Author Topic: Sun complete revolution impossible ?? :O  (Read 1745 times)

2023-05-09, 19:03:42

Tazok

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 15
    • View Profile
Hello !

Completely newbie on corona render (and cinema 4D in same time)
So i must do a animation where the sun do a complete revolution, night, zenith sun and renight.
Seems sooooo simple..... but......... The corona sun can't do a 360° revolution :O !!

How can i do this ? So weird.

When his angle is to -90 it's totally night (zenith night), at 0° it's like dusk, and 90° it's zenith SUN, so totally light, but after you can't continue, it's blocked to 90°, so i can't do a total revolution.
You can only go back, and therefore the shadows don't continue in the right direction, they just... go back...... Lol.
I really don't understand, is it a bug ??
Anyone have a solution please ?

Here's in green what the sun can do, and in red what else i would like to do (a simple revolution.... -_-)
« Last Edit: 2023-05-09, 19:07:50 by Tazok »

2023-05-09, 19:36:14
Reply #1

Beanzvision

  • Corona Team
  • Active Users
  • ****
  • Posts: 3812
  • Bengamin
    • View Profile
    • Cormats
Hi there, have you tried putting a C4D sun tag on it?
Bengamin Jerrems l chaos-corona.com
3D Support Specialist - Corona l contact us
Corona Uploader l Upload
Portfolio l Click me!

2023-05-09, 19:39:09
Reply #2

TomG

  • Administrator
  • Active Users
  • *****
  • Posts: 5434
    • View Profile
Sun tag would be easiest way - other thing is to flip the Rotation from 0 to 180 in one keyframe when sun hits angle of 90, then repeat going from 90 to 0 in angle as now that goes in the opposite direction :)
Tom Grimes | chaos-corona.com
Product Manager | contact us

2023-05-09, 21:25:52
Reply #3

bnji

  • Corona Team
  • Active Users
  • ****
  • Posts: 193
  • Benjamin
    • View Profile
    • Corona Renderer
Hi there,
Please consider sun's translation movement is not like a perfect circle, and inclination will depend on the geographical zone you select. This means e.g., if you use the London city geographical coordinates, the Sun will never be at 90 degrees perpendicular to the Earth (I hope I've explained myself, hehe)
So, as @Beanzvision already mentioned, you can use the C4D Sun tag and use real values (geographical, time & date) to animate the night/day cycle.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards.
Benjamin Rosas | chaos-corona.com
3D Support Specialist - Corona | contact us
Corona Uploader l Upload

2023-05-10, 10:49:47
Reply #4

Tazok

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 15
    • View Profile
Hi there, have you tried putting a C4D sun tag on it?

I have tried but i can only move the sun with hour and days with that, and i nedd my sun to do a specific mouvement for specific shadows, in precise direction so it's complicated with the sun tag, but maybe i haven't understand something.


Sun tag would be easiest way - other thing is to flip the Rotation from 0 to 180 in one keyframe when sun hits angle of 90, then repeat going from 90 to 0 in angle as now that goes in the opposite direction :)

Yes i have the impression thats' gonna finish like this, but... it's.... so much complicated for nothing !
Why just let us make a simple rotation with the angle, even if it's not perfectly "realistic" in the reel world, i don't care, i need to do this animation... Pfff...


Hi there,
Please consider sun's translation movement is not like a perfect circle, and inclination will depend on the geographical zone you select. This means e.g., if you use the London city geographical coordinates, the Sun will never be at 90 degrees perpendicular to the Earth (I hope I've explained myself, hehe)
So, as @Beanzvision already mentioned, you can use the C4D Sun tag and use real values (geographical, time & date) to animate the night/day cycle.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards.

Yes of course, the "realistic" sun can't do this, but here i don't care about the reel movement, i need my sun to do something specific for specific shadows and i can't do it without cheating with the rotation like TomG said.
It's really complicated for nothing for me. I don't understand why they have blocked this..


Anyway, Thanks all, i'm gonna cheat the sun with 10 keyframes, instead of 2... -_-

2023-05-10, 15:03:25
Reply #5

Cinemike

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 1000
    • View Profile
I might not quite understand what your problem is (but I think you are making things more complicated for yourself than they actually are), but you DO know that your sun rotation can be bigger than 360°, so you can start anywhere and end whereever you want, without being "blocked" at some point?

