Light projector mapping

[elindell]

Was wondering if this was a feature planning to be added or if this idea falls into ies lights? Basically I need to place a graphic into a light so that it looks like its projecting that image. I do visualization based on concert venues and trade shows so a lot of times I will use a projector map to simulate a gobo.

If not is there a good workaround yet? I tried placing a plane, with a black and white map in the opacity slot, in front of a directed plane light, but not getting any good results.

BTW thank you for this renderer, so fast and the settings are easy to manage, love it please continue to develop it :)  thanks.

[Ondra]

I probably wont implement projector lights directly, but you can get the same effect (more realistic, but maybe less controllable) by using texture-mapped lights with high directionality. I'll try to do the necessary changes in next alpha

[elindell]

Much appreciated, thanks.

[elindell]

Can I do this is A4? I can't figure out how to add a texture to a light, thanks.

[Ondra]

Use geometry with material for that, it is not slower

[elindell]

Guess I am a bit confused, you mentioned high directionality before, can a mesh light have high directionality? How do I go about this? Thanks for your help.

[Ludvik Koutny]

Yes, projector light and textured light are two different things. I am afraid there is no way yet.... either coronalight will have to be texturable, or coronaMTL glow will have to have a directionality parameter.

[maru]

Adding mesh for projector lights would be pretty awkward in most cases... It would be really useful to have such "fake" feature...

Just tried imagining some more complex 3D object with emitting material and adjusting directionality parameter. My brain can't handle this.

[Ondra]

There is no reason why it should not work, and it is actually programmed in, it is just not yet selectable in UI

[elindell]

There is no reason why it should not work, and it is actually programmed in, it is just not yet selectable in UI

So how would I enable this, can I do it through maxscript if its not in the ui?

[Ondra]

There is no reason why it should not work, and it is actually programmed in, it is just not yet selectable in UI

So how would I enable this, can I do it through maxscript if its not in the ui?

no, you'll have to wait until I put the option there

[elindell]

ok, good to know,  thanks!