Parameters

 

 

Within the Sun Parameters dialog, you can adjust the sky and scene illumination independently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

General

On - When this checkbox is active, the DreamScape Sun light is on. When it's deactivated, the Sun light is off.

 

Illuminate Scene - In some cases you will only want the DreamScape Sun to illuminate a DreamScape Sky and not any geometry in your scene. By de-selecting this checkbox, the DreamScape Sun will ignore all other objects in your scene.

 

Sun Size - This is the relative size of the Sun. In DreamScape, the Sun's radius is 6.95E8m and the Sun's distance is 1.49E11m, as it really occurs in nature. As you can see, almost everything in DreamScape is created using real-world measurements.

 

Render - When the Render checkbox is active and the Sun is within the field of view, it will be rendered.

 

Exclude - By pressing this button, the Include/Exclude dialog will appear and as with normal 3ds Max light types, you can include or exclude scene objects from being affected by the DreamScape Sun light.

 

RapidRay - This button launches the RapidRay dialog. RapidRay is a raytracing acceleration system built specifically for the DreamScape and is designed to accelerate intersections with objects where needed.

 

 

Max. Depth - This parameter represents the maximum depth of grid nesting. Bigger values might result in faster rendering time but nested grids will occupy much more RAM.

 

Max. Faces/Voxel - Each cell of a uniform grid is called 'voxel'. When a voxel contains more faces than specified by this parameter, this cell will be subdivided until the Max. Faces/Voxel or Max. Depth limit is reached.

 

Max. Width - Each grid is subdivided into a number of smaller voxels. This parameter limits the number of grid-dividing voxels.

 

Help - By pressing this button you will enter Help mode. In this mode you can click on almost any parameter to bring up the corresponding Help file topic.

 

About - Clicking on this button will bring up a dialog showing you the current version of DreamScape that you are using.

 

 

Sun/Sky

The DreamScape Sun uses a sophisticated physical model of the Sun-atmosphere interaction to calculate the final illumination reaching the Earth's atmosphere.

 

Sun Color - This is the Sun color as it is outside of our atmosphere. This color should have a touch of blue due to the spectra characteristics of our own Sun. By shifting the color of the Sun, you alter the overall coloration of the Sky itself.

When simulating moonlight, this color should be set to deep blue.

 

Multiplier - This spinner controls the overall brightness of the Sky and it is used for sky illumination only.

 

Multiplier of 1.0

Multiplier of 2.0

 

 

Sun/Scene

User Color - If for any reason the Sun light's color that is illuminating the objects in your scene does not match the color you need for some effect within your scene, you can override the normal Sun light color by activating this checkbox.

 

Be aware that there are many advantages in using the DreamScape's built-in illumination model (and leaving this checkbox un-checked). Not only do you not have to worry about manual animation of the Sun color during a sunrise animation, but you can also animate the rocket takeoff at sunset. As the rocket moves up in the atmosphere, the Sun illumination will change from red to white because the effect of the atmosphere attenuation weakens with the altitude.

 

Multiplier - This spinner is used for illuminating geometry as well as clouds within your DreamScape skies and controls the brightness of these elements.

 

 

Affect Surfaces

Contrast - This spinner adjusts the contrast between the Diffuse and Ambient areas of the surface. Higher values produce more contrast while lower values product less contrast.

 

Contrast = 0.0

Contrast = 100.0

 

Soften Diff. Edge - The Soften Diffuse Edges spinner works to help blend the edges between the Diffuse and Ambient portions of a surface. Higher values tend to favor the shadow area, while lower values tend to favor the lit area on an object.

 

Soften Diff. Edge = 0.0

Soften Diff. Edge = 100.0