Author Topic: Corona Camera - Object Visibility  (Read 8602 times)

2020-03-07, 14:05:30

NicolasC

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Hello,

Regularly, I find the name of this functionality pretty confusing. While Object Visibility makes objects totally non-renderable, sometimes it would be very practical to only make them invisible to camera, but keeping them visible to reflection/refraction, and keeping their shadow casting as well. Do you guys think it could be possible to add an option allowing to choose ? Object(s) in this Exclude List could be either totally non-renderable or simply not visible to camera ?

Thanks in advance,

Regards.
Nicolas Caplat
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2020-03-07, 15:22:58
Reply #1

romullus

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Hmm, but we already have rayswitch material for this.
I'm not Corona Team member. Everything i say, is my personal opinion only.
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2020-03-07, 18:47:45
Reply #2

bluebox

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Hello,

Regularly, I find the name of this functionality pretty confusing. While Object Visibility makes objects totally non-renderable, sometimes it would be very practical to only make them invisible to camera, but keeping them visible to reflection/refraction, and keeping their shadow casting as well. Do you guys think it could be possible to add an option allowing to choose ? Object(s) in this Exclude List could be either totally non-renderable or simply not visible to camera ?

Thanks in advance,

Regards.

+1

2020-03-09, 08:36:52
Reply #3

NicolasC

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Hmm, but we already have rayswitch material for this.
Sure we have, but it's not a per camera approach ;)
Nicolas Caplat
CG supervisor / teacher / artist

2020-03-10, 05:25:59
Reply #4

Njen

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Am I missing something here, or is what you are describing simply turning off 'Visible to Camera' in the object properties?

2020-03-10, 07:55:32
Reply #5

NicolasC

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Am I missing something here, or is what you are describing simply turning off 'Visible to Camera' in the object properties?
Tweaking the Object Properties is global ! Whereas adding objects in the cameras' Object Visibility section allows a per-camera approach, MUCH more flexible ;)
Nicolas Caplat
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2020-03-10, 08:45:22
Reply #6

GeorgeK

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Hello,

Regularly, I find the name of this functionality pretty confusing. While Object Visibility makes objects totally non-renderable, sometimes it would be very practical to only make them invisible to camera, but keeping them visible to reflection/refraction, and keeping their shadow casting as well. Do you guys think it could be possible to add an option allowing to choose ? Object(s) in this Exclude List could be either totally non-renderable or simply not visible to camera ?

Thanks in advance,

Regards.

Can you please give an example on why that would be useful?

I can understand reflection/refractions at an extent, but shadow casting?

Thanks.
George Karampelas | chaos-corona.com
Chaos Corona QA Specialist | contact us

2020-03-10, 12:48:28
Reply #7

NicolasC

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Can you please give an example on why that would be useful?

I can understand reflection/refractions at an extent, but shadow casting?

Thanks.
Hello,
Well, let's say you have several cameras to render for an apartment, with at least one camera showing a top view. For this camera, you don't want to see the ceiling BUT you want it to cast shadows so that the interior doesn't become totally lit by the environment (HDRI, sun or whatever). Of course, you want to render all these cameras in one go using any kind of batch rendering solution. That's where a by-camera approach becomes handy ... sure it can easily be done using Scene States (ceiling object(s) one one layer, whose properties are set not visible to camera), but by experience I know Scene States can be sometimes all but reliable ;)
Nicolas Caplat
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2020-03-10, 13:51:58
Reply #8

GeorgeK

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Can you please give an example on why that would be useful?

I can understand reflection/refractions at an extent, but shadow casting?

Thanks.
Hello,
Well, let's say you have several cameras to render for an apartment, with at least one camera showing a top view. For this camera, you don't want to see the ceiling BUT you want it to cast shadows so that the interior doesn't become totally lit by the environment (HDRI, sun or whatever). Of course, you want to render all these cameras in one go using any kind of batch rendering solution. That's where a by-camera approach becomes handy ... sure it can easily be done using Scene States (ceiling object(s) one one layer, whose properties are set not visible to camera), but by experience I know Scene States can be sometimes all but reliable ;)

Thanks for the explanation, yeah sounds like a nice to have. Definitely beats clipping in some cases.

Either way, reporting your request.

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George Karampelas | chaos-corona.com
Chaos Corona QA Specialist | contact us

2020-03-10, 15:04:57
Reply #9

NicolasC

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Thank you, George !
Nicolas Caplat
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2020-03-10, 17:17:55
Reply #10

Jpjapers

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+1 This is a nice idea for the exact reasons you specified.

2020-05-28, 17:15:42
Reply #11

Vlad_the_rant

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How is the example with the ceiling and a top camera not covered by excluding the ceiling object from the camera via camera's include/exclude list?

2020-05-28, 19:28:27
Reply #12

Frood

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Tweaking the Object Properties is global

You could do it material based by piping your ceiling material through rayswitch and connecting the original material and the rayswitch material to the incredible useful Corona select material. Then press autokey, go to some frame, change material in Corona select material and you have a frame where the object is not visible, but casts shadows. All you need to do is render that one cam at another frame.


Good Luck


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2020-05-29, 11:14:36
Reply #13

NicolasC

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Tweaking the Object Properties is global

You could do it material based by piping your ceiling material through rayswitch and connecting the original material and the rayswitch material to the incredible useful Corona select material. Then press autokey, go to some frame, change material in Corona select material and you have a frame where the object is not visible, but casts shadows. All you need to do is render that one cam at another frame.


Good Luck
Interesting approach, Frood, thanks for sharing ;)
But I still think it's not as straightforward as the per-camera approach. Let's keep the user-friendly philosophy of Corona ... let's handle simply something that can be done simply :)
Nicolas Caplat
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2020-05-29, 11:57:12
Reply #14

Frood

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Hi Nicolas

But I still think it's not as straightforward as the per-camera approach.

Of course not. But if you need/want it right now (as we all do!), why not. As for simplicity: It will add another control to the Corona Camera UI which is already heavy and only a few users would probably need it. And for me - using only one animated cam usually anyway- it is straightforward to animate the material at the frame it should change. Just a matter of perception, thus I also see your point :)


Good Luck



Never underestimate the power of a well placed level one spell.