rubicund

It seems that no matter what I seem to do with the instrument, if I place a gobo projector atop it (so it uses that instrument's information), I only get light by removing the instrument. Am I missing something? What is the grand theory about how to deal with gobo projectors and instruments? Should I have them in their own classes and simply make the instruments invisible when I render? That doesn't seem to difficult, but is it how it is supposed to be done? Thanks-

I get the feeling I am writing to myself but still... Alright, it seems that my instruments were in the way of the gobo projectors. If I delete the instrument after placing the projector, I get light and shadow. This is good except I would like to not have to delete my instruments to see what they would look like. I assume that I did something weird with my instruments so that they are no longer transparent. I'll see if I can come up with something- I am still not seeing gobos though. If I have a gobo in place, a get a rectangle of light but no pattern. And I am still using default gobos so it shouldn't be the gobo itself. Any help? Help!

Could anyon esend me a file where the rndering is complete with shadows so that I can see what I am doing different? If so, email them to glover@hotmail.com

thanks all-I got it to work

I am using the most recent versions of vectorworks, spotlight, and renderworks for PC. The only time I can see the gobo projection rendered is when I have "Use shadows" unchecked in the Renderworks costom render settings. If it is checked, I just have my set. And I don't actually have the gobo rendered with shadows off but a plain elliptical shape on the set where the gobo would be. I am not using a custom gobo or anything either. Any ideas? [ 06-20-2003, 03:37 PM: Message edited by: rubicund ]

Let me rephrase. What is the general organizational system used by most people out there? What layers are you typically using and what are you including on those layers? You will have to forgive me since I am learning/doing this in a vacuum of sorts. There simply isn't anyone else around at the school here that is using spotlight. The only person who has really used vectorworks used LD Assistant and not spotlight. thanks, rub

I am using 10.1 on PC. I was wondering about that. In the Spotlight 10 manual it says, "Like lighting positions and instruments, focus points should be inserted on their own layer... Alternatively, it is acceptable to insert the focus points on the same layer as the scenic elements." Like I said though, I am having trouble with instruments and focus points being on seperate layers. Interesting. What then is the easiest way (i.e. your method) of placing your instruments at the correct height? I was simply locating the layer they were on at a given height but that doesn't really work if the layer begins at the same height as the ground plan. I can come up with ways that work, but knowing what others have found easiest would certainly save me headaches. Sorry it took so long to get back to you. It has been a crazy week here in the theater. [ 06-15-2003, 11:36 PM: Message edited by: rubicund ]

I have all of my instruments on their own layer which is 10' 1" above the ground and my focus points are on their own layer on the ground plane. My trouble is that when I place a focus point at 5' or whatever and it draws a beam, the focus point appears 5' above the instrument layer. If I show all layers, I can see the focus point at the correct spot in relation to everything but the beam is drawn to a place above the instuments--and this gives me an error message. What do I have to do to get the focus points and beams to behave? thanks