Thanks for purchasing the molecular cloud and gas giant bundle. This is simply a Blender file that I have been working for some time that I thought would be helpful to nerds like me. I think it would be best if you have some experience with Blender and its shader and geometry nodes before you attempt to use these assets. You should also have a computer with a modern GPU. 

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Getting started:

** The Molecular Cloud Generator **

- Installation: Append the World shaders in this file into your Blender file. In Blender go to File > Append > go to where you downloaded this file and double click it, inside this file go to Worlds > select all the Molecular Cloud shaders. You'll now have access the these world shaders in your project.

- The best way to view the presets is through the Asset Browser in which you will see thumbnails of what each node tree creates. 

- There are eight presets of this world shader that you can use as starting points for your project.

- You can easily switch between the world shaders by dropping the asset icon on the 3D viewport. You can also switch it in the world settings in the Properties Panel.

- This is just a world shader - it is purely 2D and only renderable as a background (you can't fly through it or get closer to it - except by zooming in).

- It is purely procedural - there are no image textures used in this shader. You can make an infinite number of variations by making adjustments to the top-level node. 

- Be sure to look around in your scene when trying to build unique molecular cloud. The best ones might be behind your field of view.

- If you step into the top-level node, you will see a mostly-organized and annotated node tree that you can adjust further. If you are new to shader nodes, I do not recommend making adjustments there. 

- This works in Eevee and Cycles, but it is very slow in Eevee. I recommend using it in GPU render mode in Cycles. Render time for the molecular cloud is only a few seconds on most modern GPUs.

---- If you like this Molecular Cloud Generator, I highly recommend Mark Kingsnorth's Nebula Generator that is also available on the Blender Market. ----

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** The Gas Giant Generator **

- Installation: Append the planetSystem Collection in this blend file to your Blender project. If you want access to all three Gas Giant presets, also Append Gas Giant 2 and Gas Giant 3 from the Materials section. Afterward, all three Gas Giant presets will be in the Asset Manager and available in the Shader Nodes Panel.

- The current gas giant shader only works in Cycles, but a forthcoming Eevee-friendly version is in the works.

- There are three gas giant shaders and two atmospheric shaders which you can switch by changing the material assignment in the 'Set Material' node in geometry nodes.

- The gas giant is composed of four elements:

- The sphere of the planet, and its atmosphere generated in geometry nodes (as are its moons and rings)

- The procedural material that generates the clouds we see on the planet

- An outer atmostphere sphere with its own shader (created in the same geometry nodes tree as the primary planet)

- An aurora borealis sphere with its own shader (also create in the same geometry nodes tree)

- You can can access the shaders for the planet, the atmosphere, the aurora - as well as the simple moons - from the shader panel.

- You can access the geometry nodes for the planet system in a geometry nodes panel.

- There are two sun lamps parented to and controlled by an empty (SunControl).

- There is a ring system that is instanced and controlled in Geometry Nodes. It can be modified there or by controlling its original definition in the planetSystem Collection. 

- The 'glow' object is another element in the planet system that is instanced in Geopmetry Nodes. As the name suggests, it adds a bit more glow to the planet system. 

- The camera is parented to an Empty (Camera Rotate) at the center of the scene to facilitate simple rotational animation. 

- I recommend appending the planet shaders and the planet system into your own Blender project file. In your project or a new file go to File > Append, navigate to this file, Append all the shaders and in this file. Then go back to File > Append and import the Collection called 'planetSystem'. You then have the planet generator, its shaders (also append the Gas Giant 2, 3 Materials), and geometry nodes in your project.

- To customize the planet shader, I recommend working on the top level node. There you will find a number of labeled sliders that allow you to design your own gas giant. Small adjustments are always best. If you have more experience with shader nodes, then step into the top level node an you find a mostly-organized and annotated node tree in which you can make finer adjustments.

- I have made a simple setup in the real-time compositor in this version that adds a bit more glare and a slight chromatic aberration to the scene. You can find its settings in the Compositor Panel.

- If you have any questions, shoot me an email: brent@brentpatterson.com or send a message on Mastodon: https://mastodon.art/@brentpatterson

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License: CC BY-SA

This license allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator. The license allows for commercial use. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms.

CC BY-SA includes the following elements:

BY  – Credit must be given to the creator

SA  – Adaptations must be shared under the same terms