Shadow Parameters

By using the Parameters in this rollout, you can adjust your scene's shadow settings.

 

 

 

 

 

Shadows

The DreamScape Sky has the ability to cast raytraced shadows using the RapidRay rendering acceleration system (which the Dreamscape plug-in uses to speed up its rendering).

 

Geometry->Geometry - Check this option if you want the Sun to cast hard shadows from one mesh onto another.

 

Antialias - Since DreamScape's Sun's shadows are raytraced, you will need to use this option to remove jagged shadow edges. When this checkbox is active, DreamScape will render using anti-aliasing algorithms.

 

Anti-aliasing Disabled	Anti-aliasing Enabled

 

 

Transp. - The Transparency checkbox, when enabled produces translucent shadows

 

Note: that this will slow down shadow rendering significantly as RapidRay has to find all intersections along the Sun->Object line.

 

Geometry->Sky - When this checkbox is active, the scene geometry will cast shadows into the atmosphere. We recommend you set much higher Step values in the DreamScape atmospheric (under the Atmosphere Parameters rollout) when using this option as well as making sure that you enable anti-aliasing within the DreamScape Sky.

 

Shadow Bias - This spinner will move the rays away from the scene geometry, so that unwanted self-shadows are avoided.

 

Color - Clicking on this color swatch displays a Color Selector to choose a color for the shadows cast by this light. You can also animate the shadow color.

 

Dens. - Adjusts the density of shadows. Increasing the Density value increases the density (darkness) of shadows. Decreasing Density makes shadows less dense. You can animate the Density value.

 

Note: Density can have a negative value, which can help simulate the effect of reflected light. A white shadow color and negative Density render dark shadows, though the quality of these is not as good as a dark shadow color and positive Density.

 

Light Affect Shd. Color - When this checkbox is active, it blends the light's color with the shadow color (or shadow colors, if the shadow is mapped).

 

 

Area

The DreamScape Sun is capable of creating area shadows. Using area shadows can slow down the rendering process, as the plug-in must take many shadow samples for each pixel rendered.

 

Area shadows are needed only when there is an object close to the camera and you can clearly spot the shadow penumbra.

 

Samples - This spinner controls how smooth the area shadows will be. Higher sample values will result in smoother area shadows, but will take longer to render.

 

Samples = 6	Samples = 12

 

Range - This parameter is related to the actual Sun size and its distance from the "planet" or landscape surface. The bigger (and/or closer) the Sun is, the more you should increase the Range spinner. A higher Range will produce a bigger penumbra that will require more samples to achieve smoother results.

 

Range = 0.1	Range = 0.15