Forum Coordinators: RedPhantom
Poser - OFFICIAL F.A.Q (Last Updated: 2024 Dec 23 7:38 pm)
ScottA - not sure I understand what you're saying. I was just about to post the same question. I just am getting around to using lighting (got tired of weird results so I turned off shadows). The problem is that no matter where you set the lights up manually, Poser moves them around according to a process dubbed: LightLogic (LL). LL does a line of sight (LOS) calculation to determine the optimum placement of lights behind props, below floors, etc (called LOS Defilade [LOSD])to ensure that the center of attention (COI) is darkened and the maximum amount of inappropriate shadow (IS) is cast. LL should be modified to produce less LOSD and IS.
Gordon
Hmmm - never heard anyone describe this moving lights problem before - and now two? Q's: Spotlights or Global? What makes you believe the light is directly overhead prior to rendering? (which of the various indicators are you looking at to determine position?) When you said "flips to dead on", did you mean the lightsource appears to move to the camera position?
I haven't done a full diagnostic yet, but at least on light flips down to a line focused at the center of the image, but not necessarily head on (like tail on). The shift comes during render and when rendering is finished, the lights pop back where you left them (like roaches when the lights go on).
Gordon
You may already know this, you may already be way ahead of me on this, but I figured I'd point it out anyway. One thing you might want to look at: from the right menu below the view port, select Shadow Lite1 Cam (or 2 or 3, etc.) under the Cameras sub-menu. You will switch to the POV of light 1 (or 2 or 3, etc.) With this, you can see exactly where your light is aimed. If you want to adjust your light at this point, make sure you actually select the light prop itself rather than the Shadow Lite Cam.
Hi. Have just got up and read these messages. Not quite sure what to make of them. For clarification: When I'm ready to render, my sole light, a spot, is pointing down. Nothing precise about it, just down. It's visible, obvious, and the way I want it. When I render, I see the light in the little globe at top left suddenly flip to center-on; on completion, it flips back up again. The render shows dead-on lighting, not overhead.
Well, I've learned one thing. Maybe I should have known. Only Lights 1 and 2 cast a shadow, and when I had only one light it was a number 3, the others having been deleted. That explains the no-shadow mystery. I've noticed a light flipping again while rendering and can easily duplicate it, but it seems to be some other light than a Number 1 or 2, in which case the shadow is unaffected. I hope you followed all this. Thanks for the help. Poser lights are temperamental to say the least.
um, guys... you may notice that poser changes the light position icons depending on which camera you are in. ie: if you have a light from the front, it's in front on the front camera, to the right on the left camera (front of your scene) and to the left on the right camera (front of the scene). right? so... when poser makes a shadow map, it uses the 'light shadow camera' right? and if you're 'in' the light shadow camera, you see the light from dead-on, right? well, the point is, your lights aren't jumping, that's just poser jumping into the light to render the shadow map. don't sweat it. :)
Try slapping these values on your Light3 and see if you don't get a nice white overhead light pointing down on anyone standing at the center of the universe. Light 3 0 Angle Start 0.0000 Light 3 0 Angle End 35.0000 Light 3 0 Dist Start 0.0000 Light 3 0 Dist End 0.0000 Light 3 0 Point At 0.0000 Light 3 0 shadowStrength 0.6000 Light 3 0 depthMapSize 1024.0000 Light 3 0 xrot -90.0000 Light 3 0 yrot 0.0000 Light 3 0 zrot 0.0000 Light 3 0 scale 1.0000 Light 3 0 RED 1.0000 Light 3 0 GREEN 1.0000 Light 3 0 BLUE 1.0000 Light 3 0 INTENSITY 1.0000 Light 3 0 xtran 0.0000 Light 3 0 ytran 2.7000 Light 3 0 ztran 0.0000
Gordon
heyas; and i bet that light at the top there is 'light 2,' right? poser is in that light's shadow camera. the scene doesn't change, because the scene is still in the main camera, or whatever you're using. poser is in the light's shadow camera, busily making the shadow map (as it says). try going to render options and turning shadows off, see if it still 'jumps.'
