You can just select all the materials, open the material editor and then change the values you want to change.  Vue will change just those values for the selected materials.  Can't remember quite which version that was added in but its a huge time saver.  No need to group or metablob (or as I used to write python scripts) to do this anymore.

Hi Arrow,

There isn't currently (as far as I know) a way to move the rain away from the camera. 

Cheers

Mark

Not at the moment as meta clouds are not usable in ecosystems (either as single spheres or as whole clouds).

Simple answer is no.  You might be able write a python script to move the spheres in a metacloud to the same position as the vertexes in a mesh (you might need multiple meta clouds to get enough spheres for this).

Cheers

Mark

You could try particles that were new in Vue 11.  Use a very small cube with a sand coloured texture for your particle.

I only had time/energy after downloading last night to have a quick play but the new atmospheres seem to be really pretty.  I think clumping looks like it could be really handy for quickly making more realistic looking distributions of plants, rocks etc too.

Hi,

I've used obj and 3ds export from xfrog in the past successfully. 

I wasn't looking for any advantages or disadvantages of a particular file format so I can't comment on that.

Cheers

Mark

Hi,

I have a list of tutorial providers for Vue on my impworks website you might find some of use.

First place to look I'd suggest would be Geek at Play studio which seems to be down at the moment but you can also find their videos on YouTube.  Given the quantity and quality of their video tutorials its not such a surprise that others have stopped making their own.

Cheers

Mark

Checking my Vue News Blog they've been pally for quite some time - Daz sold Vue 8 Frontier :-)

The heavy material handling features may not be "sexy" but it makes my starmap script workable.  With each star having its own material it could really hurt Vue's performance.  Last night I created a model with all the stars within 30 parsecs of the sun and Vue didn't show any sign of not being able to handle a lot more.  Thats more than 3000 objects (which wasn't a problem before) and 3000 materials (which was in the past).  Now its usable I'll look at improving the script and then posting some of the models for download.

If you can't point the lights its probably the way to go.

One tip - green isn't usually used to light people of darker skin colours as the effect most performers find the effect unflattering.

Gobos - sometimes called cookie cutters in the US - are basically pieces of metal put in front of a light's beam to cast an interesting pattern or shape.  They started out in theatre to do things like project a window onto a plain back cloth.  In disco, band and TV lighting they are often used to create interesting patterns.  Filters and gels are often used as well to colour and add texture to lights.  Adding some variety to a light can help model the objects it falls on and make them more interesting.

The way I'd approach this project, unless you really want to make the lights the focus, is to first get your stage.  Next place your performers and then work out how to light them.  I started to cover the basics of (theatrical) stage lighting on my blog and you can find examples of some standard ways of lighting a person at... http://www.impworks.co.uk/category/my-stuff/3d/lighting/

Cheers

Mark

Hi estherau,

As someone who did a bit of stage and disco lighting in the dim and distant past and has had fun messing around with them virtually in Vue its definitly possible.  Volumetrics will give a nice mister/fogger/smoky bar effect.  Gobos can be used if you want to emulate lighting effects created with filters / gobos and can also be used to model characteristics of different types of stage lighting. 

I've never found a really good set of 3d models of stage lights, stands, A-Frame, PA equipment etc but I've not looked in awhile.  If they're not visible or largly disguised by the scene you can get away with some pretty simple models.

Just opened it here with IE9 in quirks mode and with Java installed.

My pleasure :-)

When I started I thought I was going to be reporting bugs that they didn't work but its just a case of finding settings that have an effect.  Some have a big effect with very small settings (eg lean) while others need very big settings (eg move) to have an effect.  And then there are magnets that need a special rig to show working hence why I'll do that as its own video.