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Other coolness
Depth of Field rendering has been available for some time, but getting accurate measurements and waiting for the results has been frustrating. In the latest version of LightWave, DOF is still around, and measuring tools have been added to aid in getting precise bearings. Since LightWave 7.0b is all about improving speed, NewTek has also included a rendering process called Digital Confusion. This new Depth of Field filter that can accurately add DOF effects to any rendered image. This filter accurately blurs all background elements and can also use predefined iris shapes to match different real world cameras. [an error occurred while processing this directive] HyperVoxels have been around since version 5.5, but it isn’t until recently that speed improvements have been made to make HyperVoxels a common addition to a scene instead of an exception. With Sprites, an animator can quickly test what a volumetric effect will look like without having to waste hours of time rendering. NewTek boasts that speed improvements using Sprites can be as much as five hundred percent. As I mentioned before, OpenGL has also been improved and now an animator can look at Sprites in real-time to judge results. For creating realistic smoke and fire, LightWave 7.0b sports expansion and velocity translators to aid in creation. For those who do not like to wait on HyperVoxels or Radiosity, you can "bake" the results onto surfaces for even faster rendering.
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| With improved OpenGL previews, an animator can see HyperVoxel Sprites that give one a good idea of what the final render (below) will look like. |
HyperVoxels can be great for creating cloud flythroughs, but to create realistic skies, HyperVoxels becomes a processor hog. Previously, NewTek had released SkyTracer as a solution, but it often left something to be desired for many users. SkyTracer 2 is a vast improvement that gives one greater control over atmospheric effects such as cloud cover, atmospheric absorption, and light scattering. For recreating lighting conditions at a certain time of day and place is a snap using Sunspot to enter time, date, and location.
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| Recreate accurate placement of Sun and Moon with SkyTracer 2. Click for larger image |
If SkyTracer 2 still doesn’t meet up to your expectations Eki Halkka’s SkyGen plug-in has also been thrown in that generates some sky environments that will make your jaw drop.
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| SkyTracer 2 render (above) and SkyGen (below) both give nice results for creating that perfect atmosphere. Click for larger images. |
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