Simply Maya User Community - View Single Post - Is there a way to make an object change colors based on light/p.o.v?

Look up ramp and facing angle I think that would work, you might have to model the scales of the fish to make it work.................dave

Originally Posted by daverave

Could it also work with bump mapping and transparency, and have a shader that turns completely invisible when it's not lighted (thus showing the black on the main body of the fish), but when it is, only the specular appears (varying its color from yellow to indigo)?
That way I could have a 2nd layer over the fish, to make it look as if the scales are part of its body.

If I cannot use png + bumpmap, then yeah, I'll have to do something similar to what I've done to the bird-like creature in my avatar, but that sure is going to slow down everything... and how do I stick the scales to the fish? Combine mesh command?

For a start, i'll try it on that object, but need to find a tutorial on how to do that.