'Fill Lights' Orientation...

Started by choronr, June 07, 2007, 08:02:14 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

choronr

Hello Oshyan,

Can you give me the 'fill lights' orientation; i.e., from left to right, where is 01, 02 and 03. I need to brighten the shadows on the right/center of my image up to the top of the image. I don't have a clue as to which one to start working with. Thanks.

   Bob

Oshyan

Light orientation works in degrees, just like the camera. 360 degrees of vertical and horizontal rotation (plus roll for the camera, the 3rd rotation input). The default fill light setup I provided has lights at 0, 120 and 240 degrees. Look at your camera's horizontal rotation (the middle rotation value) and you should be able to extrapolate where the fill lights are in relation. They are at 45 degrees vertical, halfway up from the horizon, by default.

This is also all based around the 0,0 coordinate origin. The further you get from the origin the less intuitive the rotation figures will be because they are referenced to 0,0. But in any case assuming you're near 0,0 (within a few 10's of kilometers) it shouldn't be hard to guage.

You may find it best just to move one of the fill lights to the right position, perhaps just off the orientation of your camera. But remember this is the direction it will be shining *from* - if you want the back (camera-facing) side of a tree on the right side of your image to be lit up, you'll actually want the fill light *behind* you.

- Oshyan

choronr

Thanks Oshyan, I will work with these numbers. Jay is also having a go at it.

   Bob

choronr

In the release of the full version later this year, it would be great to see a GUI representing the fill lights and their orientation relative to the settings. This would help decision making a bit more intuitive.

   Bob 

Oshyan

The fill lights are just regular lights. It's their orientation, color and intensity that make them a "fill light setup". We do hope to improve the intuitiveness of light positioning controls in general but an actual "fill light control" is probably beyond the scope of what will be provided.

- Oshyan

choronr

Thanks Oshyan; a GUI dealing with the positioning of the controls will be the key to intuitiveness for the user. You've done it with Terragen 0.09; and, I believe your team is capable of doing the same with Terragen 2.