DFTG 1373 Home
Syllabus
Week 1
Course
Introduction
Weeks 14
Thanksgiving
Holiday
Week 16
Final Project Due
Week 9 Notes
Tonight's class consists mostly of fun tricks and effects, not necessarily things that you would use on a regular basis. Also, most of these are not covered in the text. There is a handout on some of the things covered in tonight's class, copied from the book Master Visually 3ds Max 8 (McFarland and Simon, Wiley Publishing).
Using a Light View
- Create Light view with keyboard shortcut - $
- Lets you target and move lights by seeing what the light sees
- Light view uses different navigation tools
Light Maps
Projector Map - the light projects a map pattern
Projector map on a light
Object Shadow Map - the shadow projects a map pattern
Object shadow map on a light
Light Effects
Volume light
The light beam has volume, allows the beam to be visible. Maps can also be projected in the volume to create patterns in the beam.
Volume light with raytraced shadows
Practice: Use the practice file projector.max. Make the projector cast a rectangular image on the wall, and make the light beam visible.
Lens Effects
Light objects are usually not visible themselves. You can add a Lens Effect to make the light source visible in a rendering.
To access the effects, open the Atmospheres and Effects rollout on a light’s create or modify panel; select Add, then Lens Effect and OK. Select Lens Effect on the list to highlight it, then select Setup:
- Glow
- Star
- Ring
- Ray
- Streak
Ring, Glow, and Star Lens Effects
Practice: Use the practice file candles.max. Make each candle show a different lens effect as in the image above.
Camera Effects
Apply Depth of Field
Apply a Fog effect
Atmospheric effects
Understanding atmospheric effects
Some effects require you to create an Atmospheric Apparatus to use as a Gizmo to control the effect. Create Panel > Helpers > Atmospheric Apparatus
Apply a Fire effect
Volume Fog effect
Volume Fog density is not constant through 3D space. By default, volume fog fills the entire scene, but you can choose a gizmo (atmospheric apparatus) to contain the fog.
Other Effects
There are other effects available in the Environment and Effects panel. See the Max User Reference files for more information on these effects.
- Blur
- Motion blur
- Film grain
- Brightness and Contrast
- Color Balance
Rendering Tools for Test Renderings (handout)
Selective Rendering Tools
Preview your scene with ActiveShade
Using the Render Selected Option
Using the Render Region option
Using the Render Crop option
Using the Render Blowup option
Compare renderings with the RAM Player
Assignment:
1. Add your light fixture (from last week) to your building scene. Add other objects and interior lighting as necessary to complete the scene. If your sun is using a raytrace shadow, the sunlight from last week should come in through the windows. Take your time and get the lights and shadows as realistic as you can. Render a couple of good interior camera views to display in class.
Tips and tricks:
- Shadows are usually turned off by default.
- Change the Ambient setting to dark gray to lighten shadows (Render > Environment).
- Light bulbs usually cast a slightly yellowish light.
- Use Shadow Map shadows when you can, they render faster.
- Use Raytraced or Advanced Raytraced if you need light to pass through transparent materials.
- The first light will turn off default lighting and may initially make the scene darker.
- Lights are cumulative; don't adjust brightness too much until all lights are in the scene.
- Lights can be copied; use Instance if they all should have the same settings (changing one will change all instances).
- The Global setting will make the overall scene brighter or darker (Render > Environment).
- "Fill" lights are used to fake reflected light; use omni lights with shadows turned off.
- When testing lights, hide all the unneccessary objects to speed up the rendering.
2. If you have not read the light tutorial on Area, take the time ro read it.