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AndrewE
11-21-2003, 04:58 PM
How can I achieve a realistic metal reflection?

I'm trying to make a gear logo for a student company (my college game dev team). And I have the gear within a sphere with high lumionsity because I'm radiosity'n it up.

How can I achieve a realistic metal reflection?

And how do you use reflection maps?

Thanks for all of your help thus far guys!
Steve Warner
11-21-2003, 05:09 PM
Read through this tutorial. It will teach you how to create realistic reflective surfaces.

http://www.savinoff.com/home/?chapter=extras&part=tutorials

Hope this helps!

Steve
Kvaalen
11-21-2003, 05:53 PM
If you are trying to create a metalic surface I would not use radiosity. Especially not from a sphere.

You can apply the reflection by adding an ImageWorld (under the backdrop options), or applying the reflection under the enviorment tab.

You should take down the diffuse and give it a little reflection bluring (under the Enviorment tab). You should also put a gradient on the reflection channel.
For an idea of the gradient, look at the ones that some of the crome presets have.

Hope that helps. :thumbsup:
Steve Warner
11-21-2003, 07:54 PM
Here's a quick test I put together.

http://www.trinitymediainc.com/Help/ball.jpg

Feel free to download the object and scene files (http://www.trinitymediainc.com/Help/ball.zip) and check out the texturing. The key here is window objects with high luminosity. The gradient textures on the ball are there to simulate the Eresnel effect.
leigh
11-21-2003, 08:07 PM
What kind of metal are you trying to make? Chrome, steel, another kind? It's kinda difficult to give tips if I don't know what look you are after :)
AndrewE
11-22-2003, 04:54 AM
I'm trying to make steel.

And thanks Steve. That those things would help me greatly!
roguenroll
11-22-2003, 05:21 AM
I like HDRI for metal reflections.
CIM
11-22-2003, 06:32 AM
For realistic metals:

- Use non-rendering reflection cards or an image (HDR or not) as an environment. What's improtant is that you have something for your object(s) to reflect.

- Alot of metallic surfaces have anisotropic specular reflections, so you should probably use the BRDF shader.

- Make sure your reflections are blurred. Reflections in real life are not perfectly crisp.

- Reflection caustics should be used. No reason to if you don't have a diffusive ground, walls, or other objects, though.

- Dirty up the metal (unless it was just made).
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