Visualization Guide
Visualization Guide
Visualization Guide

Animate Global Lighting Settings

Use it!

Used to animate Global Lighting settings. This is done by scripting the required setting at various frame numbers. As the script is being recorded, the setting changes from one value to the other as specified by the frame numbers.

Tool SettingEffect
Frame Number

Sets the frame number at which the setting is to take effect.

Interpolation

Sets the method used to interpolate the change to the setting.

  • Linear
    • — Transition from one setting to the other is calculated linearly.
  • Spline
    • — Calculation of the transition from one setting to the other is based on a b-spline curve.
Velocity

Sets the velocity of the transition from one set of values to the next.

  • Constant
    • — Transition is at a constant rate.
  • Accelerate
    • — Transition starts at rest, moving with constant acceleration.
  • Decelerate
    • — Transition constantly decelerates to finish at rest.
  • Accelerate-Decelerate
    • — Transition starts at rest, accelerates to half-way, then decelerates to finish at rest.
  • Infinite
    • — Transition is instantaneous, from the last viewing position to the camera view.
  • Custom
    • — Used when you edit a velocity curve through the dialog box.
Setting

Sets the global lighting setting being scripted — Ambient Intensity, Ambient Color, Flash Intensity, Flash Color, Solar Intensity, Solar Time, Solar Color. For each setting, the relevant setting control appears below the setting option menu.

It is not possible to “freeze” (using the Freeze button) global lighting settings that are changing, nor any other changing environmental parameters, such as source lighting and material characteristics.

You can also script changes to general rendering and global lighting settings via a dialog box that is opened from the Animation Producer dialog box.

To script changes to a Global Lighting setting
  1. In the Animation Settings tool box, select the Animate Global Lighting Settings tool.

  2. In the Frame Number field, key in the frame number.

  3. From the Interpolation option menu, choose the interpolation method — Linear or Spline — for the transition to the new setting value.

  4. From the Velocity option menu, choose the velocity type — Constant, Accelerate, Decelerate, Accelerate-Decelerate, or Infinite — for the transition to the new setting value.

  5. From the Setting menu, choose the setting to animate:

    Ambient Intensity

    Ambient Color

    Flash Intensity

    Flash Color

    Solar Intensity

    Solar Time

    Solar Color

  6. Use the control(s) below the Setting option menu to specify the setting value. These controls are similar to those in the Global Lighting dialog box.

  7. Accept the settings with a data point.
    The new script entry is entered in the Animation Producer dialog box list.

Alternative Method — To script changes to a general rendering or global lighting setting
  1. From the Settings menu of the Animation Producer dialog box, choose Animate > General Settings and Global Lighting.
    The Animate Render Setting dialog box opens.

    Animate Render Setting dialog box

      

  2. In the Frame Number field, key in the frame number.

  3. From the Interpolation option menu, choose the interpolation method — Linear or Spline — for the transition to the new setting value.

  4. From the Velocity option menu, choose the velocity type — Constant, Accelerate, Decelerate, Accelerate-Decelerate, or Infinite — for the transition to the new setting value.

  5. From the Setting menu, choose the setting to animate:

    Camera Angle

    Ambient Intensity

    Ambient Color

    Flash Intensity

    Flash Color

    Solar Intensity

    Solar Time

    Solar Color

    Background Name

    Background Increment (for animating a background image)

    Near Depth Density

    Near Depth Distance

    Far Depth Density

    Fog Color

    Brightness Adaptation (Radiosity and Particle Tracing only)

    Brightness Multiplier (Radiosity and Particle Tracing only)

    Display Contrast (Radiosity and Particle Tracing only)

  6. Use the control(s) below the Setting option menu to specify the setting value (or to select the background file to which a value applies). These controls are similar to those in the Rendering Settings box and the Global Lighting dialog box.

  7. Click the OK button.
    Focus returns to the Animation Producer dialog box. The new script entry is listed there.

    8. If a background image file is to be animated, the name of the file must contain one or more digits. The filename must also identify the file as a member of a sequentially numbered series of files composing an animated sequence. The increment value is added to the filename sequence number after each frame. If an increment value of one is used, an animated background will play at the same speed as the input sequence. Values less than one will play slower, and values greater than one will play faster (and skip some frames in the input sequence). Increment values less than zero cause the input sequence to play backwards.