Whenever I use a point light, shadow map option becomes ghosted. Only soft raytrace shadows are possible for that particular light. I'm referring to P6 of course. So my question is... why? Why can't we use a shadow map on a point light? That fails to make sense.

The manual says performance issues - I would imagine that the problem is working out spherical shadow maps. Both infinate and spotline shadow maps are flat planes, calculated from the viewpoint of the light - look at the shadow_map cameras to see what I mean. Point lights would need an entirely different method of calculating shadow maps.

Well, I guess I can understand that. Spots and infinite lights are directional, but you can still encompass 180 degrees with a spot. So times that by 2 and you have your point light shadow map.

I'm sure it's not quite that basic in practice, but it can't be overly difficult to incorporate. Most 3D apps that can use shadow map rendering also have it available for point lights. In fact, I can't think of one that doesn't, aside from P6.

Strange.

Message edited on: 03/22/2005 06:53

That's a bit of a disappointment. Cinema4D can do this, so it is possible, but I guess Pixels Digital haven't added it to Tempest/Firefly yet. Maybe in Poser 7...

"Cinema4D can do this, so it is possible" Exactly. It's not really "new" technology by any means in the world of 3D. You know that C4D can do it, I know personally that Max and Maya can, and I'm pretty certain AnimationMaster and a few others have no problems with it either. This is my first "let down" since experimenting with P6 (which, by the way, I think is excellent overall). Raytraced shadows render excruciatingly slow on things like strand-based hair, and anything with displacement. Oh well.

Maxx and others.... any opinions yet comparing soft ray trace vs depth shadow map? 1) qualitative (artisice difference) 2) quantitative (effect on render speed) ::::: Opera :::::

Truespace 2 could do it for goodness sake. :p anyway, no biggy. Now that there are soft raytraced shadows I will probably use them most of the time anyway.

maybe curious labs well come up with a service release that fixs that problem.

Probably depends on whether the company that makes the render engine makes that improvement.

This is my first "let down" since experimenting with P6 (which, by the way, I think is excellent overall). Ya know, that's good news. Especially coming from a Max person!

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=2172519

core render speed against Jim Burton time trials is WAY off, can you guys come over and take a look please.

::::: Opera :::::

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?ForumID=12356&Form.ShowMessage=2174088

Official? report of memory management bug(s) not found until near release that could be affecting the render speeds, inclucing Burton time trial.

See post 15 of thread at attached link.

::::: Opera :::::

.... I guess Pixels Digital haven't added it to Tempest/Firefly yet.

If I understand it correctly, the Pixels3D Tempest engine can already do shadow-maps with omnis.