Attached Link: http://www.advanceontokyo.com/freestuff_paul/radiosity1.zip

Hi guys, Ive had a few requests today from people wondering if I had any light sets available. I decided to put a pack together for you all. Its a set of 3 radiosity lights which I use on a regular basis. Please take them and use them as you wish, I really hope you like them. They are as you probably know, fully customisable. Just copy and paste the link below into your browser or click on the link attached to this post to start the download. http://www.advanceontokyo.com/freestuff_paul/radiosity1.zip Have fun guys. :) paulwillocks

What is a "radiosity light"?

'Real world' lighting simulation - It simulates light coming from all directions as in the real world. Try them out and you'll see what I mean. :)

Ah, thanks, and more questions! Is this another name for an omni light (a set of spots pointing out in diffrent directions from a central point), and do radiosity light work in P4?

Thanks very much Paul. I can't wait to try these out.

Ah, thanks, and more questions! Is this another name for an omni light (a set of spots pointing out in diffrent directions from a central point), and do radiosity light work in P4?

Les, "omni" lights, like the ones faked in Poser using spots attached to a ball, are not the same as faked Radiosity. REAL Radiosity is actually a high-end lighting solution found in more expensive 3D packages, which bases the lighting in a scene on complex calculations of light spectral distribution from light sources and refraction of light off of object surfaces, and produces stunningly realistic and accurate lighting in a scene.

Poser lighting is not capable of the real thing, but complex light rigs can be used to simulate the effects of Radiosity (like "Poor Man's HDRI" over at RuntimeDNA).

It takes some doing, but it can be "faked" quite well in Poser, but in my honest opinion, there's nothing quite like the real thing. Message edited on: 06/21/2004 16:17

Since Les asked what radiosity is, I'll just point out a little terminology thing. No offense intended, Paul. "Radiosity" is a word that comes from physics and it refers to the tendency of an object to re-emit light that has fallen on it as well as to emit light of its own depending on its temperature. In the 3D context, radiosity means that light on an object comes not only directly from the lights in your scene but also arrives at the object as a result of having first bounced off other objects. In real life if you hold up a large green object, such as a green towel, close to your face and look in the mirror, you'll see that the side of your face close to the towell looks a little greenish. That's radiosity. Light is bouncing off the towel, being turned green in the process, then hitting your face. It's a subtle effect, but you'll see it if you look hard enough and compare different coloured objects. In a room at night, the fact that you can see the sides of objects that are facing away from all of the lights in your room is purely a result of radiosity. Because Radiosity is closely related to global illumination (lighting where the light seems to come from all directions) the two terms are often confused. "Global Illumination Lights" would probably be a more accurate name for Paul's light set.

Excellent explaination, Ajax. Much better than my puny attempt. :-( LOL

Thank you. Your generosity is very much appreciated!

Thanks for the explanations Maxxxmodelz and Ajax.

Thank you Paul! Very kind of you to share these with us! :D

Thank you, Paul!

"Light is bouncing off the towel, being turned green in the process"

Hmm, not quite true Ajax - actually the light is being reflected with most colors in the visible spectrum being absorbed by the towel except the green, thereby making the towel appear green to the human eye.

Of course you knew that, but just to be clear, hehe... :o)
And thanks for the lights, Paul!

:] Fish

Message edited on: 06/21/2004 18:12

Heh heh. Exactly right, Fish. I try to get the basic idea across without too much detail. People accuse me of being pedantic enough as it is!

Thanks Paul! Your free textures are way cool too!

thanks...ill try out the light pack...

Attached Link: http://www.andrew-whitehurst.net/amb_occlude.html

If we're going after the textbook definitions of various CG terms, then it'd look more like this: **global illumination** refers to techniques that take other surfaces than the one to be rendered in account (as opposed to local illumination). Examples for global illumination techniques would be ray tracing, radiosity, photon mapping or light tracing. **radiosity** is a technique for rendering diffuse-to-diffuse light transport. By today's standards it's nothing spectacular and has some serious limitations (no arbitrary BRDFs, no specular light transport, requires changing the geometry). The technique of placing a large number of lights in a (half-)spherical setup is usually referred to as "light dome" and is rather similar to ambient occlusion (see the link) than radiosity. And remember, this is all relevant for the exam next week ;)

WHat these here gents is sayin, in summin closer t' English, is that there's a helluva lotta ways to light a scene and make it look like daylight, what with all them tiny bits o light bouncin around and all. Now me, I've done gone and getten meself blinded by all this whatsits and whosits and now they done gone and started talkin bout tests and stuff! I'm for the saloon -- anyone else?

OK, I have to ask: What's an arbitrary BRDF? Or any kind of BRDF for that matter?

Attached Link: http://www.runtimedna.com/messages.ez?forum_id=28&Form.ShowMessage=86904

BDRF, short for bi-directional reflectance distribution function, describes how a surface responds to incoming light. It's what gives a surface a look beyond just plain color - e.g. how paper looks different than plastic or flour, even when all three of them are white. Radiosity is fixed to a lambertian BRDF, which is a very simplified model and not necessarily the appropriate one for your surfaces. See the link for a few more words on alternative BRDFs in P5.

Um... do we HAVE to know the BDRF thingy for the test, Sir? The Radio City bit was bad enough... and what's Lampart got to do with it? Hey ynsaen, see yer down the pub, mate! :] Fish

Are you sure your first name isn't Santa :o) thank you - have never been in the forum as much as since first finding your free tex lol Chris :O)

Thanks Stewer. Good to put a name to the concept.

Thank you thank you thank you. Just what I've been searching for! Kristta

Thank you Paul :-)