more environment light options + bug fixes: Please

[kwistenbiebel1]

Hi all,

It has been silent on development although there seems to be a new version in the pipeline.

Just to be sure that the important issues are adressed following reminders:

1. Please fix the multipliers when using a Blend (sky + color) in environment tab!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. A way to setup directional lights !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. a way to setup a mapped skydome that lets sun through (exclude object from GI) !!!

Without these options, VforSU remains crippled.
I want to be able to render something else than an overbright sun lit blue sky ,you know. >


Thank you for listening,

Kwistenbiebel

[Jackson_cg]

Re: more environment light options + bug fixes: Please

Good call on an improved GI blend function, it's currently fairly unpredictable.

Re: directional lights, I just put them inside actual SU geometry with fake IES maps to make directional lights.

Re: mapped GI-transparent skydomes I'm not sure understand correctly, but can't the same effect be achieved just by loading a spherical photo into the background slot using spherical environment mapping or is there a specific feature of physical skydomes which I'm missing?

[kwistenbiebel1]

Re: more environment light options + bug fixes: Please

Re: directional lights, I just put them inside actual SU geometry with fake IES maps to make directional lights.

You mean with a clipmap emitting surface? That works for me but it is difficult to control light intensity. Most of the time, the light comes out too faint, not enough to lighten the scene. Also when using emitting materials, the whole lighting levels seem to be affected. Other lights become suddenly weak etc...

Also, and important, directional lights would be very useful in setting up an alternative sun light.
Because of the poor sun/sky/HDR combos we can make in current VfSU (we can't properly), an extra way to get directional sun light for exteriors is a benefit.

Re: mapped GI-transparent skydomes I'm not sure understand correctly, but can't the same effect be achieved just by loading a spherical photo into the background slot using spherical environment mapping or is there a specific feature of physical skydomes which I'm missing?

True, but you know how difficult it is to get the position of the HDRI right. Using a dome with a texture makes more sense. WYSIWYG.

[Jackson_cg]

Re: more environment light options + bug fixes: Please

I put V-Ray omni lights inside luminaire geometry with a fake IES clipmap in front of it so it creates a controlled beam and IES pattern (see TT&L link below). It's a long way from true IES lighting, but it works pretty well.

http://forum.asgvis.com/index.php?topic=6244.0

To make a fake sun can't you just use an omni with no decay? As long as it's far enough from the actual model geometry it should light the scene just like a sun would. I remember doing tests with that method a couple of years ago, but I can't remember what the result was! :-\

Re: background mapping, Dalomar's explanation was "Spherical images get mapped starting from the positive x axis (so to your right if you were looking up the y axis) then get wrapped around going clockwise."