How can I get walls to stop light?

[Shade01]

Exclude the indoor lights from all your objects that make up your outdoors. I'm not in front of Lightwave right now but I think it's under the rendering tab in the object options panel. Either that or the light panel :)

In that panel, just check the lights you wish to exclude from the object.

[Raptor_dss]

Thanks =)

I even knew about that option but it just didnt occur to me lol. Thnx =)

Anyone got any tips on the volumetric problem?

[Triple G]

Also, if you're using distant lights, they will affect all geometry, regardless of their position within the scene. Try changing them to another light type like spots.

[m_luscombe]

Also, this may seem simplistic, but...

Single sided surfaces will not normally block light, from either side.

Make sure your walls are double sided polys, or that you have an "inside" and "ouside" modelled for the walls. You may not have modeled the outside of the walls if you aren't going to see them from that angle, but that will effect the shadow casting.

[Finkster]

In a scene as you described, you shouldn't have to exclude any objects from the lightinh, to get good results. It sounds to me like you dont have shadow casting turned on - that would explain your volumetric problems also. Have a look under render properties, and check the raytrace shadows box.
Also you may want to look into using bloom (image effect) to give a nice glow effect, which would be a whole lot quicker than volumetrics, but can still look sweet...

Ciaran Moloney

[Steve Warner]

I think I remember something about this in the manual... Checking... Here we go. Page 32.5

"Note: If you do not use Intensity Falloff, the light will travel forever, unless a shadow option is active."

[angus1965]

Originally posted by Raptor_dss
And an extension of this question, i also wanted to use a volumetric light to have it appear as if some very faint visible light is coming out from the windows, but again this isnt stopped by the walls so it comes out in a circle around the window and through the walls rather then just the window. I assume the answer will be the same, but ill specify just in case volumetric light makes a difference.


Something to consider for your volumetrics. There is an old trick that will enable you to do this and it will render faster. Let's hope I can explain it correctly.

Copy window panes to a new layer.

Using the copies extrude them the length and angle that you want the "volume" to appear in your render.

Delete the "caps" of the extrude.

For surfacing give it color and tranparancey with a falloff - using gradients to make it look like light.

Alan Chan wrote an article (or a set rather) on how to do this long ago for a mag called LightwavePro. I am sure you could find an alternate tute on the web that will explain it better.

Just thought I would throw in an "Old Skewl" hack from the days before volumetrics.

[Elmond Ark Shin]

umm, you have cast shadow on? i know 0 about LW so maybee this isnt to any help :) it works in 3d s max though :)

[Elmond Ark Shin]

isnt this strange though? i have veteran status, yet i have only one image up, and it sux :D
and you who made this post is also a veteran and yet cant stop light from going through walls....i dont think it was this easy to become veteran, maybee i should join the army and kick usama bin laden and his armies by myself! ;)

[dark_lotus]

Go to Rendering > Ray Trace Shadows

:cool:

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