your brain will pick up on that and we don’t want that to happen especially in flight training and simulation where the reduced visibility associated with these clouds is a big deal.”
SilverLining 4 is available for licensing today at http://www.sundog-soft.com/. Free trial versions and demos are also offered for evaluation purposes.
Sundog Software is a client company of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program located at Central Florida Reseach Park in East Orange County.
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For more information contact:
Frank Kane, Founder, Sundog Software, LLC, 425-635-8683, fkane@sundog-soft.com;
Carol Ann Dykes, Site Manager, UCF Business Incubation Program, 407-207-7426, carolann.dykes@ucf.edu;
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142 or LvershelCo@aol.com
About Sundog Software LLC
Founded in 2006, Sundog Software specializes in the real-time rendering of natural environments. Its SilverLining and Triton C++ and C# libraries provide OpenGL and DirectX developers with visual simulation of the sky, ocean, 3D volumetric clouds and weather effects. Sundog’s software is used worldwide by professional game developers, large military contractors and aviation companies developing flight training simulators, architectural visualization companies and broadcast video application developers. Its customers also include NASA and the FAA. To learn more, please visit http://www.sundog-soft.com.
About the UCF Business Incubation Program:
The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program is a community resource that provides early-stage companies with the tools, training and infrastructure to become financially stable, high growth / impact enterprises. Since 1999, this award-winning program has helped hundreds of local startup companies reach their potential faster by providing vital business development resources.
With seven facilities throughout the region, the UCF Business Incubation Program is an economic development partnership between the University of Central Florida, the Corridor, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia Counties, and the cities of Apopka, Kissimmee, Orlando and Winter Springs. Participating companies sustain more than 3,600 local jobs and have had a total impact of $1.518 on regional sales and $2.488 on regional economic output. During the last fiscal year, the program has returned $7.95 for every $1.00 invested in the program.
For more information, visit www.incubator.ucf.edu.
