Light Linking

[aweidenhammer]

For Maya lights, there is a checkbox for "Illuminates by default". I think what this does is breaks the connection to a special maya node called "default light set". I think vray lights could use this option, to make it easier to control light linking.

Currently, If I have a complex scene, and want to set a light to affect just one object, I can do it in one of 2 ways:

1. select ALL objects (this can be tough in big scenes), select the light, and break links. Then select the one object I want, and the light, and select make light links. (so first a subtractive process, then an additive).

2. break light links on one object. This allows me to hypergraph the light, and see and break the connection the the "default light set". Then select the object I want and the light, and make light links. This method is easier for me to do, but harder to train new folks.

I would like a mayaLight-style checkbox that immediately EXCLUDES the light from all objects without selecting them all, or using the hypergraph. Then it's just a matter of clicking off the button, and then linking the light to what you want to illuminate.

Thanks for taking the time to read, much less implement

Andrew

[kriscabrera15]

i agree sounds like a good idea, i too am dealing with a scene like this

[Zdravko]

It's in our "to do" list now.
Thnak you for the feedback.

[Davain]

Is there any news on this feature ?
This issue is much more then just inconvenience. On really complex scene it can take a few minutes for the renderer just to export the scene before actually starting to render.
For example if I have 10000 objects in a scene and a particular light should illuminate only one. If it is a maya light I can just uncheck the "illuminate by default" option (which I think just disconnects the light from the defaultLightSet) and then connect it to the object I want it to illuminate. This will result in 1 connection to the lightLinker. Now if I have a vray light I will have 9999 connections to the lightLinker because disconnecting the light from the defaultLightSet does nothing. The vray light will still light the scene and so I will need to disconnect it from all the objects that shouldn't be effected by it.

[Davain]

Forgot to mention currently I am on maya2012 and vray 2.20.01. So maybe this is fixed in vray 3 !?

[vlado]

No, I don't think we ever got to that.

Best regards,
Vlado

[Davain]

Thanks for the reply Vlado.
Is this something really problematic to implement or just something very low on the priority list ? Maybe both ?

[vlado]

I don't think it's problematic, we just did not really know what the "illuminate by default" option is for and how people use it. We did not get that many requests about it either. Anyways, will make a note to look into it.

Best regards,
Vlado

[Davain]

Thank you. It would be great to have this functionality.

[matthew999]

bump, i am also interested in this setting

thanks

Matt