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Uber Volume - Uber Irritation

BnomSandyBnomSandy Posts: 7
edited December 1969 in New Users

Okay, so I'm trying to do some volumetric lighting. I have followed the instructions here:

http://www.omnifreaker.com/index.php?title=UberVolume

to the letter. Nothing. I notice that, following these instructions, the 'cone' that is created is at scene center on the floor. Surely one must place this in the vacinity of the spotlight used for the light, yes?

My point is that the instructions do not leave me with a working volumetric light. So what is missing? I also noticed that in the picture there is one panel labled (5), but no instructions refer to that panel. What am i doing wrong here?

Thank you for your help.

GD

Comments

  • Scott LivingstonScott Livingston Posts: 4,340
    edited December 1969

    Yes, the cone should be parented to the spotlight. Did you have the light selected when you created the cone?

    I've just recently started using UberVolume, and I used the same resource as you did to learn how. Like you, I found it somewhat challenging at first... Note that what the webpage calls "SpotLight 1 Volume" might instead by labeled "UberVolume Cone 1" by DAZ Studio. Not sure about the missing #5, but as I recall I just skipped to #6 when I was going through the steps.

    Let me know how it works for you with the cone parented to the light.

  • BnomSandyBnomSandy Posts: 7
    edited December 1969

    I found the missing piece:

    "In the Scene tab, expand the Spotlight and select Spotlight 1 Volume then, in your Surfaces tab (you do have it open, don’t you?) make sure that Spotlight 1 Volume is also selected. As with any Shader effect, you need to have both the object and it’s material selected, remember"

    from:

    http://greywulf.net/2009/12/22/when-the-spotlight-falls-the-dance-begins/

    I had the volume selected in the scene tab, but not in the shader. It's working now. Thank you.

  • Scott LivingstonScott Livingston Posts: 4,340
    edited December 1969

    Glad you got it to work. :) There's a bunch of useful stuff on Greywulf's Lair, but I'd forgotten that he did an UberVolume tutorial...that's good to know!

  • SzarkSzark Posts: 10,634
    edited December 1969

    Just don't place a camera inside the volume so it doesn't crash. I have not heard if this is still the case with DS4.5 but in 3 it was an issue.

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited December 1969

    It doesn't crash...but with the camera inside the cone/volume you don't get the effect.

  • SzarkSzark Posts: 10,634
    edited December 1969

    thx for confirming that mjc I knew it was an issue in DS3.

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited December 1969

    I was just playing with it this past weekend...doing this...

    223b.jpg
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  • BnomSandyBnomSandy Posts: 7
    edited December 1969

    So . . . I've gotten these volume lights to work. I am getting these artifacts in my renders. any ideas on the cause? they are never in the same place twice.

    Thanks for your input.

    artifact.jpg
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  • Scott LivingstonScott Livingston Posts: 4,340
    edited December 1969

    Artifacts aside, that's a cool render! :)

    What are your render settings, and are you using deep shadow maps, or raytraced shadows on your lights?

  • BnomSandyBnomSandy Posts: 7
    edited December 1969

    Thank you for the compliment. This is a section of my 2nd entry to Stonemason's contest. Anyway, these are my render settings. All lights are set to raytrace.

    . . . which brings me to a question: how does (or does it at all) Daz treat intersecting Ubervolumes?

    these are my settings:

    shader_basic.jpg
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    shader_smoke.jpg
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    render_settings.jpg
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  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited December 1969

    Two possible areas to be causing them...

    Overall shading rate of 1.00 is 'too high' to be considered 'final render' quality. It will sometimes cause 'artifacts' because it doesn't allow enough detail. for animation and what not, it's usually not issue because the motion is going to be the main focus and little things like that, which will only show for a fraction of a second aren't going to be noticeable. But for stills, where there is no motion, they'll be very noticeable...

    The other possible area...the Max Steps/Step Size...more steps/smaller size means more/finer details...

    Warning: decreasing Shading Rate or step size or increasing the Max Steps will dramatically increase render times.

  • BnomSandyBnomSandy Posts: 7
    edited December 1969

    http://www.daz3d.com/forums/viewreply/274146/

    The end result. You were correct, mjc1016. the shading rate made a big difference. this was done at .02.

    thank you both for your input.

  • Scott LivingstonScott Livingston Posts: 4,340
    edited March 2013

    Wow, is that a typo or was it really 0.02?? No wonder it took 93 hours...!

    Amazing result, though! That's an outstanding image, and the volumetric effect looks great.

    Edited to add: for reference and comparison, here's a link to adamr001's DS render profiles:
    http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/16085/

    Post edited by Scott Livingston on
  • BnomSandyBnomSandy Posts: 7
    edited December 1969

    WOW! That is a fantastic reference. Thank you!

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited December 1969

    Scott-Livingston said:
    Wow, is that a typo or was it really 0.02?? No wonder it took 93 hours...!

    Amazing result, though! That's an outstanding image, and the volumetric effect looks great.

    Edited to add: for reference and comparison, here's a link to adamr001's DS render profiles:
    http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/16085/

    Stuff like volumes tend to need insane shading rates...especially when you think of shading rate as a form of subdivision for pixels...then it makes lots of sense.

  • SertorialSertorial Posts: 962
    edited March 2013

    mjc1016 said:
    Scott-Livingston said:
    Wow, is that a typo or was it really 0.02?? No wonder it took 93 hours...!

    Amazing result, though! That's an outstanding image, and the volumetric effect looks great.

    Edited to add: for reference and comparison, here's a link to adamr001's DS render profiles:
    http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/16085/

    Stuff like volumes tend to need insane shading rates...especially when you think of shading rate as a form of subdivision for pixels...then it makes lots of sense.

    I am trying to get a spectral effect with a light beam picked out in dust particles (like the attached photo). I have the volume all set up but I can't seem to get to the right combination of settings to get what I want.

    Can anyone give me the settings to achieve this? I tried the ones shown above, but they don't pick out the shaft of light.

    Thanks

    shaft.jpg
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    Post edited by Sertorial on
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