Indoor Lighting Render: Suggestions??

[tzframpton]

To anyone who can help. Here's my image that I rendered:

http://www.venturemech.com/files/UTD_-_3rd_Level_Inner_Corridor.jpg

 

I am having a hard time with two things. 1st (and foremost) I cannot get a really "smooth" interior light. In this image, I have dragged/dropped some Photometric Lights from the AutoCAD Architecture Tool Palette with preset settings, just to test. I put them in, and space them about four feet apart throughout the corridor, below and above the ductwork, and the shadows are turned Off. This creates "light spots" throughout the walls, floor, and ceiling of the corridor. Is there a way I can just "light up" or "illuminate" the entire corridor (or any interior space for that matter) easily with one light, or some other type of lighting technique?

 

2nd, is my ductwork. It's glowing. haha, I don't want it to be really "glowing" put I want it to have a small amount of shine to it when I show the different colors for each system. And it's kinda mirroring. I just want shine, just a tad bit.

 

I can post screens of my settings, or I can post the file itself. Used AutoCAD MEP 2010. Thanks for anyone who can give their thoughts.

[Cad64]

For your material reflection problem, I don't know what material "Type" you're using, but try switching to the Advanced material type. This will give you more control over your material and will allow you to adjust the Shinniness and the Reflection seperately.

 

If you were using Max I could totally help you out with your lighting problem, but I don't do any renderings in Autocad, so I'm not sure how Cad handles photons and light bouncing?

[tzframpton]

For your material reflection problem, I don't know what material "Type" you're using, but try switching to the Advanced material type. This will give you more control over your material and will allow you to adjust the Shinniness and the Reflection seperately.

 

If you were using Max I could totally help you out with your lighting problem, but I don't do any renderings in Autocad, so I'm not sure how Cad handles photons and light bouncing?

Well, it is mental ray. Do you think I could post a screen of my render settings for you, as well as the light settings and you could just take a quick review of them and possibly give any type of suggestion? I believe AutoCAD sports a "stripped down" version of Mental Ray, but some settings are the same.

 

Thanks for the help, I'll try the Material option and get back to you on my outcome.

[Cad64]

Yes, it is mental ray, but the interface differences between Max and Autocad are like night and day. It's a totally different ball game. Plus, I'm at work right now, so I wouldn't be able to do anything until later tonight. But if you want to post the file, I'll take a look when I get home, unless someone else gets to it first.

 

In the meantime, check the Autocad help files for information on Raytracing, Shadows, Sampling, Light Properties, Photons, Final Gather and Global Illumination.

[tzframpton]

Yes, it is mental ray, but the interface differences between Max and Autocad are like night and day. It's a totally different ball game. Plus, I'm at work right now, so I wouldn't be able to do anything until later tonight. But if you want to post the file, I'll take a look when I get home, unless someone else gets to it first.

 

In the meantime, check the Autocad help files for information on Raytracing, Shadows, Sampling, Light Properties, Photons, Final Gather and Global Illumination.

Cool, thanks. I will upload it in a bit. And yeah I have went through the help file about all that stuff, and I always use Final Gather and Global Illumination, but not good yet on the settings. Thanks again for your help

[Red333]

Have you tried messing with the attenuation of the lights? Maybe a distance that barely touches the walls? If it were me doing it, I think I'd put only a few lights down the center of the corridor and up their intensity. Do you have GI and FG turned on? I find that when I have GI turned on, I have a glowing problem with some materials. I almost always render interior scenes with GI turned off.

[tzframpton]

Have you tried messing with the attenuation of the lights? Maybe a distance that barely touches the walls? If it were me doing it, I think I'd put only a few lights down the center of the corridor and up their intensity. Do you have GI and FG turned on? I find that when I have GI turned on, I have a glowing problem with some materials. I almost always render interior scenes with GI turned off.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

Yes, GI is turned on, as well as FG. I'll try with GI turned off, makes sense to do so.

 

But I have tried messing with the attenuation of lights, but it seems once you set the attenuation you can't adjust the settings again. The setting is locked/grayed out on the Light Properties palette. Any thoughts on that? Also, what type of lights do you use? You have some great renders so I definitely trust your opinion.

[Red333]

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

Yes, GI is turned on, as well as FG. I'll try with GI turned off, makes sense to do so.

 

But I have tried messing with the attenuation of lights, but it seems once you set the attenuation you can't adjust the settings again. The setting is locked/grayed out on the Light Properties palette. Any thoughts on that? Also, what type of lights do you use? You have some great renders so I definitely trust your opinion.

I'm only able to set the attenuation whenever I first put the light into the scene. I don't know why you can't adjust it after they've been placed. I'd use a common point light for something like this.

[Randolph]

The grey-pattern on the ceiling is a typical mental ray problem. I use mental ray only with Maya, but I had the same problem and a hard time tackling it. If I remember right, EDIT: No, I didn't remember right.

[Randolph]

Now I think I got it again:

 

It's in the Render Globals

 

Final Gather Min radius and Max Radius.

 

You should't leave them 0, but enter values. Try 20 and 100.