In other words: Add 360 or 720 degrees to whatever you need and go from there. More than enough space.
« Last Edit: 2023-05-10, 15:16:00 by Cinemike »

2023-05-10, 15:12:06
Reply #6

aler

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 170
    • View Profile
I tried. It's a go, ...and I didn't suffer at all :)
I took the geographical coordinates of the northern (N.Latitude - 64°), 10 may.
In order for the sun to make a full circle (but not ping-pong), the last keyframe was set at 23:59 (instead of 00:00).
If you need a specific shape/slope of the shadows, then you can adjust the coordinates of the Sun/season.
« Last Edit: 2023-05-10, 22:47:49 by aler »

2023-05-10, 17:15:43
Reply #7

BigAl3D

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 879
    • View Profile
I guess another way would be to use a C4D Infinite light source. It gives you a nice orange line to easily see exactly where your light is aiming at. Might be worth a try. I'd be interested to hear any drawbacks to using a light instead of the sun, as long as you match the color and intensity of course.

In my very quick, 15-pass example, I did not match the angle exactly, but I think it would work. You would have no limits in this technique either. Whatever works for you.

2023-05-11, 11:23:26
Reply #8

Tazok

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 15
    • View Profile
I might not quite understand what your problem is (but I think you are making things more complicated for yourself than they actually are), but you DO know that your sun rotation can be bigger than 360°, so you can start anywhere and end whereever you want, without being "blocked" at some point?

In other words: Add 360 or 720 degrees to whatever you need and go from there. More than enough space.

I think i don't understand what your saying neither :D i want more "angle", not rotation, and i can't add nothing to the angle, it's stupidly blocked between -90° and 90°. You can't reach 180, 360 or whatever.



I tried. It's a go, ...and I didn't suffer at all :)
I took the geographical coordinates of the northern (N.Latitude - 64°), 10 may.
In order for the sun to make a full circle (but not ping-pong), the last keyframe was set at 23:59 (instead of 00:00).
If you need a specific shape/slope of the shadows, then you can adjust the coordinates of the Sun/season.

Yes you didn't suffer at all because it's not what i want to do. I need my sun really much higher, and yes it's not "realistic" but i need this for the very precise movement shadow the client asking me. And i can't do it easily because the angle movement is bloqued between -90° and 90°.
I need to do what there is on my first screenshot. Total revolution with very high sun. And it is not easily possible, without adding keys on the rotation too and tricks and whatever.
If the angle was not blocked, i put only 2 keys on it, -90° for the first key and 270° for the second key and voila, job done. But no... because angle is blocked for no reason.



I guess another way would be to use a C4D Infinite light source. It gives you a nice orange line to easily see exactly where your light is aiming at. Might be worth a try. I'd be interested to hear any drawbacks to using a light instead of the sun, as long as you match the color and intensity of course.

In my very quick, 15-pass example, I did not match the angle exactly, but I think it would work. You would have no limits in this technique either. Whatever works for you.

Yes, there is this solution too, but much complicated, keys for the color, the intensity, the movement and whatever because you can forgot the link with the corona sky........
....Whereas if corona sun angle was not blocked between -90° and 90° (so only a 180° angle movement possible), it could be done in 5 seconds !



In short, there are solutions, they complicate everything for nothing when it would be enough to unblock this damn angle ^^'

I have trick with a 180° rotation when i reach the maximum angle and go back after. It's not perfect but it will be fine.
« Last Edit: 2023-05-11, 12:05:51 by Tazok »

2023-05-11, 22:07:05
Reply #9

aler

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 170
    • View Profile
And i can't do it easily because the angle movement is bloqued between -90° and 90°.
Well, that's right it's blocked, :) because Corona is a physics rendering engine and everything is like in life.
But I used TomG way:
Sun tag would be easiest way - other thing is to flip the Rotation from 0 to 180 in one keyframe when sun hits angle of 90, then repeat going from 90 to 0 in angle as now that goes in the opposite direction :)
and again everything worked out for me, and at the same time, again, I didn’t even sweat :)
(I have the Corona Sun moving through the zenith)
« Last Edit: 2023-05-11, 22:25:25 by aler »

2023-05-11, 22:28:32
Reply #10

Cinemike

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 1000
    • View Profile
Ah, no, sorry, I really got you completely wrong. I was not aware you needed to animate a scenario when the Earth is no longer rotating around its poles but after a cosmic event is rotating around a new axis that goes somewhere across the equator. My bad ;)

2023-05-12, 01:11:56
Reply #11

TomG

  • Administrator
  • Active Users
  • *****
  • Posts: 5434
    • View Profile
Got to be prepared for any eventuality! Glad a solution was found for now.
Tom Grimes | chaos-corona.com
Product Manager | contact us

2023-05-12, 08:24:38
Reply #12

Beanzvision

  • Corona Team
  • Active Users
  • ****
  • Posts: 3812
  • Bengamin
    • View Profile
    • Cormats
Ah, no, sorry, I really got you completely wrong. I was not aware you needed to animate a scenario when the Earth is no longer rotating around its poles but after a cosmic event is rotating around a new axis that goes somewhere across the equator. My bad ;)
lol :)
Bengamin Jerrems l chaos-corona.com
3D Support Specialist - Corona l contact us
Corona Uploader l Upload
Portfolio l Click me!

