Shadow edges

# 1 20-05-2007 , 07:51 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007

Location: In a cave

Posts: 3

I know this is prob. elementary to most people, but my shadow edges are noisy, not soft. Where is this controlled? Render settings? Light settings? or material? When I was using Blender it always calculated the shadow edges to be soft so I didn't have to think about it. I'm using mentalRay with final gathering and global illumination. I have read help files on all of this but can't get those shadows soft. Only been using maya for a month now but lovin it like crack!

Quote

# 2 25-05-2007 , 10:46 PM

Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2002

Location: London, UK

Posts: 2,800

it's either shadow samples or shadow resolution. I would try upping the resolution first and see if that helps. How big is it set to at the moment?

Alan

Technical Director - Framestore

Currently working on: Your Highness

IMDB

Quote

# 3 30-05-2007 , 12:02 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007

Location: In a cave

Posts: 3

Thats the thing, there is no word "resolution". I am using 8.5 and other people say the same word. I see so many other words, but resolution is only in the common tab. Is this something that has changed from previous versions? (Also I keep hearing about render globals, there is no more render globals, it is render settings. Same thing, different name. Makes it harder to talk to others when they keep using different names for things.) Would it have anything to do with the raytrace shadows settings? Is there a book that has a shadows for mental ray chapter? Is there a mental ray book? I am not online @ home so I can only access this site from wherever and whenever I can. -Still Searching......... Keith-:headbang:

Humans are never more bright then when they are on fire. -Beef

Quote

# 4 30-05-2007 , 12:32 PM

Senior Software Developer
Join Date: Jan 2005

Location: Livingston, Scotland

Posts: 1,701

If you are using Depth Map Shadows then I think that you need to turn up the Bias in the lighting options to around .9 and go from there. Raytracing shadows should need ammended and should appear correctly aslong as the penumbra is correct to give a soft edge.

Also as Alan stated change your options in the Renderer of your choice and turn on raytracing id your using that option and play with it from there. Rendering and lighting are all about tweaking and rendering and tweaking and rendering and tweaking...

It goes on... Enjoy

Chris (formerly R@nSiD)
Twitter
When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will truely know peace - Jimmy Hendrix

Winner SM VFX Challenge 1

3rd Place SM SteamPunk Challenge (May 2007)

Quote

# 5 31-05-2007 , 11:48 AM

Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007

Location: In a cave

Posts: 3

I went through some settings and this is where i'm at. Depth map shadows are off, shadows are set to simple, and the point light is about .9 I am working in video so my overall resolution is set to 72ppi 1280x720. I will try the higher bias next. But I am willing to tweek and render for the next year or so. I don't care how long it takes, this is too cool. Thanks for your help, your continued support is invaluable. BTW Alan, how is the Narnia 2 coming along? Is maya the software that is being used?

Attached Thumbnails

Click image for larger version

Name: lightprob_1.jpg
Views: 200
Size: 124.0 KB
ID: 34715

Humans are never more bright then when they are on fire. -Beef

Quote

# 6 11-06-2007 , 04:24 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2007

Location: my house!!

Posts: 261

under the attributes for the light, change the filter under shaddows to something higher. It's most likely at one or something. This will smooth out your shadows a lot!

Sparticus

Expect to excell...

Quote

Shadow edges

Posting Rules Forum Rules

Similar Threads

Topics

Free Courses

Full Courses

VFX News