laser beam

# 1 16-11-2007 , 09:00 AM

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Join Date: Jul 2006

Location: London

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Hey, I want to make a large laser beam hitting earth, and blowing up part of it. The explosion part I think I'm gonna be ok with, but I was wondering what the best way to make a huge sort of laser beam?

Any ideas would be much appreciated

Chris

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# 2 16-11-2007 , 09:22 AM

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Join Date: Jun 2006

Posts: 29

personally i think it would be better to use a video fx package like after effects, and composite it over the top. it already has a built in laser beam creater, it would be alot easier.
not sure how you would do it inside of maya.

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# 3 16-11-2007 , 10:19 AM

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Join Date: Aug 2002

Location: Seattle, WA

Posts: 8,245

you'd probably want to use a variety of different elements to create the beam. geometry, particles, maybe even paint fx to build the effect up and then animate each element to get the look you're after.

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 4 16-11-2007 , 01:36 PM

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Join Date: Jul 2006

Location: London

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Thanks guys, ya i presumed I would have to build up mike, just not sure about each part if you see what I mean, I have a volume emitter as the main beam, but plan on having layers over the top of this, just not sure how to make it look really cool basically lol.

Chris

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# 5 12-12-2007 , 02:40 PM

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Join Date: Feb 2007

Location: India

Posts: 28

Hi

can anyone say how to customize the lightning effect to something like plasma rays ( white rays with blue tint )...

thank u

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# 6 02-01-2008 , 04:35 PM

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Join Date: Dec 2007

Location: Sweden

Posts: 27

Originally posted by bendingiscool
Thanks guys, ya i presumed I would have to build up mike, just not sure about each part if you see what I mean, I have a volume emitter as the main beam, but plan on having layers over the top of this, just not sure how to make it look really cool basically lol.

Chris

Originally Posted by

Layers over the main beam... I've got a thought or 2, though I'm kinda new to some of the stuff here. What if you have more Volume Emitters as your layers where the particle are either spares, or trancelucent.
Another thought I have which can be a little old-skool. This idea comes from editing Jedi Knight Dark Forces 2. To have cylindars surrounding your main beam with different shades of the color of the main beam (trancelucency optional) and invert the normals (meaning turn them inside-out (surfaces pointing inwards)).

Hope this helps.

Originally posted by Nirmal_c
Hi

can anyone say how to customize the lightning effect to something like plasma rays ( white rays with blue tint )...

thank u

Originally Posted by