| When you are creating materials that represent an | | | | plane of glass, there is no real perceived refraction, |
| object that is illuminated from within, you can use the | | | | so using the Opacity value would be prudent here. |
| Self-Illumination option. It is a fact that a | | | | If you are using a Refraction map to simulate |
| self-illuminated object does not actually cast light-it | | | | refraction, you should not drop the Opacity below |
| just appears to be lit. A point about Self-Illumination is | | | | 100 percent because it ruins the Refraction effect. |
| that it essentially removes the Ambient color | | | | Refraction mapping is an illusion and not an actual |
| component of a material while making the Diffuse | | | | refraction of a scene through a transparent object. |
| component disregard light sources. | | | | The Extended Parameters roll out gives you more |
| Basically light does not affect the intensity of the | | | | precise control over many of the settings contained |
| Diffuse color and there is no Ambient component. | | | | within both Basic Parameters and Maps. For instance, |
| The effect can be convincing for many uses, such as | | | | using the Out setting for Opacity Falloff produces a |
| neon tubing. If you are trying to simulate the effect | | | | great looking light bulb or any self-illuminated source |
| of a light source illuminated from within, however, | | | | where the light emanates from the center out. |
| you might consider using the new Ray trace material | | | | Using the various Transparency methods-Filter, |
| instead. See the section "The Ray trace Material" for | | | | Subtractive, or Additive-can help the realism of a |
| more information on its features. | | | | Transparent material. For instance, light bulbs and light |
| Opacity in Basic Parameters gives you global control | | | | beams that are geometrical are great candidates for |
| over the opacity of a material. Lower values make an | | | | Additive transparency. Subtractive transparency can |
| object more transparent and higher values make it | | | | work well for neon tubing against lighter backgrounds. |
| more opaque. It does not, however, attempt to | | | | Filter transparency, by the way, is the default. Rather |
| simulate refractive effects when looking through | | | | than adding or subtracting pixel whiteness values |
| many transparent surfaces. For those effects, you | | | | behind the transparent object, it simply tints them |
| will need to use a Refraction map or, better yet, use | | | | the Filter color. |
| the Raytrace material instead. If you have a flat | | | | |