Bloodsong seems to have identified this correctly as a non-problem several posts back so let me ask it this way. Which shadow in your rendered image appears to you to be in the wrong place? The one easiest for me to see is the one on the bench from the figure's thigh, and it appears to be correctly cast from the overhead light. If your shadows were generated from a light "dead-on", that one would not be there. I'm afraid I still do not see what makes you think the light sources are actually moving when rendered.
OK, It looks like you are using the default ground plane which does do funny things with shadows. It also appears the front left corner of the table is the point directly under the light. The shadow falling to the right is logical if your light were close and the Falloff Start and End values are set very far apart - making the shadows soft-edged and cast outward. Try the same scene with a square prop instead of the ground plane and try the values for light 3 as posted above and see the difference. (I haven't moved my Geo site so I cannot post an image right now) Or,select your light 3 and hit Copy and come over here and paste the values in a post and let me see if I get different results perhaps.
Ok, grabbed some cyberspace. First pic tries to copy your problem:
Light 3 0 Angle Start Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 Angle End Spline 160.0000 Light 3 0 Dist Start Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 Dist End Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 Point At Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 shadowStrength Spline 0.6000 Light 3 0 depthMapSize Spline 1024.0000 Light 3 0 xrot Spline -90.0000 Light 3 0 yrot Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 zrot Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 scale Spline 1.0000 Light 3 0 RED Spline 1.0000 Light 3 0 GREEN Spline 1.0000 Light 3 0 BLUE Spline 1.0000 Light 3 0 INTENSITY Spline 1.0000 Light 3 0 xtran Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 ytran Spline 0.6000 Light 3 0 ztran Spline 0.0000 Next - the shadow I assume you are trying for.
Light 3 0 Angle Start Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 Angle End Spline 35.0000 Light 3 0 Dist Start Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 Dist End Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 Point At Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 shadowStrength Spline 0.6000 Light 3 0 depthMapSize Spline 1024.0000 Light 3 0 xrot Spline -90.0000 Light 3 0 yrot Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 zrot Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 scale Spline 1.0000 Light 3 0 RED Spline 1.0000 Light 3 0 GREEN Spline 1.0000 Light 3 0 BLUE Spline 1.0000 Light 3 0 INTENSITY Spline 1.0000 Light 3 0 xtran Spline 0.0000 Light 3 0 ytran Spline 2.7000 Light 3 0 ztran Spline 0.0000 Note the differences in the Y-Trans and AngleStart & AngleEnd values, and again, second pic uses square prop rather than Ground.
Nance - what you are describing is a bit over my head. 1. It appears that the jumping lights is nothing to worry about, it's normal. 2. The number of variables affecting good lighting seem to be more complex than other aspects of normal Poser capabilities (morphing, texting, transmaps, etc). Do you recommend a tutorial on lighting? The manuals only help after I have figured out the basics for myself the hard way.
Gordon
Attached Link: http://nance.excelland.com/Tutorial_Softlight/SoftlightTutorial-Nance00.html
No No! Sorry! It looks more complicated than it is. And perhaps WAY more complicated because of my copy&paste. That was just the easiest way to show the values on that light's dials because I couldn't post a screen-capture. I believe you cannot see your shadows because the edges are too feathered out, too soft. Essentially, I am suggesting that you use a smaller cone of light (Angle Start dial =0.0, & Angle End dial= 35.0)to make your shadows with harder, less feathered, edge transitions and then raise the light farther overhead (ytrans dial = 2.7) to compensate for the smaller pattern cast from the now smaller cone of light. Try it with just those two changes and see if you don't get something more like the second image. I don' seem to bees 'splainin this very well -- so this may not help much either - but here's a few, very rambling, observations (complete with circles and arrows) that touch on some aspects of Poser lighting & shadow controls: [ Poser Softlights](http://nance.excelland.com/Tutorial_Softlight/SoftlightTutorial-Nance00.html)This site uses cookies to deliver the best experience. Our own cookies make user accounts and other features possible. Third-party cookies are used to display relevant ads and to analyze how Renderosity is used. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understood our Terms of Service, including our Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy.
I've one overhead light. It's parented to nothing, it "points to" nothing, and it's locked. Yet the moment I begin rendering, the light flips to dead-on. Cancel the rendering and it promptly reverts to overhead. Every time. Que pasa, and what can I do? (This forum has never ket me down yet.)