Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?ForumID=107&Form.ShowMessage=775196&Form.sess_id=2047682&For

Finally, before I set each row and each light in each row uniformly seperate, I'd like to critique this model and get any feedback anyone may have. I believe there is more light per sq. inch at the top of the dome. Therefore the lights at the top of the dome will need to be dimmed. I have a couple Pythons I was given with falloff and brightness value/percentage functions which will effect all of the lights at once, but I'll be horn swaggled to think there is'nt a more uniform way to just covere the surface of this sphere with lights. My problem is I ca'nt think this through mathmatically. Can anyone visualize, or know, of how this could be accomplished, in order to have the same # of lights per square iota of globe surface at any given square surface coordinates?

= )

sounds interesting :) do you have a testrender with that lightset? Chris

Not just yet, but I promise to post one before I'm finished with this thread. I even have a Pythons, from Ockham, that will set all of the lights to the color and intensity of the selected light. I need to get handy with Python though. I just requested, of him, a Bi-Polar Falloff Python. The falloff script he's given me is Uni in that it's changes will affect whichever light is selected, as a pole, then increas or decrease it's change as it moves towrd the opposite pole. I figure there is X too much light at 0,0,0 and it's opposite pole, and Y(0) just the right light at the equator. Therefore a falloff Python with a -100 to 100 parameter, set to -50(With the light at 0,0,0 selected), should cut the lights at either pole in half, and then leave the lights at the equator alone...At least I think cutting each pole by 50% is whats called for...Anyhow this would be how you could run the falloff script so as not to effect beyond the equator. = )

I'd also like to spend some time perfecting the spacing between the lights in the set. Right now they are all present and roughly in thier correct spot, but not mathmatically... = )

oh man ... that sounds all greek for me :) I think I have to more into that light things :) looking forward for your testrender :) Chris

^_^

Uhm... included with the V3 hair (I think it was with the ha at least) there's a Global illumination light. Works really good and looks something like yours, only with all the lights set to a fairly dark grey.

so far so good :-)

ernyoka1 - Did V3 hair come with V3, or was this a seperate puchase? = )

!

Looks sound to me cainbrogan. I always made global illumination in Poser just by splittlg the degrees, basically a light placed every 22.50 degrees in every direction. When I went larger, every 11.25 degrees. Of course to do all this, you have to type it all in with the dials. But, as you mention, the rub is always that point where the lights converge, and there is too much light. AgentSmith

To help with the problem of too much light, I would just change the intensity of the lights as each level went up, the bottom level was at 100%, then 90, 80, 70, 60 and the top one light at 50%. It's definetly not the true solution, but it helped somewhat. AgentSmith

AgentSmith - Ockham is definatley the man to honor here, as I explained, the fallof Script he gave me does that changing from any selected pole. Moreover Ockham just replied with the Bi-Polar Intensity and Color Falloff Script I mentioned! Then he informed me Python should be able to space lights perfectly. I just requested he try this, and asked if it could determine the max. number of lights, if it could determine which numbers of lights would fit best denominatorily(You know when you hae to find a common denominator to fit fractions into for some mathmatics,) or if we could try both? = )

Cool beans, making 3D a better, brighter place, lol. Would love to see your results one day! AS

Once this(these) new light set(s) are finished, I'll have the superb oppurtunity to sit down with all of his Pythons and become much more familiar with thier useage. I'll then be able to better tell of each, and maybe write a few tuts! = )

Getting things evenly spaced is known mathematically as a "packing problem". I know there are formulas for covering an entire sphere with evenly placed centers for much smaller spheres, which would eliminate your convergence problem and the resultant need to modify each and every light source's strength. That particular reference was in a ScienceNews article a couple years back, so I don't have it at my fingertips. A web search on "packing problem" ought to turn up this example though. Carolly

Attached Link: http://www.applied-synergetics.com/ashp/html/domes.html

Ockham just delivered his CreateLights.py. I am surrently testing it for sweet spots. My suspicions of needing the right common denominators was right. I may have also found a bug. I'll post my results once I have a few things to show! = )

LOL..o my god that's a lot of lights.... Keep us posted o masochistic renderer. ;o) AS

I'm going to chip away at the 342, but with Ockham's Python it was so easy to do, I had to try it! I'll be back with more! = )

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342 lights?!? What are you doing... Gandalf at the bridge?

Um.... do you guys mind not disecting my light set? Thanks. Anton

hauksdottir - Thanks for posting, would you elaborate on ".", with maybe a full letters, a word, or more? Gandolf at the Bridge...Haha! No, like I said this Python is so easy to use, I tried 360, to see what would happen, and this was the result. Pretty interesting though no? I'm putting together a small render farm, and should be able to do some...testing with it, eventually! PheonixRising - Actually you had nothing to do with this effort...untill now. These sets were created entirely by myself with Python Scripting from Ockham. They may or may not make it to the Marketplace. I'll be need some Advertising/Free Content for my site as soon as I larn how to use IIS. Though I did just check out your Artist Page and DL'd the sets I believe you are refering to. = )

.

Is this just to get updates for this post? = )

Yes.

I created the lightsets for Daz described above. I am sure you have done this on your own. But then the details on my lights mentioned here in the pics and post above is what I am refering to. Anton

Why were you thinking we were going to dissect anything? I'd appreciate a few posted pics of your light sets, as I asure you none of the images I've posted were of your work. BTW - Do they come with V3, or are they a seperate purchase? Any product links would be nice! = )

http://store.daz3d.com/catalog/product.php?pidx=1944&paridx=151 Post #13

Anton, I think they are talking about the Global light that came with the Bombshell hair for Vicky 3. Anyway, doesn't matter.

