moving 3d people and animations

[cristoforo]

What does everyone usually do with moving 3d people in animations.....1)exclude them from GI and create special lights only for them? 2) recalculate IR map for each frame-ouch? or 3) render them out separately and composite them later? I remember reading a tutorial more or less on this method. Seemed like alot of work though.....and what happens when those people go behind objects in the scene?

[jonasa]

we normally do this:

1. render out everything without people, using GI and saved solution approach.

2. render out the people seperately, with foreground matted out - without GI.

3. render out a VrayShadowpass with people being only thing casting shadows.

4. composite together in Combustion - only issue is shadows on shadows, but this can be tweaked using the 'darken' surface setting and some levels.

alternatively use Vlado's approach in the Vray docs - using the VraySphere

[mmrender]

What about reflections? I'm in the case that the 3d people walk along a street full of glass windows from shops. That can be composited in Combustion?

Thanks,
Manuel

[mcphep]

If you exclude the people from GI and light them with a dome light you should be fine. No need to calculate IRMap every frame. You can then render the scene as one. Remember to open all groups that the people might be in (same for cars etc) or else you can get some lighting issues.