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1294 Chapter 15: Lights and Cameras
Because directional rays are parallel, directional
lights have a beam in the shape of a circular or
rectangular pr ism instead of a "cone."
Note: Direct lig hts are suppor ted in a radiosity
solution (page 3–51) only if they are p ointed
downwards, outside the boundary box of the scene
geometry.
Note: The mental ray renderer assumes that all
directional lights come from infinity, so objects
thatarebehindthedirectlightobjectinthe
3dsMaxscenewillalsobeilluminated. In
addition, with the mental ray renderer, directional
lights ca nnot generate area shadows, and do not
work with the Beam shader (in the lume library).
See also
Lights (page 2–1272)
Name and Color Rollout (Lights) (page 2–1273)
General Lighting Parameters (page 2–1331)
Intensity/Color/Attenuation Par ameters (page
2–1345)
Advanced Effects Rollout (page 2–1341)
Shadow Parameters (page 2–1337)
Directional Parameters (page 2–1348)
Pr ocedur es
To create a fr ee direct light:
1.
OntheCreatepanel,clickLights.
Standard is the default choice of light type.
2. IntheObjectTyperollout,clickFreeDirect.
3. Click a viewport.
The light is now part of the scene. It points away
from you in the viewport you clicked.
4. Set the creat ion parameters.
To adjust the light’s direction, you can rotate it
as you would any object.
To change a vi ewport to a Light vi ew:
1.
Right-click the viewport label.
The viewport right-click menu is displayed.
2. Cho ose Views.
Thenameofeachspotlightordirectionallight
appearsintheViewslist.
3. Choosethenameofthelightyouwant.
The viewport now shows the light’s point of
view. You can use the Light Viewport Controls
(page 3–750) to adjust the light.
The default keyboard shortcut for switching to
aLightviewportis$.
Interfa ce
Directional Parameters rollout
When you create a Free Direct light, the Targeted
parameter is adjustable on the General Parameters
rollout (page 2–1331). Thisisafixedvaluefor
target lights.
Targeted—When on, 3ds Max sets a point to use
as an inv isible target about which the Free Direct
light can orbit. The spinner adjusts the distance to
the target.
This parameter also affects the length of the light’s
cone display.