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By bud_20121023184423262 - 13 Years Ago
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Hi All,
As a newbie to iClone, I've been following the excellent "Dingy Room Tutorial" and have so far learned a lot.
Now, I'm installing the windows. Got one from Google Warehouse and installed it in the wall opening. All went well till I began lighting the scene.
In following the tutorial, there is a "Threshold" setting on the Spot Light, which is being used as a sun.
However, in my iClone version (current trial version) there is no such slider/setting on the light.
I can find a "threshold" setting on the window object, so I have played with that, and have tried different arrangements of threshold and opacity to no avail. Adjusting the opacity, I can get the light to ignore the window and come through the wall opening, but this of course does not cast the shadow of the window "grilles," as it does in the tutorial and is really what I'm going for.
Does anyone know why the "threshold" setting is missing from my spot light?
Any advice from some of the advanced members or tutors as to how I can get my window to cast the same shadow it does in the tutorial (with the window "grilles")?
Any and all advice/info appreciated.
Thank you to all,
Bud
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By martok2112 - 13 Years Ago
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Hi, bud,
In regards to your first question, about the threshold, or lack thereof, on lights in iClone, I cannot say. Don't know why.
As for lights and transparent objects. If there is one thing about iClone that does kinda irk me in this regard is that, if you try to get light to shine through an opacity, it won't because unfortunately, even though you can see through the object to which the opacity is effected, it is still regarded as a solid object....so it is obfuscating any light sourcing coming through the transparency.
A lot of times what I have to do is build some of my own sets in Blender, then convert those objects in 3DXChange for use in iClone. This way I can make windows with adjustable opacity settings so I can choose to allow light to shine through or not.
Sorry I can't be of more help. :)
Respectfully,
Martok2112
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By Emerald Animation (formerly reelcheapfilms) - 13 Years Ago
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The "Alpha Threshold" setting on props only works if you are using the Opacity material channel for your opacity, not the opacity slider. Load up a gray JPG in the Opacity channel for that material, then adjust the brightness for the channel and the Alpha Threshold, and see if that works.
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By bud_20121023184423262 - 13 Years Ago
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Thank you both. All info is helpful.
Unfortunately I haven't made any headway with the window in question. I can get the opacity channel to work with the shadow threshold on a 2D window I made, but I haven't made any headway with the 3D window.
The 3D window is from Google Warehouse, KU282012.skp, and is a 6/6 Kolbe window.
The window, when I pull it into 3D exchange has a component that is the "glass" so to speak, which has its opacity set at 50%.
When I pull it into iClone like this, nothing in the opacity channel will help it function as it should as regards shadows. I first attempted to place a 6/6 "window" Black & White opacity map to no avail.
Then, figuring maybe it was a sizing problem with the map, I took your advice and placed in a 50% gray jpg. Still no light passes thru the window, no matter the setting.
If I pull in the 50% gray JPG as a prop and also load it into its own opacity channel, then when I set the shadow threshold to 51% or higher, the light passes thru as expected.
It seems that iClone ignores the 50% opacity "component" of the 3D window and treats it as a solid no matter what (even if a 50% grayscale is loaded in the opacity channel).
The only way I can get the window to pass light thru the grilles is to remove the "glass" component in 3Dxchange and export that to iClone. That works very well, but then I lose the "glass" effect in the window.
In the "Dingy Room Tutorial" the 3D window seems to work as expected.
So, I'm befuddled.
Thougths?
All further input appreciated,
Bud
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By Emerald Animation (formerly reelcheapfilms) - 13 Years Ago
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I pulled up the window in Sketchup and exported it. Turns out you don't need to use the opacity channel after all. Use the opacity slider and set it lower, and make the glass darker (or even tinted) using the diffuse/ambient/specular color buttons. When I set the opacity slider to 17 or 18, the glass doesn't cast a shadow, but you can still see the glass in the window.
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By kurzal - 13 Years Ago
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Hope it helps :)
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By bud_20121023184423262 - 13 Years Ago
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reelcheapfilms (10/30/2012)
I pulled up the window in Sketchup and exported it. Turns out you don't need to use the opacity channel after all. Use the opacity slider and set it lower, and make the glass darker (or even tinted) using the diffuse/ambient/specular color buttons. When I set the opacity slider to 17 or 18, the glass doesn't cast a shadow, but you can still see the glass in the window.
Thank you so much for taking the time to check out the actual window I've been using. That was very thoughtful and much appreciated. Additionally, thank you for the wonderful information. All the little bits are coming together and I'm starting to understand how props work with materials.
Much appreciation,
Bud
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By bud_20121023184423262 - 13 Years Ago
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kurzal (10/30/2012)
Hope it helps :)
You, Sir, have my eternal gratitude! It works!! And I am now breathing a sigh of relief. I was one step away from chewing off my ear with this thing. It feels so good to be looking at my screen and seeing the actual window acting properly without any "tricks" on my behalf.
Thank you so much for the detailed and succinct screencast tutorial. That was very thoughtful. I was able to follow all of the steps and I had the window installed and passing light in about 5 minutes.
Now I'm going to fix the other windows :-)
Thank you so much,
Bud
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By Emerald Animation (formerly reelcheapfilms) - 13 Years Ago
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I must confess I had completely forgotten the simple solution of unchecking the "cast shadow" box. A most elegant solution.
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By bud_20121023184423262 - 13 Years Ago
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reelcheapfilms (10/30/2012)
I must confess I had completely forgotten the simple solution of unchecking the "cast shadow" box. A most elegant solution.
The major revelation for me was that you could treat the glass as separate from the rest of the window. It helped me to understand the "use" of the sub-prop feature in 3Dxchange.
I learn a little more each day!
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By Emerald Animation (formerly reelcheapfilms) - 13 Years Ago
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The "sub-prop" feature is also good if you import a model that has parts that move independently of one another. So for example in a window, you could make the lower part a sub-prop, then you would have the ability to open and close the window sash.
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