8

Importing Lightscape Solution Files 611
Impor ting Lights
There are two sets of options for how you import
lightsfromtheLSfile. TheseareintheLights
group of the Import Lightscape Solution dialog.
• The first set lets you choose the on/off status of
lights: all on, all off, or on or off as they were
set in Lightscape.
• The second set begins with the toggle, Make
Lightscape Lights. When this is on, Lightscape
lights (luminaires) are imported as photometric
lights;therearenofurtheroptionstoset.
Make Lig htscape Lights is on by default. When
you turn off Make Lightscape Lig hts, other
options become available: these have to do
with how luminaires are converted to standard
lights. See the
Lights group description (page
3–622)
for details.
Luminaires and Pho tome tric Lights
WhenyouimportluminairesasPhotometric
lights, they have the following settings:
• Intensity is equal to the luminaire Intensity in
Lightscape.
• Color and Filter Color are the same as the
luminaire Color and Color Filter in Lightscape.
• The light’s distribution (isotropic, spot, or web)
is the same as the luminaire’s distribution in
Lightscape.
• Point lights are converted to Free Point lights.
• Area and Linear lights are imported as Area
and Linear lights.
• Triangular Area lights are converted to
rectangular Area lights.
• Shadows are on if Cast Shadows was on in
the Luminaire Processing parameters in
Lightscape.
• Shadows are set to Raytrace Shadows, if
Raytrace direct illuminat ion was on in
the Luminaire Processing parameters in
Lightscape.
Lightscape Radiance Map parame ters correspond
to the following:
• Contrast and Brightness are equal to the
Contrast and Br ightness in the Display panel of
theLightscapeFileProperties.
• Daylight corresponds to Daylight in the
Lightscape Process Parameters.
•ExterioristheoppositeofDaylightThrough
Windows And Openings Only in the Lig htscape
Process Parameters.
Determining Whether or Not to Have Lightscape
Store Direct Illumination
When importing lights from a Lightscape solution
file, you can run into the following situation:
•Ifalightisturnedonin3dsMaxandthedirect
illumination was stored in Lightscape, the
effect of the light on the Lig htscape objects in
3ds Max is doubled. Similarly, if the light is off
in 3ds Max and the direct illumination was not
stored in Li ghtscape, the surface does not have
any direct light and is too dark.
There are several issues to consider w hen deciding
whether or not to have Lightscape store the direct
illumination or have 3ds Max calculate the direct
illuminat ion:
• Doesa3dsMaxobjectthatisnotpartofthe
Lightscape model, need to be illuminated by
light?
Iftheanswerisyes,then3dsMaxneedstodo
the lighting calculations for those l ights.
• Are you using a material effect that needs to be
illuminated by a light?
TheLightscaperadiositymappingisapplied
only to the ambient or diffuse map or color in
amaterial.