2009

Light Shapes for Shadow Generation
While your distribution choice affects how light is spread throughout the
scene, the light shape affects the way objects cast shadows. This setting is an
independent choice. In general, larger areas cast softer shadows. There are six
options:
■ Point
Objects cast shadows as if the light were emitted from a single geometric
point, like a naked lightbulb.
■ Line
Objects cast shadows as if the light were emitted from a line, like a
fluorescent tube.
■ Rectangle
Objects cast shadows as if the light were emitted from a rectangular area,
like a skylight.
■
Disc
Objects cast shadows as if the light were emitted from a disc, like a circular
porthole.
■ Sphere
Objects cast shadows as if the light were emitted from a sphere, like a
globular lighting fixture.
■ Cylinder
Objects cast shadows as if the light were emitted from a cylinder, like a
tubular lighting fixture.
You choose the light shape on the
Shape/Area Shadows rollout on page 5040.
Lights from Older Scenes
Prior to Autodesk 3ds Max 2009, there were several types of photometric light,
based on the light shape for shadow calculation. There are now just the two
types of photometric light, Target and Free, and you choose the shape for
shadow casting independently of the light type.
When you open a scene created in an earlier version of 3ds Max, the scene’s
photometric lights are converted to their equivalent in the new scheme. For
example, a Target Linear Light with Isometric distribution becomes a Target
Photometric Lights | 5007