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View Full Version : Suggestions to avoid Volumetrics?

studiomiguel
01-24-2002, 08:08 PM
Okay,
I have this little project I am working on.
http://www.community3d.com/galleries/images/gallery-511.jpg
The problem is that I want the head to appear as though it is floating in nasty mirky liquid, but I don't want to take the render hit by using volumetrics. Any ideas as to how I can the foggy gross look that will give me some depth perception (I considered using a 50% tranparency map, but it just seems to even).

I need to create about 30 seconds of animation with this fellow, so I don't want renders that take 1-2 hours per frame... I already had to decide to do away with my area lights and I am still at about 20 minutes (of course this is with textures and allthat good stuff).

I am working in Lightwave on a Mac with 512 megs of RAM and 32 mb ATI card.

Thanks all!!!!
Caio,
Mikie

P.S. I also posted this in the lightwave gallery... so if you think you saw this somewhere else.... you did!
JoBbE
01-24-2002, 08:28 PM
hm use a cilindrical object with the following texture features:
transparency controlled with a procedural map and a gradient (distance to cam) ( the latter is for the foggy look!)
color controlled with a procedural map so it will vary a bit
refraction, maybe also add some variation via a procedural map
well that's it....

I don't exactly know how much longer this will take but Im sure it's way faster than volumetrics if you tweak a bit....
studiomiguel
01-25-2002, 02:07 AM
Having some trouble with the distance from camera method. I've been trying to apply it to my glass structure. But I am wondering if I shouldn't be applying this to my object that I want to look engulfed in volume (i.e. the head).
This method is working to give me some terrific looks. I've been experimenting with a number of ideas, but... I got a suggestion to try a Vm light which is working pretty good. The render hit isn't that bad in fact. HVs were ridiculous (and I was having some trouble using sprites) on the renders. I think the volumetric light is going to work. I'll keep you guys posted.
studiomiguel
01-25-2002, 06:19 AM
When I use the terrific looking VM lighting I get exactly what I need, but when I wrap it in Transparent Polys I lose my volumetric look. What gives? I was going to post some renders.... but I can't get them uploaded right now... I will later this morning.
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