Introduction to Maya - Rendering in Arnold
This course will look at the fundamentals of rendering in Arnold. We'll go through the different light types available, cameras, shaders, Arnold's render settings and finally how to split an image into render passes (AOV's), before we then reassemble it i
#
1
25-07-2004
, 02:23 AM
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Australia
Posts: 50
basic MEL help please
I want to create the effect of sheet lightning, by randomising the intensity of a point light.
I can get this to happen, but i need it so that i can vary the time between flashes, like i need an avg random 30 frames between changes.
i came up with this, having not much programming or MEL experience,
//setup values
int $mycount;
$mycount = rand(20,30);
int $i;
//loop for 380 frames
for ($i=1; $i <380; $i++) {
//check random value against frame value
if (frame == $mycount) {
//change light intensity
pointLightShape1.intensity = rand(0,1);
//increase random value to progress
$mycount += $mycount;
}
}
and now I'm stuck. can anyone point out where i went wrong?
it only changes the intensity once. and then not even everytime i play it through.
or perhaps a less round about way of doing it?
thanks!!
Adam.
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2
25-07-2004
, 05:24 PM
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Location: MELville
Posts: 1,100
-Emo
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3
26-07-2004
, 02:05 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Australia
Posts: 50
and approximately every 30 frames. I wanted to randomise the time between flashes. so approx 30 frames, say a random interval between 10 and 40.
#
4
26-07-2004
, 08:52 AM
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2002
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: London, UK
Posts: 2,800
right click the intensity in the channel box and add this:
if(frame % 30 == 0)
{
pointLightShape1.intensity = rand(0,5);
}
What you are doing is using the modulus function (%) to check if the frame divides equally by thirty and then setting the intensity by expression.
Simple
Alan
#
5
26-07-2004
, 11:18 AM
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Location: Australia
Posts: 50
i was at a bit of a loss how to do the time delay properly.
that would only make it exactly 30 frames though?
i want it to be more random than that.
like lightning
a couple of quick flashes, a pause, flash, pause, some more quick, or whatever.
#
6
26-07-2004
, 12:37 PM
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int $frameChange = rand(10, 40);
if(frame % $frameChange == 0)
{
pointLightShape1.intensity = rand(0,5);
}
Alan
#
7
27-07-2004
, 12:21 AM
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Location: Australia
Posts: 50
that random function should work a treat,
thanks for that Alan.
I really appreciate the effort you make helping out me and other newbies.
this is what i ended up with, if anyone was interested in how it ended up working.
//setup values
int $mynumber;
int $i;
//loop for 380 frames
for ($i=1; $i <380; $i++) {
$mynumber = rand(50,80);
if (frame % $mynumber == 0) {
pointLightShape1.intensity = rand(0,1);
//increase random value to progress
$mynumber += $mynumber;
}
}
Last edited by Binabik; 27-07-2004 at 12:38 AM.
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