max to vizard problems

[Jeff]

The light baking article you mentioned has been updated with a new tutorial link. Take a look at that and let us know if you're still having troubles.

[saajaja]

Thanks for replying!

Using both complete map and lighting map methods, I end up with a scene that looks like 3.JPG.

I have a few questions about the new tutorial:

- The light created in the tutorial has a very low multiplier, lower than I've ever used for a key light. I usually just use a multiplier of 1, and that worked before. Why would .3 be better?

- What does the "ambient only" box do?

-The light created in the tutorial is not casting shadows. How are shadows going to be baked if they are not being cast by the light?

- In the export dialog in the tutorial, the "export lights" box is checked but "turn off lighting" is also checked. What does the "turn off lighting" box do?

-I don't have Inspector. Can I download it for free, and will it help with the debugging process?

Here is my script:
import viz
viz.go()
behgrnd = viz.add('beh-029g.IVE')
behgrnd.disable(viz.LIGHTING) # the result is still 3.JPG with this commented out

[saajaja]

I've decided to try experimenting with dynamic shadowing. I figure it will run slower, but it might be worth a shot just to have something running.

http://kb.worldviz.com/articles/210#more-210

When I run that script, I get an error 'No Module Named Shadow'
Is this feature only available in Vizard 4?


Also, in the meantime, would you please revert that tutorial back to the video? Seeing as it was working before, I have a feeling that the problem lies in the way I'm texturing the objects.

[saajaja]

It isn't working in Vizard 4 either. I get the same error.
ImportError: No module named Shadow

[sleiN13]

under the shadow demo movie there is a link to download the shadow.py module file

[saajaja]

thanks, I found it.

I tested the dynamic shadow thing on an older version of the model with baked shadows.
without.png is what it looks like without dynamic shadows
with.png is what it looks like with dynamic shadows.

here is my script
------------------------------------------
import viz
viz.go()
ground = viz.add('behJul2011.IVE')
SHADOW_RES = 256
SHADOW_POS = [0,50,0]
#Controls size of orthographic shadow projector
SHADOW_AREA = [100,100]
import Shadow
shadow = Shadow.ShadowProjector(size=SHADOW_RES,pos=SHADOW_ POS,area=SHADOW_AREA)
shadow.addCaster(ground)
shadow.addReceiver(ground)
---------------------------------------------------------

...So it looks like that won't be my quick and dirty solution.

The euler in the Shadow.py constructor is set to [0,90,0] by default. If I change

shadow = Shadow.ShadowProjector(size=SHADOW_RES,pos=SHADOW_ POS,area=SHADOW_AREA)

to

shadow = Shadow.ShadowProjector(size=SHADOW_RES,pos=SHADOW_ POS,euler=[30,90,30],area=SHADOW_AREA)

in the tutorial's example.py, nothing changes. Can dynamic shadows only be cast directly from above?

Back to the original problem with baking shadows, is there a recommended method of texturing objects in 3ds max that will work better than the way I described in my first post?