Ok…Here are a couple of shots from the interior. I guess my main weak point is WHERE to actually put lights. And how strong , etc. Any suggestion are appreciated. The settings I posted are still the same. Thanx
do you have some sort of reflected ceiling plan that denotes where lights are supposed to be located?
Nah…Not yet…This project is actually still way…way..way in schematic phase and I was just going the extra step for the clent. BUT…We have sat down and cartooned up a little lighting plan. SO I have cut in the holes for the lights, and etc…I have a couple of omnis lights in the plan for fill, set to .2 and then vray lights here and there…And of course , sunlight from the outside…
Updated Images
INTESNE LIGHTING
Knocked it down a notch
hey eric,
what sort of lighting are you trying to achieve? day or night?
Are you able to bring some color in your scene…?
Day would be good.. But anything presentable would do, and Yes, I am trying to get the architect to get me some colors and more materials, but if I splash some color on the walls and trim, that might do the trick
get rid of your fill lights, this is not scanline! 
.. hehe…Ok…See this is my weakpoint…I was so use to doing lighting the OLD way, I am crippled now. haha…
Can someone point me to a tutorial on what each vray light does. For instance. What is the differencebetween a dome, and the other vray lights? Should I only use vray lights and NEVER omnis?
Thanx
I suggest putting one vray light in at a time … 600x600 @ around 30 intensity… then just build on that … yeah and dump the fill lights !!
ok…Reading the spot 3d tutorial on interior now…I now know what samples are and how to increase them…wahoooooooo…
This scene has a couple of spots for exterior light.
1. The center 12x12 area is 40 feet tall and at the top are skylights.
2. There is a main skylight in the roof in the front
3. And the front doors are glass.
If I have the direct light outside and NO lights inside, shouldn’t I get some light where it can leak in and what shoould that light be set to.
Thanx
UPDATE!!!
Ok…Using some light cache and one vray light inside. This is what we get.
Still nothing is looking right in this image … the cam angle the streched Perspective and the large vray light you have… you need to try and simulate real life..
I suggest you follow the tutorial that you can find in the manual on the support page about rendering an interior. It is better to start learning the basic concepts of interior lighting, since it seems you have no clue at all where to start.
:arrow: tutorial
Also, what color mapping are you using? It looks like you are using linear. For interiors you might be better of using exponential, to prevent burn out areas, or with other gamma settings and gamma correct, but that’s a story on its own…
That’s the tutorial I was following…I understand the camera is all wrong, as I was just moving around in space . I will try exponential on the color mapping and adjust the vray light.. Thanx Update:
Also…Ok…I am understanding the actual settings a little better now… So the vray PLANE light…It will only cast light underneath the light and nothing above it. I have a hard shadow line where the plan is close to the ceiling.. I guess I have to adjust the light so it is millimeters away. Got that. I am going to add some accent lights in the sconces…spelling?? lol
I know this all seems trivial and I do appreciate the answers and help. Sucks to be a newbie.. lol If you guys ever need help with xbox stuff 
just let me know… Here is the scene also…
http://www.dbfinc.com/studio3d/vrayset/interior.rar
looking much better eric!!
Looks like you have some co planer faces on the architrave on the left hand side
what an improvement a day has made!! this is coming along nicely. Be cautious not to let the image appear too flat.
I took a look at your scene and one thing you need to look at are the vray lights you have. It’s never a good idea to let the lights overlap your geometry. It creates a problem with blotches and makes for a flat looking scene as well. Individual area lights are the way to go, even if you use vray plane lights.
Also, your Hemispheric Subdivisions were set at 8, you need it to be at least 20 or 30 for a clean render. Don’t use the architectural materials with vray. Bad things will happen.
Tony
just a suggestion? render out a dirtpass using mentalray and comp it in in photoshop. I GUARANTEE itll change your render and your life.
Ok…I shall try the dirt pass thing today. Hey Tony…Thanx for looking at the scene… So…should I use a different vray light, like dome or something and instread of having two BIG lights have several small lights? And by overlap…you mean dont let the light intersect with a wall or geometry?
I did not think I had any arch materials on there…I might have missed a couple. Thanx all