Generating Random Lightning, for animation and texturing

so, I'm wondering if anyone has found a clean process for generating procedural Lightning. Something that can create good looking random lightning.


In the same vein I would like to be able to generate lightning scars (Lichtenberg Figures) as textures on models without sculpting and Normal mapping manually.


Any suggestions welcome. I've scoured the internet, but most either relies on manual adjustment (which looks unnatural), or uses a broken/outdated process and or add-on.

  • Ronald Vermeij(indigowarrior9) replied

    A few questions come to mind, when reading (through) your questions:
    1 - What is your definition of a "clean process" for generating procedural Lightning
    2 - Which lighting parameters do you want to randomize? (light-source-type? color? intensity? fall-off?...)
    3 - Are you referring to these types of Lichtenberg figures ?

    "like to be able to generate lightning scars"
    4 - Must this be done statically (at load-time) or dynamically (in realtime)
    5 - For what purpose do you want to have these effects, if I may ask?

    TIP: Also post your questions on:
    Blender Artists forum
    Blender Stack Exchange

  • Alaric Powell(alaricmpowell) replied


    @indigowarrior9 

    1-I don't want a bunch of janky control points that have to be manually adjusted every frame.

    2-Not referring to lighting but lightning. I'll tune the lighting dependent on the scene.

    3-Yeah, something similar.

    4-Uh, Yeah? The LFs would be static images, because they are textures. The animations would be dynamic, right?

    5-I want to generate Lightning for animation and the Lichtenberg Figures for a texture, to be used in combination or separately.