FG Caster Block with Texture

[Falam]

to get access to bsdf you have to need to add the declaration in the base.mi for example or create a new mi file and put it in the mi file folder.
i think the once you have are the ones from mental mill? all the nodes are available but cannot be used (i think the declaration of it is not correct, dont know).

The ones I have are from the vanilla install of Softimage 2013. I have to find the source code for all those shaders and add this;

Code: Select all

 declare shader
 vector "mib_texture_vector" (
 integer "select",
 integer "selspace",
 integer "vertex",
 integer "project"
 )
 version 2
 *apply texture*
 end declare

[Kzin]

http://download.autodesk.com/us/maya/2011help/mr/manual/brdf_sh.html

but you have to ad

"apply surface, shadow"

at the end.

[Falam]

http://download.autodesk.com/us/maya/2011help/mr/manual/brdf_sh.html

but you have to ad

"apply surface, shadow"

at the end.

I added the above to one of the bsdf shaders, softimage didn't load, I switched to admin ran runonce.bat, softimage wouldn't load, tried loading softimage for the third time, it loaded just a little slow and the bsdf shaders were usable, wierd, atleast it works.

[Falam]

there are no factory ibl shader in 2013. ad did not implemented them so you have use the two files which unlock user_ibl and user_ibl rect.
the user_ibl is a direct skydome/skylight shader. the ibl_rect is a importance driven area light shader for lighting with textures. for example, you can create your own hdr of a lightsource and use this image as input in ibl_rect. the light emission is then taken from your hdr texture. it creates all the fine lighting details you have in your hdr texture

There is one problem, my FG emitter is an object, I can't hook ibl_rect to the object shader argghh.

[Kzin]

there are no factory ibl shader in 2013. ad did not implemented them so you have use the two files which unlock user_ibl and user_ibl rect.
the user_ibl is a direct skydome/skylight shader. the ibl_rect is a importance driven area light shader for lighting with textures. for example, you can create your own hdr of a lightsource and use this image as input in ibl_rect. the light emission is then taken from your hdr texture. it creates all the fine lighting details you have in your hdr texture

There is one problem, my FG emitter is an object, I can't hook ibl_rect to the object shader argghh.

is the geo like a plane then use a planar area light with this ibl shader. if its an object, then try to use this object as a light.

[Falam]

there are no factory ibl shader in 2013. ad did not implemented them so you have use the two files which unlock user_ibl and user_ibl rect.
the user_ibl is a direct skydome/skylight shader. the ibl_rect is a importance driven area light shader for lighting with textures. for example, you can create your own hdr of a lightsource and use this image as input in ibl_rect. the light emission is then taken from your hdr texture. it creates all the fine lighting details you have in your hdr texture

There is one problem, my FG emitter is an object, I can't hook ibl_rect to the object shader argghh.

is the geo like a plane then use a planar area light with this ibl shader. if its an object, then try to use this object as a light.

I am using the object as a light ! I can't use ibl_rect with the object !

[Kzin]

is the geo like a plane then use a planar area light with this ibl shader. if its an object, then try to use this object as a light.

I am using the object as a light ! I can't use ibl_rect with the object !

because of this i sayed if its possible that you use a lightplane for example instead of the object as a light. is the object that complicated in shape that there is no other way?
if you cant replace it with a simple light then you have to try to use this object as a light. you can use any object as a light, worst case, you have to do so.

[Falam]

is the geo like a plane then use a planar area light with this ibl shader. if its an object, then try to use this object as a light.

I am using the object as a light ! I can't use ibl_rect with the object !

because of this i sayed if its possible that you use a lightplane for example instead of the object as a light. is the object that complicated in shape that there is no other way?
if you cant replace it with a simple light then you have to try to use this object as a light. you can use any object as a light, worst case, you have to do so.

My Light object is not complicated in shape, it's that how the light bounces in the scene because of the light object looks good. I tried a light plane and the results were not as good, I don't know if it's because the lightplane has a spot light tied with it or not. You said I can use any object as a light, I know this, but I can't use the ibl_react node so I can use a texture to control where on the object I want the light to emit. Unless there is a way using some nodes I'm unaware of ?

[Kzin]

is the geo like a plane then use a planar area light with this ibl shader. if its an object, then try to use this object as a light.

I am using the object as a light ! I can't use ibl_rect with the object !

because of this i sayed if its possible that you use a lightplane for example instead of the object as a light. is the object that complicated in shape that there is no other way?
if you cant replace it with a simple light then you have to try to use this object as a light. you can use any object as a light, worst case, you have to do so.

