Introduction to Maya - Modeling Fundamentals Vol 2
This course will look in the fundamentals of modeling in Maya with an emphasis on creating good topology. It's aimed at people that have some modeling experience in Maya but are having trouble with complex objects.
# 1 20-05-2007 , 07:51 PM
Beefykieth's Avatar
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Shadow edges

I know this is prob. elementary to most people, but my shadow edges are noisy, not soft. Where is this controlled? Render settings? Light settings? or material? When I was using Blender it always calculated the shadow edges to be soft so I didn't have to think about it. I'm using mentalRay with final gathering and global illumination. I have read help files on all of this but can't get those shadows soft. Only been using maya for a month now but lovin it like crack!

# 2 25-05-2007 , 10:46 PM
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it's either shadow samples or shadow resolution. I would try upping the resolution first and see if that helps. How big is it set to at the moment?

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# 3 30-05-2007 , 12:02 PM
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Thats the thing, there is no word "resolution". I am using 8.5 and other people say the same word. I see so many other words, but resolution is only in the common tab. Is this something that has changed from previous versions? (Also I keep hearing about render globals, there is no more render globals, it is render settings. Same thing, different name. Makes it harder to talk to others when they keep using different names for things.) Would it have anything to do with the raytrace shadows settings? Is there a book that has a shadows for mental ray chapter? Is there a mental ray book? I am not online @ home so I can only access this site from wherever and whenever I can. -Still Searching......... Keith-:headbang:


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# 4 30-05-2007 , 12:32 PM
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If you are using Depth Map Shadows then I think that you need to turn up the Bias in the lighting options to around .9 and go from there. Raytracing shadows should need ammended and should appear correctly aslong as the penumbra is correct to give a soft edge.

Also as Alan stated change your options in the Renderer of your choice and turn on raytracing id your using that option and play with it from there. Rendering and lighting are all about tweaking and rendering and tweaking and rendering and tweaking...

It goes on... Enjoy


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# 5 31-05-2007 , 11:48 AM
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I went through some settings and this is where i'm at. Depth map shadows are off, shadows are set to simple, and the point light is about .9 I am working in video so my overall resolution is set to 72ppi 1280x720. I will try the higher bias next. But I am willing to tweek and render for the next year or so. I don't care how long it takes, this is too cool. Thanks for your help, your continued support is invaluable. BTW Alan, how is the Narnia 2 coming along? Is maya the software that is being used?

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# 6 11-06-2007 , 04:24 PM
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under the attributes for the light, change the filter under shaddows to something higher. It's most likely at one or something. This will smooth out your shadows a lot!

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