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View Full Version : How to use a bend deformater with a lightsource?

wayfaerer
11-12-2005, 01:23 PM
Hi,

I'm trying to bend light - well not exactly but I want to move a light source with a bend deformater, just like a bend street lamp.
The problem is that the light source just doesn't move. I at least want to move it to the position of a reference object that was deformed. Does anybody have a clue? Perhaps how to determine the position of an object after the deformation? I don't want to calculate the position with a script 'cause this seems quite complicated...

Here's an image of the scene (all objects and the deformater are inside a null object):
http://www.actual-fantasy.com/galerie/kunstwerk/misc/Light01.jpg
The rendering (all is bent except the light)
http://www.actual-fantasy.com/galerie/kunstwerk/misc/Light02.jpg
And (if someone want's to take a look) the scene:
Light.c4d (http://www.actual-fantasy.com/galerie/kunstwerk/misc/Light.c4d)
vid2k2
11-12-2005, 02:10 PM
I've tried making the light a child of the various elements
and moving the deformer without success. I have no idea why the light
won't cooperate at this point. I think the solution may be in MSA or Expresso.
When time allows, I'll have a look at the alternatives.
tcastudios
11-12-2005, 03:00 PM
Deformed objects are not "seen" by default by Cinema. To catch the deformed state I have a Xpresso setup (included in the attached scene) called D2P.
You can't get the deformed state out of a primitive (Sphere, Cylinder etc)
easily.
I made a Spline with the length and position of you object.
Used the deformed state (SplineTarget) and placed the Light on it using the regular
AlignToSpline Tag.
Hope it helps!

Cheers
Lennart
moka.studio
11-12-2005, 03:06 PM
Another alternative if using 9.5 would be to use a geomtrical object as your light source
wayfaerer
11-12-2005, 03:41 PM
Many thanks for your replies! Lennart, your trick helps a lot! I tried to simplify it a bit and use a spline with just one point and assign the position of this point directly to the light:

Light02.c4d (http://www.actual-fantasy.com/galerie/kunstwerk/misc/Light02.c4d)

I didn't know this "use deformed point" - switch in the point node. This is extremly usefull :)
moka.studio
11-12-2005, 03:51 PM
Many thanks for your replies! Lennart, your trick helps a lot! I tried to simplify it a bit and use a spline with just one point and assign the position of this point directly to the light:

Light02.c4d (http://www.actual-fantasy.com/galerie/kunstwerk/misc/Light02.c4d)

I didn't know this "use deformed point" - switch in the point node. This is extremly usefull :)

good and easy setup -
I had forgotten about this option in the point node -
one thing, if you are animating the bend, you may want to set the priority of the Xpresso tah to "Generators", so that it is evaluated correctly at a given frame.
Nolan Scott
11-13-2005, 11:10 PM
Sorry, after rereading the entire thread - I presume I totally misunderstood the subject -
I apologize for my ignorance.

Cheers
Nolan
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