Chapter 4.The Layout
Setting Our Scene
Layout is where we complete our scenes. Here we load in any objects we've created, edit lights & cameras, apply textures etc. You can customize almost everything to fit your own needs. Menus, Tabs and Viewports are all editable. I prefer the default settings with one single Viewport, but you can set it up to your own likeing just go to the "Display Options" Panel, by hitting "d" on your keyboard.
I would consider doing a tutorial on the the options of layout and a more in depth view of some of its options how to use it, if there was the demand. Just let me know.
Chapter 5 - Tutorial Finish
Once we have the objects loaded into Layout, we can now start adjusting the scene to how we want the final render to look,click the "Items" Tab at the top of Layout, select "Add -> Objects -> Load Object", then browse to the location you saved your object and load it in . First we need to move the camera to the correct position. Click to select the "Camera" Item at the bottom of Layout, and change the view of the Universe to "Camera View", as in figure 30 where you'll see what I mean.
Figure 30.
Now we can see everything from the Cameras point of view. While we have the Camera selected, click on the "Move" Tool in the Toolbar to the left, to edit the the settings in the Position window at the bottom left of Layout and enter the following settings.
Figure 31.
having entered all three values, hit "Enter" on your keyboard.This will make Lightwave remember that we moved the camera to this position. Once you hit Enter you should be represented with a window, just accept the default values and click OK here.
We also need to rotate the camera. Click on the "Rotate" Tool to the left of Layout, and enter the following settings as in figure 32.in the Rotation window at the bottom left.
Figure 32.
Hit "Enter" again so that Lightwave will remember the Rotation we just made. What you see in the Universe now should look like figure 33.
Figure 33.
Adjusting the Light
Click on the "Lights" Item at the bottom of Layout, then hit "p"the Properties Panel will pop up. Enter the following settings as in figure 34.
N.B.You have to change the Light Type into an Area Light before you can apply the Intensity Fall off.
Figure 34.
Once you entered all the settings, click the "Global Illumination" button, and use the following settings in the Panel that comes up. Figure 35.
Figure 35.
Hit "p" twice to close down both this Panel and the Light Properties Panel. Now change the view of the Universe to "Light View", so that we see things from the Lights point of view, Now we need to move, rotate and scale the Light.
Keep the "Lights" Item selected and click on the "Move" Tool. Use the following settings in the Position window.
Figure 36.
Next activate the "Rotate" Tool and enter the following settings in the rotate panel.
Figure 37.
We need the light at closer range, we also need to scale/size it down. Activate the "Size" Tool, enter the following settings in the Scale window.
Figure 38.
Since we are viewing things from the Lights point of view, the Universe should now look like figure 39.
Figure 39.
Surfacing the Floor
Now we need some surfacing for the floor. Change the Universe view back to "Camera View" because we will be doing a couple test renders. Open up the "Surface Editor" and select the "Floor" surface in the list to the left. We are going to change some of the settings for the Real-time preview window. Click the "Options" button at the bottom left of the Surface Editor and another Panel will open up. Enter the settings As shown in figure 40.
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Figure 40.
Close the Panel when your done so we can get on with surfacing the objects. Keep the "Floor" surface selected and enter the following settings.
Figure 41.
After entering the settings, click the "Environment" Tab and change the "Reflection Options" at the upper part of this Panel to "Raytracing & Backdrop". Check figure 42 and you'll see what I mean.
Figure 42.
Surfacing the Glass
That's the floor surface sorted, go back to the "Basic" Tab and this time select the "Glass" surface in the list to the left. Just enter the following settings.
Figure 43.
Go to the "Environment" Tab again and use the following settings for the Reflection. Where it says "Reflection Map", select "Load Image" and load in the "caustic.jpg" you down loaded earlier.
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Figure 44.
Surfacing the Glass _Solid
Go back to the "Basic" tab and select the "Glass _Solid" surface in the list to the left, and enter the following settings.
Figure 45.
Close the Surface Editor , and press F9 to make a test-render. You should have something like figure 46.
Figure 46.
Our scene is now ready to be rendered as a final image, but first a few more things we need to change. Click on the "Camera" Item button at the bottom of Layout, and bring up the Properties Panel by hitting "p". Set the "AntiAliasing" to "Enhanced Medium" , and close the panel.
At the Top left of Layout you have a "Rendering" pull-down menu, click on it and select "Render Options". Enter the following settings in the Panel.
Figure 47.
while this Panel is open, click on the "Output Files" Tab, and enter the following settings.
Figure 48.
Click on the "RGB Files" Button and choose a filename for your image, also set the "Type" to "LW_JPEG". , Lightwave will save our image now when we render it.
Close the Rendering Options when you are done, hit F10 on your keyboard to begin the render. By using F10 weare telling Lightwave to save the finished image when the rendering is finnished, F9 only renders a test-render that isnt saved for us.
It may take a while for the render to complete depending on what system you have. Tracing Refractive Materials always takes some time. If the image turns out as you'd hoped, congratulations on your first steps with Lightwave3D.
I hope you learned something from the Tutorial and that I have wetted your appatite to want to learn more.Thank you for taking time to read this tutorial.
Please post the results of any images you create from this tutorial as I would really like to see them, and maybe offer suggestions.
If you would like to comment on this tutorial or have any questions regarding it,Then email me at:-
Or pm me as: stag_uk_2000 through yahoo messenger
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