Image based lighting problem

[Eric2575]

Stian, I followed your tutotrial on putting a model and image based lighting together as described in your Ecto thread: http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showt...hl=ghostbusters

 

The problem I am having has been narrowed down to the Global Ambiance Type in the Chor settings. When I set that to Image based Lighting while using a Dosh Designs Light Probe image, I get an image saturated with bright blue - see image. I've changed to another Light Probe image with the same results. The other settings are as per your tutorial - Ambiance intensity 100%, Ambiance occlusion 100%, mapping type - Light Probe, Exposure - 0, Azimuth - 0. All lights are off with the ground model's Front Projection Target set to "On."

 

Any ideas?

[agep]

Hi Eric. I've seen this frequently . Always load the HDRI images before you do anything (open the image folder). I also get this when changing the Exposure or Azimuth settings, if that is the case, save and restart A:M (then load the HDRI images). Sometimes it has helped to delete the Ground model in Chor and reapply it. If this doesn't help, feel free to send the setup to me and I'll take a look (agep_tm at hotmail dot com)

[Eric2575]

Thanks for the quick reply Stian. I noticed that the larger images were taking some time to load, just did not relate it to this problem. Glad to hear that this is not an isolated event. I'll load the images first and see what happens.

[agep]

Did you solve it? If not, one option is to remove the Light Probe and use regular Global Color (with a tiny color tint matching the Environment Map). The noticable difference is not that big

[Eric2575]

Making sure the images are fully loaded solved the blue screen problem. Now I have a smaller problem. In your tut, you say to turn off all models except the ground model, sphere, and camera, to render the background image. When I do that, the ground plane is obviously rendered, making the resultant render useless for a background. Is that a glitch in the instructions? Shouldn't the ground model also be turned off? I actually tried turning off the ground model and got a nice background render. When I placed that in front of the camera (rotoscope) and rendered with all models turned on and ground model front projection target turned on, I noticed that the ground model was darker than the rotoscoped background, making the ground model stick out like a sore thumb. I seem to be missing one step somewhere?

 

Btw, when rendering the background, no multipass is required, right?

[agep]

You are right, the ground must be turned off when rendering out the background, my mistake. You only nee "Final" as render option (no multipass an so on) when making the background. When doing th efinal composition, and the backround is to dark, you can either crank the 'Ambiance Intensity' on the ground surface up, which will only affect the ground, or you can turn the the 'Ambiance Intensity' under 'Global Ambiance Type' up, resulting in an overall brighter image. If the ground is to briight, you turn 'Ambiance Intensity' down. Hope this helps

[Tralfaz]

When using Front Projection (and I am not at home with A:M right now, so this is from memory), I believe you have to turn Flat Shading either On or Off for the object receiving the Front Projection. This will take care of the object being darker than the background.

 

Hope this helps...

Al

[agep]

When using Front Projection (and I am not at home with A:M right now, so this is from memory), I believe you have to turn Flat Shading either On or Off for the object receiving the Front Projection. This will take care of the object being darker than the background.

When Flat Shaded the ground wont recieve shadows

[NancyGormezano]

When Flat Shaded the ground wont recieve shadows

 

I have found that if the ground is front projected & flat shaded, that I can get shadows if my light is a Klieg with z buffered shadows

[Eric2575]

Everything is working fine now. Thank you Stian, and thank you Nancy for the great tip on kliegs and z buffered shadows. This thread should be moved to "Tips and Tricks."