PDA

View Full Version : place highlight modified

bembem
11-04-2002, 06:10 PM
Hi all,

Considering the functionality of the 'place highlight' tool, would it be better if the light's direction (i.e the line joining the light-source and its target) is placed along the normal of the selected face, so that this face gets maximum illumination from the source and therefore appears as bright as it can get?
What's your opinion?
Is there a way to do this interactively in MAX, maybe with a script?
Iain McFadzen
11-05-2002, 07:50 AM
No, that would be a bad idea as takes no account of the angle between the face, the lightsource and the camera.
bembem
11-05-2002, 08:58 AM
that's what i thought too, but some tests using one direct light
and one plane showed that maximum illumination results from
the rays hitting the plane perpendicularly. Check it with a plane
created in top view, and seen from a slightly rotated front view - in this case, place-highlight results in a much less bright plane.
Marcel
11-05-2002, 06:52 PM
The place highlight tool is for easily placing the specular highlight: in other words, how to place a light so that you get a maximum ammount of specular light bouncing of the object and into the camera.

The method you suggest will result in the maximum diffuse lighting.
bembem
11-06-2002, 12:43 PM
yes, and this becomes obvious if the light is made to affect specular only - thanks, i was really en-high-lightened!
CGTalk Moderation
01-13-2006, 09:00 PM
This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.