Hello: Got to that stage of learning Vue d'Esprit 4. Do alphaplanes have to face any particular direction? i.e. toward the camera or the sun. TIA Indoda

To the camera, usually. I do test renders to see what I can actually get away with so to speak :)

Message edited on: 03/02/2005 18:52

I am new to the use of alpha planes (just got Vue4). What are their typical uses?

They're usually used to place images in the background of renders where using a 3d model is impractical. For instance, suppose you want to want to render a landscape with thousands of trees. Each tree will have thousands of polys, possibly tens of thousands. Until you get your hands on Vue5I this is going to mean a big strain on your processing power! So you'd use real models in the foreground but use alpha planes mapped with pictures of trees (real photos or renders)in the background. If you match the lighting you'll never tell the difference but it will render MUCH faster! Hope that helps! - Baz

Terrific! Thanks Baz

@ dlk30341 Thank you - I thought as much. They are very useful for creating lots of trees. @Kevin_c Well worth learning. There are some good tutorials in the Backroom here.

here's a trick you might want to try. Make an alpha plane and then link it to the camera. That way it will always be facing the camera. I do this when I'm doing a lot of alpha plane trees. That way if I do move the camera I don't have to readjust all the trees to point at the camera again.

@ eric501 Now there's an idea I'd not thought of ;) Thanks for sharing that - will be trying that out very soon.

also, just set up one. and then you can replicate and scatter it and they will all be linked to the camera.