User manual NEWTEK LIGHTWAVE 3D 8.0 REFERENCE MANUAL

[. . . ] LightWave [8] ® Reference Manual This publication, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form, by any method, for any purpose without prior written consent from NewTek, Inc. © Copyright 2004, NewTek, Inc. All Rights Reserved NewTek, Inc 5131 Beckwith Blvd San Antonio, TX 787249 USA 1-800-862-7837 +1-210-370-8000 www. newtek. com Software License and Limited Warranty PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE INSTALLING THIS SOFTWARE. BY INSTALLING THIS SOFTWARE, YOU AGREE TO BECOME BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE, RETURN THIS PACKAGE TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU OBTAINED IT WITHIN 15 DAYS FOR A FULL REFUND. [. . . ] Also, the true light source is actually located at a center point within the visual representation of the light. To add a light: Choose Items > Lights and select the desired light type from the submenu. NOTE: A dialog prompts you for a name when you add lights. Click OK to accept the default. To remove a light: Select the light and choose Items > Clear Selected Items or Clear All Lights. 745 LightWave [8] layout To adjust a light's properties: Select the light and open its Properties Panel (P). If the panel is open, you can choose different lights to adjust using the Current Light pop-up menu. Light Exclusion You can exclude any set of lights, as well as radiosity and caustics, from the shading of any object. Simply click in the Exclude column to activate the exclusion. LightWave [8] layout 746 You can also exclude or include all lights in the objects properties panel or all objects in the lights properties panel or invert your selection by right-clicking on the Lights heading If for some reason you need the excluded lights to continue to cast shadows, deactivate the Shadow Exclusion option. When this global setting is not activated, all lights will cast shadows even if they are excluded. You will need to add the Shadow Exclusion command (Lights command group) to a keyboard shortcut or menu to access it. Note that adding to a menu may be preferable so you can see its current state. Saving Lights Make sure you turn the lights off after you exit a room. . . Choose File > Save > Save Current Light to save the current light to a file. You save normal Light settings as well as Lens Flare and Volumetric Light settings. You can add the light to a scene by choosing File > Load > Load Items from Scene and selecting the previously saved light file ­ which is really just a scene file with only light information. Light Types LightWave has several types of lights, each with their own characteristics, features, and abilities. Once you add a light, you can change its type by changing the Light Type on the Light Properties Panel. layout 747 LightWave [8] The Distant Light A Distant light is somewhat like the light from the sun. Surfaces receive an infinite amount of parallel light rays traveling in the direction that the Distant light points to. Distant lights are handy when you want equal illumination on objects in a scene. The location of a Distant light doesn't matter -- only its rotation is relevant. Because of this, you may place one Distant light in a scene pointing straight down and all objects in your scene are lit as if from above -- the light can be a million meters below the object or one meter above. In most cases, you will need only one Distant light in a scene, although you can add more. Generally, you will get much more realistic results using the other types of lights, if you need more. NOTE: Because LightWave, by default, places one Distant light aimed from the upper left to the lower right in a scene, you can simply load any object and immediately hit the Render (F9) button (without setting any key frames) to see what the object looks like. The Point Light A Point light sends light out from a central location equally in all directions. Light bulbs, camp fires, and fireflies are good examples for Point lights. It doesn't matter how you rotate a Point light since it casts light in all directions, but it does matter where it is located. layout 748 LightWave [8] Intensity Falloff Point lights, as well as Spotlights, can be set to fall off over a specified distance. The non-linear option Inverse Distance reduces intensity as the light moves farther from its source. The Inverse Distance ^2 uses a higher, more natural level of reduction. When using Linear falloff, the Range/Nominal Distance values set the distance from the light where the light's intensity is zero. [. . . ] US Government Restricted Provision If this Software was acquired by or on behalf of a unit or agency of the United States Government this provision applies. This Software: (a) Was developed at private expense, and no part of it was developed with government funds, (b) Is a trade secret of NEWTEK for all purposes of the Freedom of Information Act, (c) Is "commercial computer software" subject to limited utilization as provided in the contract between the vendor and the government entity, and (d) In all respects is proprietary data belonging solely to NEWTEK. For units of the Department of Defense (DoD), this Software is sold only with "Restricted Rights" as that term is defined in the DoD Supplement to the Federal Acquisition Regulations, 52. 227-7013 (c) (1) (ii). Use, duplication or disclosure is subject to restrictions as set forth in subdivision (c) (l) (ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at 52. 227-7013. [. . . ]