I made those lightsets

Well, I've been giving our Pythons some thought, and have come up with a couple new premises. The first was to set the top light, of the set I have thats very similar to post #13, to half of what the values of the lights at the equator are. And then transfer that gradient change through the rows of lights in between. Lets say the equatorial row is at a value of 160. Because I see the that row as half way away from the over powered lights at the top of the sphere, I'd change the top lights to 80. The differeance there was 80. 80 iotas divided by 4 rows(From the N. Pole.) equals a gradual change of 20 per row(See above pic.) The only problem I see with this at this change needs to be dynamic. If I were to use Ockhams LightIntensity.py(Which changes all lights a given percentage.) the aspect ratio between the rows would change. Thus I'm inclined to aquire a new script, just for this set, that will changes the color or intensity of all the lights at once, but at the ratio mentioned in my previous example!

My other premise has to do with dice, particulary those used by people familiar with the role playing game Dungeons and Dragons, in which 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 20, and 100 sided dice are used. Any of the dice can be enclosed in a perfect sphere so that each point of the die makes contact with the surface of the sphere. A python to generate a new die for each # number of requested lights, then make that transfer is what I've posed to Ockam last. I also suggested a toggle to keep point 0,0,0 static should be added.

= )

I have a question for everyone. Not the picture on the right in post 2, then the pic. in post 13. To get the lights to change this way I need to move the camera's Y Orbit. But the last time I tried this I noticed I was underneath the ground plane looking up. Granted I could have turned of the ground shadow and repositioned my object, but I can think of many instances this would'nt be optional. How are light sets rotated around in general? = )

To my knowledge there is no way to move lights as a group. Each light would have to be moved individually using it's X/Y/Z Rotate Dials. Unless someone could come up with a Python script to do it.

Getting back to my dice theory for a moment. What do we think would be better translating each die's sides, points, or both. Any ideas on how? I'm going to duck into my schools math lab and try to figure this out. I'd much rather have a Python to do this, for any number of lights, than just do a bunch of static sets, though any input on how the translation could come, would be appreciated! = )

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Imacen - Thanks for the link!

The first hurdle I see here is learning of how dice are created. My first hope is that a die can be generated with any number of sides greater than 4. I just posted a question about this over at the site Imacken linked to earlyer, at http://www.applied-synergetics.com/ashp/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2#2.

The second hurdle is at mapping the center of each side of each die to a coordinate on the surface of the Light Control Sphere.

While we're waiting for the more advanced formulae input of hurdle 1, let's start in on the second hurdle by taking on the 4 sided die as a warmup. In the above pic. are the images of the usual D&D(Dungeons and Dragons) dice I've been mentioning. The "4 Sided" is the one in the middle. Side 1 is easy, we can plot it at 0,0,0. But then where the other 3 lights go is questionable. My first instinct is to divide the 180 degrees, from the top of the sphere to the bottom, by the number of sides we have in the shape(180 / 4 = 45, 180 - 45 = 135.) Thus we could use the latitudinal line at 135 by dividing it's 360 degrees, of Z rotation, by the number of sides left to plot (360 / 3 = 1 light every 120 degrees.) But then I think ahead to the model of the 6 sided. The 4 planes of its "Sides" would make contact with the surface of the sphere at the equator(The 90th latitude). This makes me ask what is divided by 4 to get 90. The answer of 360, transfered back to the model of the 4 Sided, would mean we should have used the 120th line of latitude(360 / the 3 three sides of the 4 Sided = the 120 latitude). I tend to lean toward this second theory, as with it we come up with 120 degrees twice, though I'm not proof posotive that it is perfect. And would actually like a better formula, as all die shapes wo'nt be as easy as finding just one line of latitude aside from 0,0,0...

= )

Hmm, I should have run that highlight straight through the equator of that last example, oh well... = )

This image was rendered with all of M2's materials set to Middle gray, and with each light set to a Middle Gray Intensity Value of 120, and with much postwork done with Photoshop's Levels

I left a few decimal points out of this explanation, but Poser has a bad habit of not keeping these exactly where you left them, so thought the set may not Perfect it's reallly close...and you can see that in many of the highlights. BTW - The postion of each of these lights is supposed to be indicative of where the center of each of the planes of the pyramid would make contact with surface of a sphere.

= )

I do not feel that I am being ripped off but I would appreciate detailed info on the light set up not being detailed here. Saracsm isn't neccesary.

Then I'll let you in on whatever it is that has you spooked, but your gonna have to speak up! I told you the first set I posted was just a pyramid stacking theory, and have named the author of the script the other sets were direived from. Else, I hav'nt appreciated your entrance into this post assuming skullduggery, and ask you to retract that statement, without any basis for presumption. = )

I never said I was addressing you. You assumed that. If you want a private post I suggest you use email.

As author of this post it's my pleaseure to see through its development. Anything you say in here is reply to my Subject. If you're assumptions have been dispelled, then so be it, but I request, as such, you retract your intitial entry to my discussion. Else, just do'nt say anything further if you hav'nt got anything legitimately/technically relavant to contribute. Regards, cainbrogan = )

I've noticed from experience it's best not to make mug shots. M2 is a man, and deserves ambidextrous lighting, so I've roted he and the main cam 45 degrees, a light on either side of him, rather than one overpowering lamp directly in front of him.

I'm a little partial to the first render of this set though. I think that is because of the high position of the lights in fron of him vs. this render which has lights about mid waist. I was going to do a little more rotating, but the M2 model was'nt taking too kindly to my not having a Python for light set rotation...

Next is the 8 sided...

= )

Here's the 8 sided die. Kind of a cross between 4 and 6. I really lik the lighting of the upper half of M2 in with D4... = )