zico_samagoria : thanks for that cool idea, i've used the photoshop idea and its pretty nice

cri8bat : that tut was pretty helpful, ive done Ncloth on the Bed sheet

so anyways ive enabled the raytracing, it looks ok 2 me. wat do u guyz think?

Attached Thumbnails

It is looking a lot better but a few things bother me, the shadows look really sharp, there seems to be a light coming from below, the floor seems too reflective (I could see someone slipping and cracking their skull open lol) and I think the res on the textures may be low and it could also be the render settings stopping you from getting a crisper image.

---

- Genny
__________________
::|| My CG Blog ||::
::|| My Maya FAQ ||::

You are right GecT, and honestly saying Lighting is like the most Frustrating part in 3D World ... this is my first time playing with lights and its really aint easy, lots of linking and relationships here and there.

i mean its fun to seeing the final render at the end of the day but getting wat you want needs a lot of patients.

so anyways im ganna start playing with the textures and getting a proper shadow.

Yeah, indeed it isn't a walk in the park at first but once you get used to it, it becomes less difficult but it can be a bit tedious at times. I think why its such a pain in your butt at the moment is because as you said, its your first time messing with lighting and on top of that you're doing a challenge that requires you to fake, indirect lighting and such. Stay on it and good luck :p

---

- Genny
__________________
::|| My CG Blog ||::
::|| My Maya FAQ ||::

Here is an update, changed loads of things

Attached Thumbnails

alright i think thats where im ganna put a full stop to it.

C&C are welcome

Attached Thumbnails

you're using raytrace shadows right?

increase the light angle and shadow rays, make the shadows less sharp

---

that's a "Ch" pronounced as a "K"

Computer skills I should have:
Objective C, C#, Java, MEL. Python, C++, XML, JavaScript, XSLT, HTML, SQL, CSS, FXScript, Clips, SOAR, ActionScript, OpenGL, DirectX
Maya, XSI, Photoshop, AfterEffects, Motion, Illustrator, Flash, Swift3D

yeah mate im using it now.

and ive increased the light angle and shadow rays but its still sharp.

ive tried changing and adding new lights but its still not giving me the shadow that i want :headbang:

any other ideas u think that i need to change to get the smooth shadow?

Alright the results are out for the challenge and i've gotten second place Yaya. :attn:

Well the last image I’ve posted was the image ive sent and surprisingly I’ve gotten second spot.

but honestly the only part that disappointed me was the shadow part, so to that ive just purchased a lighting DVD by "Jeremy Birn" which is pretty interesting and informative.

anyways i was just letting u guyz know cuz of all your guyz Help

Thanks Simply Maya Community

Grats on the spot. As for the soft shadows thing, if increasing the light angle to like 5 or something doesn't make much of a difference try something drastic like 50 just to see if changing it will make a difference period.

---

- Genny
__________________
::|| My CG Blog ||::
::|| My Maya FAQ ||::

OMG, i finally got wat you meant. Thanks :bow:

the whole time i thought the light angle scroll can't go any higher then 1, i was struggling and worrying about other attributes and it was just as simple light angle which needed to be pushed up to 15.

Anyways here is wat i got with the light angle push to 15

Attached Thumbnails