2023-05-12, 11:26:55
Reply #13

Tazok

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 15
    • View Profile
and again everything worked out for me, and at the same time, again, I didn’t even sweat :)
(I have the Corona Sun moving through the zenith)

Yes in case the sun movement is linear, there no really prob (even if you must add key to the rotation too and sorry for that but this is stupid, if they unblocked the infinite angle, hop, no more problem), but in my case i must do some kind of acceleration decceleration, but not at the zenith, a bit after, and with the rotation key in the middle of the movement, it's really more hard to configure the key smoothing like i want. Barely impossible (maybe because i'm not used to animated key on cinema 4D but anyway, it's more difficult with this damn rotation key).
Long story short, it's a detail, but I definitely find that it complicates a lot for nothing.


Ah, no, sorry, I really got you completely wrong. I was not aware you needed to animate a scenario when the Earth is no longer rotating around its poles but after a cosmic event is rotating around a new axis that goes somewhere across the equator. My bad ;)

If I follow your logic, we should only create things that happen on Earth? Luckily not, we would be a little bored... ^^'
But ok, Corona is for REALISTIC THING on EARTH. That's all. It's the Judge Dredd realistic LAW and no one can break it ! :D
More seriously, I find that a bit unfortunate to block this function, as if they were telling you "EARTH ONLY WITH CORONA, no divagation! Its a serious render ! We are not on Jupiter or Alpha Centauri!" :D
Sad they don't like to travel into the galaxy :p
« Last Edit: 2023-05-12, 11:31:10 by Tazok »

2023-05-12, 16:13:11
Reply #14

Cinemike

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 1000
    • View Profile
If I follow your logic, we should only create things that happen on Earth? Luckily not, we would be a little bored... ^^'
But ok, Corona is for REALISTIC THING on EARTH. That's all. It's the Judge Dredd realistic LAW and no one can break it ! :D
More seriously, I find that a bit unfortunate to block this function, as if they were telling you "EARTH ONLY WITH CORONA, no divagation! Its a serious render ! We are not on Jupiter or Alpha Centauri!" :D
Sad they don't like to travel into the galaxy :p

I am sure I did not say that :P
But be it as it may, what you want also happens on an unharmed Earth, twice a year, on locations along the equator on the days of the equinoxes. No  need for space travel, the Sun expression can do that ;)

Still, I'd use one of the above mentioned workarounds if I needed the sun to pass exactly through zenith and nadir. Or I'd put together a little Xpresso setup, if I needed it more than once.

Engage!
Michael "Picard"

2023-05-12, 18:15:24
Reply #15

Tazok

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 15
    • View Profile
I am sure I did not say that :P
But be it as it may, what you want also happens on an unharmed Earth, twice a year, on locations along the equator on the days of the equinoxes. No  need for space travel, the Sun expression can do that ;)

Still, I'd use one of the above mentioned workarounds if I needed the sun to pass exactly through zenith and nadir. Or I'd put together a little Xpresso setup, if I needed it more than once.

Engage!
Michael "Picard"

Ha yes maybe it was possible to do with a particular location in the world, but pfffiouuu i can't think of all this, too complicated for me haha, I just wanted to put 2 keys and voila ^^'

And i absolutely don't know what is a xpresso setup, maybe something related to coffee, but for a beginner like me (1 week of cinema 4D!), it's too complicated too i think, but maybe soon i'll be aware of those things.
But for now.... gimme a infinite angleeeee powerrr because i'm crying some blood with my key smoothing :PPP
« Last Edit: 2023-05-12, 18:25:20 by Tazok »

2023-05-12, 21:00:12
Reply #16

Cinemike

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 1000
    • View Profile
I am sure I did not say that :P
But be it as it may, what you want also happens on an unharmed Earth, twice a year, on locations along the equator on the days of the equinoxes. No  need for space travel, the Sun expression can do that ;)

Still, I'd use one of the above mentioned workarounds if I needed the sun to pass exactly through zenith and nadir. Or I'd put together a little Xpresso setup, if I needed it more than once.

