Chaos Corona Forum

Chaos Corona for 3ds Max => [Max] Feature Requests => Topic started by: frame9 on 2023-07-06, 10:13:07

Title: Corona Sun Realistic adjustment
Post by: frame9 on 2023-07-06, 10:13:07
Hello everyone!

Is there a way to adjust the color of a corona sun without using light mix?

Sometimes it would be really great, to have this option without using direct input and starting from pure white.

Thank you & best regards,
Tobias
Title: Re: Corona Sun Realistic adjustment
Post by: dj_buckley on 2023-07-06, 10:50:49
What's wrong with direct input?
Title: Re: Corona Sun Realistic adjustment
Post by: romullus on 2023-07-06, 10:56:16
Option A - switch to kelvin temp and adjust sun's colour temperature. Option B - use direct input and set 6500 K as a starting point in Corona colour picker.
Title: Re: Corona Sun Realistic adjustment
Post by: frame9 on 2023-07-06, 11:50:33
Thanks for moving the post

@dj_buckley
realistic color changes with the position of the sun.
if i just want minor changes to the color of the sun, i have to find the color first (via direct input or kelvin).

@romullus
that's what i usually do, but as mentioned above, i then have to find the color first.

what would be great for example:
a) the color of direct input or kelvin always shows the realistic color of the sun (if unselected). if i then switch to direct, i start with the current color.
b) a simple adjustment as in the light mix

thanks
Title: Re: Corona Sun Realistic adjustment
Post by: romullus on 2023-07-06, 11:55:09
I don't think that's possible. If you simply want to slightly nudge sun's colour from its realistic value, lightmix is your best option.
Title: Re: Corona Sun Realistic adjustment
Post by: Juraj on 2023-07-06, 12:39:24
Well there is possible solution, similar to LightMix (or CoronaScanMTL), it would be adding "Filter" color parameter that modifies existing value, instead of Direct Value/Kelvin Temp which fully override input (and thus change not only color, but intensity as well).
Title: Re: Corona Sun Realistic adjustment
Post by: frame9 on 2023-07-06, 13:40:25
ok. thanks everyone

i guess i have to live with it then and use the light mix workaround

@juraj yes. that would be a great option
Title: Re: Corona Sun Realistic adjustment
Post by: maru on 2023-07-06, 17:02:13
The "filter color" is an interesting idea, I will log it!

Workaround idea - it's silly, but who cares :) - create a sun, set mode to realistic, set intensity to 0.5, duplicate the sun, set mode to direct input. This way you have one sun with realistic color and another one (at the same position) which can affect the sunlight color with whatever color you specify. It's adding, not filtering, but maybe you can use it.

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Title: Re: Corona Sun Realistic adjustment
Post by: Juraj on 2023-07-06, 17:44:06
My personal use case scenario, is that I like to use lower sun for long shadows, but keep the color closer to neutral. So Color of 4PM, shadows from 7PM :- ).
But realistic color isn't merely blackbody temperature, even if the color is the same the intensity is not. So if I swap between realistic and custom, I have to also re-adjust intensity parameter to get one-to-one comparison of what I am doing.

But that is a small thing, for me it's not really a request just idea.

Another could be a slot like Direct Input, but one that would change to current value from Realistic. So it would directly convert and you then only have to move it across the usual RGB/HSV field.
That would technically offer easier to understand changes than filtering. After all I would be after slightly desaturated sun, and not Purple one :- )

(Possible technical execution could be button like "Sample Color from Realistic" and that would keep Realistic and Custom in Sync.
Title: Re: Corona Sun Realistic adjustment
Post by: frame9 on 2023-07-06, 18:03:42
@maru
thx. that really sounds a bit weird to do, but i will give it a try :D

@juraj
"...but one that would change to current value from Realistic."
that would be the best solution i think, but i would also be happy with a filter color :)