My Light object is not complicated in shape, it's that how the light bounces in the scene because of the light object looks good. I tried a light plane and the results were not as good, I don't know if it's because the lightplane has a spot light tied with it or not. You said I can use any object as a light, I know this, but I can't use the ibl_react node so I can use a texture to control where on the object I want the light to emit. Unless there is a way using some nodes I'm unaware of ?

can you show a render of the object because i dont know what the problem is. you could easily seperate the parts of the object which should emit light, use them as objectlight and you will be fine.

[Falam]

My Light object is not complicated in shape, it's that how the light bounces in the scene because of the light object looks good. I tried a light plane and the results were not as good, I don't know if it's because the lightplane has a spot light tied with it or not. You said I can use any object as a light, I know this, but I can't use the ibl_react node so I can use a texture to control where on the object I want the light to emit. Unless there is a way using some nodes I'm unaware of ?

can you show a render of the object because i dont know what the problem is. you could easily seperate the parts of the object which should emit light, use them as objectlight and you will be fine.[/quote]

It is a simple object, what do you mean use them as a object light, and I will be able to use Light nodes ?

[Kzin]

It is a simple object, what do you mean use them as a object light, and I will be able to use Light nodes ?

you can use your object as a light.
create a point light and set geometry to object in area tab in lightoptions and pick your object. now your object is a lightsource.

[Falam]

It is a simple object, what do you mean use them as a object light, and I will be able to use Light nodes ?

you can use your object as a light.
create a point light and set geometry to object in area tab in lightoptions and pick your object. now your object is a lightsource.

When I make an object an area light is halts Softimage, as in, it nearly crashes. That option, is not an option. I had high hopes for it, but it shot me in the face

[Kzin]

It is a simple object, what do you mean use them as a object light, and I will be able to use Light nodes ?

you can use your object as a light.
create a point light and set geometry to object in area tab in lightoptions and pick your object. now your object is a lightsource.

When I make an object an area light is halts Softimage, as in, it nearly crashes. That option, is not an option. I had high hopes for it, but it shot me in the face

works like a charm here. dont know whats wrong but have you tryed it in a new clean scene?

[Falam]

It wasn't working because I was selecting a group, rather then an object. It didn't give the results I was after, and I don't like I can't pick individual objects.

The image below is one of my light objects that is used with FG, notice how it's completely white, I want to break that up so there are areas not emitting light, with either a texture or procedural texture which is on a constant shader.

I tried hooking a procedural to the radiance port without lowering the Lightness of the constant material, that didn't work, I also tried hooking a procedural to the color port on the constant material and that didn't work, argghh. The constant material gives a nice FG effect, over other illumination shaders so I'd prefer to keep that shader on the object for FG.

[Kzin]

It wasn't working because I was selecting a group, rather then an object. It didn't give the results I was after, and I don't like I can't pick individual objects.

The image below is one of my light objects that is used with FG, notice how it's completely white, I want to break that up so there are areas not emitting light, with either a texture or procedural texture which is on a constant shader.

I tried hooking a procedural to the radiance port without lowering the Lightness of the constant material, that didn't work, I also tried hooking a procedural to the color port on the constant material and that didn't work, argghh. The constant material gives a nice FG effect, over other illumination shaders so I'd prefer to keep that shader on the object for FG.

you can pick object, or do you want to pick more then one object at the time? why not merge the objects into one (it would render ages if you want to model your lightsource out of many different objects, the same for texturing the luminance because it will sample all these small lightparts and the difference will not be visible in the final image)? i dont know why you make your life that hard. a planar arealight would do the job or a cubic object light. for the lamp use a object with you texture, use some luminance in the shader and thats it.
or try to find a ies lightprofile of the lamp you want to render and use this with an ies light.

[Falam]

It wasn't working because I was selecting a group, rather then an object. It didn't give the results I was after, and I don't like I can't pick individual objects.

The image below is one of my light objects that is used with FG, notice how it's completely white, I want to break that up so there are areas not emitting light, with either a texture or procedural texture which is on a constant shader.

I tried hooking a procedural to the radiance port without lowering the Lightness of the constant material, that didn't work, I also tried hooking a procedural to the color port on the constant material and that didn't work, argghh. The constant material gives a nice FG effect, over other illumination shaders so I'd prefer to keep that shader on the object for FG.

you can pick object, or do you want to pick more then one object at the time? why not merge the objects into one (it would render ages if you want to model your lightsource out of many different objects, the same for texturing the luminance because it will sample all these small lightparts and the difference will not be visible in the final image)? i dont know why you make your life that hard. a planar arealight would do the job or a cubic object light. for the lamp use a object with you texture, use some luminance in the shader and thats it.
or try to find a ies lightprofile of the lamp you want to render and use this with an ies light.

I cleaned up the scene and your suggestion worked, thank for slapping me in the face Except, how do I know that ibl_rect is even working ? I have a HDR texture map attached to ibl_rect > light shader.