Problems with 'Neon' Light

#1

I’m using Max 2011

I’m trying to create a reception counter with some recessed lighting, as per the image attached.

I’ve created a cylinder to act as the light, but am unsure as to how to proceed from here.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

#2

I don’t use Max (I’m a Maya user) but since nobody has answered, I can try to help. In Maya, I would set the shader on the cylinder to have incandescence (basically, it emits light) and possibly add a glow effect to the shader as well. Maybe there’s something similar in Max; a quick search showed me that there is a property called illumination that you might be able to use. Hope that gives you at least a starting point while you wait for a Max user to help you out!

#3

Yeah, I would create some geometry to act as the light (could be a tube), then assign a mental ray Arch&Design shader. Turn on self illumination in the shader, and make sure to check the box that says “illuminates the scene (when using FG)”. You will need to render with final gather (using Mental Ray, of course), and you may need to play with the intensity of the light in the shader, depending on whether or not you’re using exposure control. If you do all of the above and render with final gathering, but you still don’t see any light, start cranking up the physical units (under luminance, in the A&D shader). It’s not unusual to set this number up into the tens-of-thousands if you’re using exposure control.

You can control the color of the light by adjusting the filter color, or adding a map to that slot.

#4

Thanks peeps.

I’ve got something that works for me. Played around with it for a while, with the luminance up at 200k, but it was looking poor. Thenincreased the FG precision to High and have got something better.

Many thanks for your replies!

#5

I’ve got another area where im looking to use this method also, which is a translucent wall. The idea is that a backlit red light starts at the bottom & washes up the wall & fades away.

In a ‘normal’ light I can specify that an object doesn’t recieve the light that it shines. Is there a way I can get this material to exclude an object from receiving its light?

Thanks

#6

If there’s a way to do light linking with incandescence, I don’t know how to do it.

Not sure exactly what you’re trying to accomplish (I think I have an idea in my head). Why not just use regular lights if you really need the control that light linking gives?

#7

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.