Kelley Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Having got my camera questions sorted out [Thanks again to all...] two other things I'd like to include in this first animation is [1] shafts of light coming down from above. I suspect it's a volumetric light solution, but could someone get me jump-started? In Carrara, we could install 'light cones'. [2] Does A:M support caustics for shimmers of light on the ocean floor? Thanks.[attachmentid=12862] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted January 4, 2006 Hash Fellow Share Posted January 4, 2006 True caustics would be very long to render. Simulated caustics like most 3D apps do can be had http://www.babbagepatch.com/underwater.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelley Posted January 4, 2006 Author Share Posted January 4, 2006 Thanks, Rob. However, I'm just getting my feet wet in A:M [no pun there] and that tutorial was 'way over my head. [no second pun, either] There's a lot of good information, to be sure, and I printed it out for future reference, but for the nonce, is there simply a way to bring shafts of fuzzy, diffuse light down through the 'water'? Perhaps a volumetric spotlight with a very narrow cone? My question about caustics was refering to light thrown on the ocean floor, since the camera will not be looking up. Could an animated gel [A blending into B] be used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted January 4, 2006 Hash Fellow Share Posted January 4, 2006 Thanks, Rob. However, I'm just getting my feet wet in A:M [no pun there] and that tutorial was 'way over my head. [no second pun, either] There's a lot of good information, to be sure, and I printed it out for future reference, but for the nonce, is there simply a way to bring shafts of fuzzy, diffuse light down through the 'water'? Perhaps a volumetric spotlight with a very narrow cone? Par tof the confusion may be that his tut was written for an earlier version of A:M. The interface has changed since then, but the concepts are still the same. But maybe too detailed for a brand new user. Still, I think that's the good way tro do it. My question about caustics was refering to light thrown on the ocean floor, since the camera will not be looking up. Could an animated gel [A blending into B] be used? Yes. I thought that was part of the Babbage method actually. I haven't read it in a while. His tut on water surfaces could give you some ideas for creating that gel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandoriastudios Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Here you go: http://www.zandoria.com/caustics.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelley Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 Here you go: http://www.zandoria.com/caustics.htm Thanks for the come-back. After looking through manuals and assorted books, I finally opened a new project and navigated to Materials>Perlin. What now? I can't see any dialog box to enter settings. The Properties menu seems to rough up the surface and change colors. How did you get to the caustic pattern? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandoriastudios Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 a combiner material blends two attributes. When you change TYPE to combiner, you see that now the material has two attributes. Set the surface color to black in one and to white in the other. that is to create a pattern that will act as a light gel when you apply it to a light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric2575 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 When I apply the material to a light, it has a nice caustic effect, but I cannot control the intensity of the caustic effect anymore. Whether I set it to 100% or 0%, the caustic light effects always lokk like they are at 100%. Is there any way to turn them down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted July 2, 2009 Hash Fellow Share Posted July 2, 2009 When I apply the material to a light, it has a nice caustic effect, but I cannot control the intensity of the caustic effect anymore. Whether I set it to 100% or 0%, the caustic light effects always lokk like they are at 100%. Is there any way to turn them down? Is that a change from previous versions? one work around might be variously reducing the intensity of the light and adding a non-materialed fill light to compensate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted July 2, 2009 Hash Fellow Share Posted July 2, 2009 easier solution.... reduce the darkness of the color in the material that is casting too much of a shadow. For example, instead of a material that is a black and white checkerboard, change it to a gray and white checker board. OR a black and gray checkerboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric2575 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 The problem is not being too dark, the problem is being too bright, even with the light turned to 0%. Ok, I created a material with a Perlin modifier to look similar to water caustics. Next I created a scene with only one spot light shining straight down at the ground. To that light I added the material and now we have a nice caustic effect on the ground. The problem is that I cannot reduce the brightness of the effect, no matter what I've tried. Well, I've found a work around: Since I cannot control the light's caustic effect, I found that increasing the ground's diffuse falloff will tone down the effect. The downside is that every model in the scene has to have the falloff turned down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted July 2, 2009 Hash Fellow Share Posted July 2, 2009 The problem is not being too dark, the problem is being too bright, even with the light turned to 0%. i made a checker material and put it on a light. If the checkers are black and white I get a bright pattern If the checkers are black and gray I get a darker pattern If the checkers are black and black I see no light pattern at all. Is that not what you want? Eample: materialOnLight.mov PRJ materialOnLight01.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric2575 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I'll experiment and see. Thank you for looking into this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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