Wats the deal with fog?

I cant quite seem to get the hang of how the fog works, so can someone please explain how the actual fields work?

from what i know, correct me if im wrong:

- Z Start; the lower bound for the fog, when the camera is this far away from the point it starts getting foggy
- Z End; upper bound for the fog, at this distance the fog stops getting denser
- Density; How much more dense the fog becomes per unit OR the previous fog value coefficient (idk which)

- Style; Linear - has some kind of formula like "for Z start<Z<Z End, Fog density = ZxDensity"
Exponential 1 - something like "for Z start<Z<Z End, Fog density = ZxDensity^2"
Exponential 2 - something like "for Z start<Z<Z End, Fog density = (ZxDensity)^2"

Can someone please correct me, coz i know im wrong =P

EDIT: fog is rendered as a big transparent/(gradient in exponential) block right?

This may be a crude answer, but...

1. Make a test map which can change fog
2. Add triggers which can view from 5 or so evenly spaced heights
3. Screen shots
4. Compare (post if you want help comparing)

Or otherwise, the patient solution could be wait for someone else who may know. Cinematographers of WC3 might know the answer to this.

well i know wat the heights do, its more how the density and styles are actualy applied

Z Start is where fog starts and Z End is where fog actually ends

I have never tested Density before. I remember setting it to something like 10, and it did not have an impact on the fog density, atleast for me in WE. That's why I just screw with Z start and end to get the desired fog density.

Oh and for the record, I have never seen/heard of anyone using exponential fog at all, so figuring it out is a waste of time.

Well... taking it from different heights means you can view the density from different points.

Well, density does change, so long as its between 0 and 1 (that i can tell), and im pretty sure some pro rpgs use exponential fog so that its not in the middle of the screen, but at the edges it springs up pretty quickly and becomes dense, kinda like fog of war style.

Ty for repeating wat i said Malf, now im sure im right =P

In my experience, exponential 1 and 2 don't work, density doesn't work, I have tested them with all sorts of values and never got a meaningful result (usualy, the entire map was just completely fogged), the only thing that does work properly is linear fog with start and end z. At the start z distance from camera, the fog begins and at end z distance it becomes fully opaque, so you can't see anything beyond the end z distance (however, in most cases, the fog's end z is set beyond the camera's far z).

i think for density u put in some massive number, like 10000 or something. i don't remember. i fiddled with it once and got a nice snowstorm white. just go into the editor, turn for on, and put in random values. exponential 1 lags, exponential 2 lags a lot.

Ok, after some fiddling around i hav found a some stuff out;

Density is just a number usualy between 0 and 20 that is how thick the fog is.

Linear works as expected, as does Start and End.

Exponential 1 seems to work like De^(Z)
(D = density, Z = distance)
Exponential 2 has a smaller fogging distance, so it would be like De^(2Z)

Also you cant change the density while its on exponential or it will have a spas. Change the density and style, then ok and go back and change back to exponential style.

The best fog for what i wanted was Start = 200, End = 1000, Density = 1, Exponential 2.

EDIT: ingame everything is black =(

Oh the irony...

lol, try it during the day. and try less dense.

Exponental fog bugged thing, evoid it.
Density useless until you need it for sinematics.

If you want "good" fog for AoS or RPG use values like 1500 - 3000 - 0 - mixed colors (no red green blue).

Also current ingame camera Z affect fog.

nah no matter what i put in exponenetial comes out fully black, day or night.... dang. maybe i should try tiny values or sumthing...

DioD, has blizzard actualy said its bugged? or is this form experience?

__________________
Updated formula for exponential fogs: Exponential 1/2 = (1 000 000Z)^Z^Z

Like I said, they're bugged, use linear fog instead.

I reckon it's layers upon layers of planar objects OR a single planar object with its transparency messed with depending on certain camera properties (per player)... but I could be extremely wrong.