Engage!
Michael "Picard"

Ha yes maybe it was possible to do with a particular location in the world, but pfffiouuu i can't think of all this, too complicated for me haha, I just wanted to put 2 keys and voila ^^'

And i absolutely don't know what is a xpresso setup, maybe something related to coffee, but for a beginner like me (1 week of cinema 4D!), it's too complicated too i think, but maybe soon i'll be aware of those things.
But for now.... gimme a infinite angleeeee powerrr because i'm crying some blood with my key smoothing :PPP

Yeah, I forgot you were totally new to C4D, sorry.
In fact, C4D has a really strong obsession with caffein, besides the old COFFEE coding language we have XPresso (kind of a visual coding language), we even have Cappuccino and it's a miracle MAXON did not name the Lathe object Latte ;)

2023-05-12, 22:02:12
Reply #17

Cinemike

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 1000
    • View Profile
XPresso would be something like that (2 keyframes):

2023-05-12, 22:54:34
Reply #18

aler

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 170
    • View Profile
...I find that a bit unfortunate to block this function, as if they were telling you "EARTH ONLY WITH CORONA, no divagation! Its a serious render ! We are not on Jupiter or Alpha Centauri!"
It seems you want the developers to redesign the Corona Sun system due to a whim of you and your customer?... :-|
But I took the hint again, ...from Cinemike. I finished school a long time ago and forgot everything, but I searched on Google and applied for C4D Sun Tag: summer solstice time - june 22, N.Latitude - 23.5°, E.Longitude - 45° (picked up experimentally). And I succeeded again. At the same time I have only 5 key frames. The sun does not move in an ideal circle through the equator, but these are features of the inclination of the earth's axis.
Tazok, isn't it easier to listen to the recommendations than to complicate the situation?

2023-05-13, 22:40:15
Reply #19

Tazok

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 15
    • View Profile
It seems you want the developers to redesign the Corona Sun system due to a whim of you and your customer?... :-|
But I took the hint again, ...from Cinemike. I finished school a long time ago and forgot everything, but I searched on Google and applied for C4D Sun Tag: summer solstice time - june 22, N.Latitude - 23.5°, E.Longitude - 45° (picked up experimentally). And I succeeded again. At the same time I have only 5 key frames. The sun does not move in an ideal circle through the equator, but these are features of the inclination of the earth's axis.
Tazok, isn't it easier to listen to the recommendations than to complicate the situation?

No one had been contemptuous until then and I said to myself that everyone was friendly on this forum and that it was nice, but there must always be an ugly duckling.

I will answer you despite your blatant contempt.

I have the right to point out something that seems absurd to me, whether you like it or not.
And you prove me right with your post. You must search on google what is the latitude longitude of the solstice, picked up experimentally, try multiple combinaison, add 5 keys etc.... Just...... for this ?
What's the point ? How much time you lost to do this, when you could do it in 5 seconds and with 2 keys if this angle was infinite.
I think it's not crazy to dare to say that it's a bit shame not to unlock this famous angle.

And i have read every single message, answer to everyone, and learn from every idea here, like i always do and i have said that i was using the technique of TomG and that it was working, but complicated for me because i must put some key smoothing with acceleration deceleration and extra keys complicate everything.
But anyway the job is done now but it was a lot of work and time for really nothing.

I just tell that it's not user friendly and from my newbie C4D point of view but my 15 years of after effects, it's a point that could be change maybe, whether it's realistic or not, and i don't care if you don't like it.
How could you evolve without questioning things sometimes ?

Anyway, I thank all the others for their precious help, their pedagogy, and their patience

So, ALER, isn't it easier to go your way rather than coming talk to me about whims and my clients with contempt ?

2023-05-13, 23:43:14
Reply #20

Tazok

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 15
    • View Profile
Yeah, I forgot you were totally new to C4D, sorry.
In fact, C4D has a really strong obsession with caffein, besides the old COFFEE coding language we have XPresso (kind of a visual coding language), we even have Cappuccino and it's a miracle MAXON did not name the Lathe object Latte ;)

I was totally saying this for the joke about the coffee, but ok, there's really a link, good to know :D

I have search a bit and tried your project, seems reaaally interesting this xpresso thing, i will search for tutorial after my current project. Thanks a lot

2023-05-14, 05:04:29
Reply #21

aler

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 170
    • View Profile
So, ALER, isn't it easier to go your way rather than coming talk to me about whims and my clients with contempt ?
Thank you for showing me the right way, now I will not be astray 🙁

...however, already by inertia, I still had some considerations, I experimented and it worked again (Tazok, it's not for you anymore, there are more than 2 keyframes).
Corona Sun moves strictly in a regular circle, deceleration at its zenith (as the client wants). The angle of the sun now cost me only 3 keyframes. Axis rotation - 4 keyframes (due to 180° jump). Seems good 🙂

2023-05-14, 19:03:00
Reply #22

Tazok

  • Active Users
  • **
  • Posts: 15
    • View Profile
Corona Sun moves strictly in a regular circle, deceleration at its zenith (as the client wants). The angle of the sun now cost me only 3 keyframes. Axis rotation - 4 keyframes (due to 180° jump). Seems good 🙂

Like i was saying to you in a precedent post, the deceleration isn't at the zenith but a bit after, and it was more difficult for me. But anyway, i'm done whith that. Thx
« Last Edit: 2023-05-14, 19:19:53 by Tazok »