mjm Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) So, in earlier versions of VW, I could create a cyclorama texture, backlight it just as I do in my day job and then throw a gobo or image onto it from behind. It seems to me this is actually no longer quite possible. The "backlit" shader allows a projector (aka spotlight fixture) to cast a beam of light onto the Cyc from behind, but, when the fixture has a gobo in it, only the full beam of light is projected, no gobo. Problem. I prefer verisimilitude, and that's why I create renderings in the first place, so as to show clients something tangible, something I can say -"This I can do for you". If I've missed something, I'd be grateful for the pointer/s. I've attached links to two renders showing the difference between front projecting onto cyc and the same fixture, same gobo, etc from the rear and one img showing the shader settings... [img:left]https://secure.flickr.com/photos/mazzm/6762147335/in/photostream[/img] https://secure.flickr.com/photos/mazzm/6762147087/in/photostream/ https://secure.flickr.com/photos/mazzm/6762180265/in/photostream Edited January 25, 2012 by mjm Quote Link to comment
Vectorworks, Inc Employee Dave Donley Posted January 25, 2012 Vectorworks, Inc Employee Share Posted January 25, 2012 Hello mjm: Is the spotlight set to have soft shadows? What does the gobo texture's setting look like? Quote Link to comment
Vectorworks, Inc Employee Tamsin Slatter Posted January 25, 2012 Vectorworks, Inc Employee Share Posted January 25, 2012 Have you tried turning off Cast Shadows on your texture? Quote Link to comment
mjm Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Hello mjm: Is the spotlight set to have soft shadows? What does the gobo texture's setting look like? Dave, thanks for the quick reply... ? Nope, the fixture does not have soft shadow on. ? The gobo texture's settings: [img:left]https://secure.flickr.com/photos/mazzm/6762319083/in/photostream[/img] Thanks Quote Link to comment
mjm Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Have you tried turning off Cast Shadows on your texture? Tamsin - thank you for getting back to me, and yes, I did try that with no joy. Quote Link to comment
mjm Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 I wonder if anyone else is seeing this type of problem. If it's just me or symptomatic of a greater issue. michael Quote Link to comment
mjm Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 HERE'S a test file to quickly and clearly demonstrate the problem: two fixtures, one on either side of a "cyc".Both are on in the drawing, turn one off to see the problem in detail. michael Quote Link to comment
Vectorworks, Inc Employee Dave Donley Posted January 26, 2012 Vectorworks, Inc Employee Share Posted January 26, 2012 Hi mjm: I am seeing the same thing now, it looks like the gobo texture is working on the backside but that the backlit shader is not using the masked shadow on the front side. I will ask Maxon about it, there might be some adjustment we need to do or the backlit shader may be limited here. Quote Link to comment
mjm Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 (edited) Thanks for continuing to look into this Dave. Of course, what's somewhat ironic about this is my need for verisimilitude in creating a fake shadow. I hope there's an adjustment which can be made. This (patterns on a cyc from the rear) is a standard tool in the LD's arsenal and I use it regularly. Edited January 26, 2012 by mjm Quote Link to comment
Horst M. Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Hallo, I explored your File with C4D, and the good news are: Yes they can! But it has to be done by Nemetschek, there is a Option in the Backlight Shader called Shadow Intensity that on default is on 60%. If we get this Option also inside of VW, we can set it 100% and the result is as extpected. In the current Version this Option is not available. See C4D Screenshots attached. (Sorry for the German :-)) Besides That: I like the Way Goboes are Exported from VW to C4D. Nice little Gobo-Plate in Front of the Lightsource. Like in life. wunderbar simple! Horst M. Quote Link to comment
Monadnoc Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Does the Brightness field in the VW Backlight shader affect it at all? Quote Link to comment
Vectorworks, Inc Employee Dave Donley Posted January 27, 2012 Vectorworks, Inc Employee Share Posted January 27, 2012 Aha, thank you so much for the tech support Horst. We will change it so that the backlit shader uses 100% shadow intensity. I don't know yet which version will have this fix. Quote Link to comment
Horst M. Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 (edited) Hallo Dave, Coming to monadnoc's question: If you change the Shadow intensity (or make it available ;-), it would eventually be good to give us Control over the intensity of the Backlight effect by setting the brightness to control the brightness inside the shader. The one on top seems to have no effect. This makes sense, if we use the Backlight-shader to illuminate the Scene by using Global Illumination aka VW Indirect Lighting. The Value seems to be kind of multiplied with the brightness of the Light source. Attached on image from a Test-file for a texture of satianted Plexi backlit from a Circle Fluorescent Light. Horst M. Edited January 27, 2012 by Horst M. Quote Link to comment
mjm Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 Horst - thanks for the C4D research to confirm and isolate the problem, and Dave for the promised fix - can't wait. Monadnoc - yes, and it did not make matters better, just less contrast overall. Quote Link to comment
Vectorworks, Inc Employee Dave Donley Posted January 27, 2012 Vectorworks, Inc Employee Share Posted January 27, 2012 This is fixed for the next service pack of 2012, thanks again for the info and the solution! Quote Link to comment
mjm Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 This is fixed for the next service pack of 2012, thanks again for the info and the solution! Great news Dave, thank you and Horst & the VW / Maxon team. Quote Link to comment
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