Here it is how to do it!  (Print this step-by-step guide to make it easy to follow)

First we must create and save a FADER plane iProp...

- Create a bare new project. 

YOU WILL DO NEXT PROCEDURES JUST ONCE IN YOUR LIFE!

- From the Set menu select props

- Go to the 3D Surface section

- Double click on a Plane_A surface.

- Reset the view with the F key as to have the A Plane centered.  It will be light blue in color.

- Go to the Modify Panel, and scroll down to where the material texture windows are.

- You will see the bluish texture diffuse material box.   Select it.  Will show a thick frame around.

- Launch you image editor. (You must have an editor assigned at the configuration menu)

- The texture Diffuse image (light blue) material will pop at the image editor.

- Fill it with black.   Save it, then go back to iClone.

- Now, using the disk icon save this black image for future usage in a convenient folder.

- Next, select the Opacity box and load in the just saved black image.

- You are ready now.  You will see the A_Plane looks black in the work window.

- Save this Iprop  with a FADER PROP name!

AT THIS POINT YOU HAVE YOUR FADER PLANE DONE. 

YOU WILL NEVER NEED TO REPEAT WHAT YOU DID (unless you forget to save it!)

TO USE YOUR FADER,  YOU LOAD IT IN A PROJECT, THEN:

- At this time you must move the plane back, using the object position tool, until it covers the whole screen.  All scene elements should be behind the Fader Plane.

- Move the time slider to first frame.

- With the Fader Plane selected, at the Modifier, Opacity Strength move the slider to 0!(to create a key)  (The screen will look black!)

- Now move the time slider to an advanced frame (90 frames for 3 seconds)

- Again at the Modifier, Opacity Strength, slide it up to 100...  (Now you totally see the scene)

- Now try it!.   Slide the time slider from frame 0 to rame 90.  You will see the scene fading out!

- To complete the fader, scroll up at the Modify window until you find the Display section.

- Being sure you are stopped at last Fade Frame (91 in this example) Turn Visible OFF . This helps iCLone as not to "render" an invisible frame!

NOW YOU HAVE A FADE IN READY SCENE!

You must place all your characters and scene components behind the A_plane. (deep inside)

When you run the animation The scene will start black and slowly fade in!

You can do the same but in an opposite way to make a fade out. Also you can use any other color or texture for the Diffuse map, as to fade from blue or white or whatever!.

- Remember to SAVE your Fader Plane Prop for next time, or you will have to do it again!

Have fun fading In and Out! ;)

Mike

I am not after anything!   I am solving some visitor's questions on how to do a Scene Fade In Or out, like those you get with a video editor package.

Changing lights would be much more difficult, because very seldom you use only one light.  Also the effect on lights going down is not the same as a fade.  A fade as those you see in the movies all the time!

The procedure I am describing here is not at ALL difficult!!  It just looks like, as I describe step-by-step without omitting a single detail.   Once you have created your "Fader" prop, you don't need to repeat the process at all.  Just load the prop, and set the  in and out keys for the fade to occur.   And the simple plane practically takes NO resources!

With this you can make fade layers for instance!   You can have a front plane, with a landscape as background, (mapped onto the Fade Prop).  When you fade it away... Pop! You can see what is behind!   And could also have more, revealing one by one back planes!

To slowly remove a cloudy atmosphere for instance!  Many things!  But mainly... To simply Fade in and out!  

How would you do all this effects with lights?

(Also... You would have to diddle with the ambience light,  remember?)

Light manipulation is definitely NOT the way to go!

Someone agrees or disagrees here?

First, thanks for doing it!   It seems it was not a case of "deciphering" after all, because you made it and are giving it away!  Good!

I am a teacher Cricky! I am a 3D video production teacher, so I learned: To teach you must make learners, go step by step!   I bet, those who will "decipher" and try to make their OWN FADER will learn a lot much more, by "deciphering" my "Da Vinci" code than by downloading the FADER already done!

Of course, those who already know how to do it, might do better by taking your offer and getting it already done!    But...  It is so easy! really! It might take longer to download than to simply make it! (Paradox of Life!)

I agree the trick with the lights will do sort of the same, except you can not do layered dissolve as I propose.  Right?

Thank you for not leaving me alone in this.   It is good to be motivated as to explain better and to learn more!

Mike

Don't forget NOT all users moved to iClone 4 yet.

So please remember the "old fashion way" I showed is for all iClone users, including iC3 users.!

Mike