How I can get a light to Fade in and out

# 1 04-03-2004 , 02:54 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: In the Caribbean

Posts: 193

Hey guys!

I want to get a light to Fade in and out, basicaly like those lights on top of a tower or antena,

I try this:

make a poly sphere
color = white
translucent = white
ambient = light
glow = 1.0970

and then set a keys manually to the transparency to make it disappear and appear. But i also use an area light and i need that to fade in and out with the light also.

Is there a way to make this lights oscilate automaically and not by setting the keys manually to fade in and out?

Thanks in advance!!

If you can Imagine, Draw it, if you Draw it, Animate it, then it becomes a Masterpiece.....

Quote

# 2 04-03-2004 , 03:06 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003

Location: Detroit

Posts: 311

You can use an expression to have it loop in and out, or key it and the cyle infinitly the keys. I would think you would want to key so you have more control of timing.

Lungs not guns....

Quote

# 3 04-03-2004 , 03:19 PM

Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2002

Location: London, UK

Posts: 2,800

key the intensity of the light not the transparency. That will make it fade in and out. Are you trying to use the sphere as a light source?

Technical Director - Framestore

Currently working on: Your Highness

IMDB

Quote

# 4 04-03-2004 , 03:28 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: In the Caribbean

Posts: 193

Strobe: I dont know how to use expressions, can you explain a bit about cycle infinitly keys?

Pure_morning:
FOr my test i'm doing it with a spehere, is there another way to go?

If you can Imagine, Draw it, if you Draw it, Animate it, then it becomes a Masterpiece.....

Quote

# 5 04-03-2004 , 03:43 PM

Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2002

Location: London, UK

Posts: 2,800

em yeah... use a proper light user added image

what exactly are you trying to achieve?

Technical Director - Framestore

Currently working on: Your Highness

IMDB

Quote

# 6 04-03-2004 , 03:51 PM

Subscriber
Join Date: Oct 2003

Location: Paris, France

Posts: 418

I would keyframe the intensity and then in Graph Editor do the following:

(1)In the View menu select Infinity
(2)Select the curve that represents the the intensity channel
(3)In the Curves menu select Post Infinity and Cycle

You'll see your curve being replicated over and over again.

That'll do donkey... that'll do...

Quote

# 7 04-03-2004 , 04:07 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: In the Caribbean

Posts: 193

Pure:

I'm trying to do a light on top of a spaship kinda like the lights you see on airplanes on the tips of their wings...

Another thing is that i use an area light to cast teh light on the proper surface, how do i get them both to fade at the same time?
Parent them or something?

Thanks again guys!

If you can Imagine, Draw it, if you Draw it, Animate it, then it becomes a Masterpiece.....

Quote

# 8 04-03-2004 , 04:12 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: In the Caribbean

Posts: 193

Originally posted by rich
I would keyframe the intensity and then in Graph Editor do the following:

(1)In the View menu select Infinity
(2)Select the curve that represents the the intensity channel
(3)In the Curves menu select Post Infinity and Cycle

You'll see your curve being replicated over and over again.

Originally Posted by

hmm im using trasnparency to disappear the sphere because i use :
color = white
translucent = white
ambient = light
glow = 1.0970

If i use intensity it will left me with the rest of the property like the ambient or glow etc ...

is kinda hard to key every property or i'm i doing something wrong?

If you can Imagine, Draw it, if you Draw it, Animate it, then it becomes a Masterpiece.....

Quote

# 9 04-03-2004 , 04:26 PM

Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2002

Location: London, UK

Posts: 2,800

yes but the point is why are you using a sphere to light the scene? can you not use a simple light? this is why i asked you what you are trying to achieve. Give us some more detail user added image

Technical Director - Framestore

Currently working on: Your Highness

IMDB

Quote

# 10 04-03-2004 , 05:02 PM

Subscriber
Join Date: Oct 2003

Location: Paris, France

Posts: 418

I think he's trying to create a lightbulb of some variety.

EDIT: If transparency is working for you, then you can use my method (above) if you select the transparency curve in graph editor.

That'll do donkey... that'll do...

Quote

# 11 04-03-2004 , 05:39 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003

Location: Detroit

Posts: 311

area lights are VERY computer intense......

Lungs not guns....

Quote

# 12 04-03-2004 , 07:19 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: In the Caribbean

Posts: 193

Sorry if previously i didn't gave more info maybe this will help.

I want to add a Signal Light at the tip of all of the pointy guns (the 3 brown structures)

Like in the tip of an airplane wing...

Thanks everyone for the great help u r giving me...

Attached Thumbnails

Click image for larger version

Name: spacestationwip2.jpg
Views: 661
Size: 124.7 KB
ID: 13782

If you can Imagine, Draw it, if you Draw it, Animate it, then it becomes a Masterpiece.....

Quote

# 13 04-03-2004 , 07:26 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: In the Caribbean

Posts: 193

Originally posted by Pure_Morning
yes but the point is why are you using a sphere to light the scene? can you not use a simple light? this is why i asked you what you are trying to achieve. Give us some more detail

Originally Posted by

Hmm maybe i'm confuse but simple light no object, If i'm wrong how i can create a simple light?

Thanks !!!

If you can Imagine, Draw it, if you Draw it, Animate it, then it becomes a Masterpiece.....

Quote

# 14 04-03-2004 , 08:32 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003

Location: Detroit

Posts: 311

I like your model. I would create a volume light, parent it to the tip, turn on fog so it is visible and that should do it.

Lungs not guns....

Quote

# 15 05-03-2004 , 02:18 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: In the Caribbean

Posts: 193

I did a simple test with a cube

1 set the key at 1 with no transparency (right click in the channel box at the trasnparency option set the key there)

2 move the slider on the transparency to full and set the key at 30
(right click in the channel box at the trasnparency option set the key there)

3 Set transparency to none and set the key at 60
(right click in the channel box at the trasnparency option set the key there)

4 click on the option box of the transparency and a speadsheet option appear on the post infinity drop down box i choose cycle

The transparency appears to cycle but:

1-doesn't go completly transparent
2-modify the time in the spread sheet and doesnt do what i want

I then use the graph editor but no lines or channels appear

Any sugestions

Attached Thumbnails