Clip Mapping

The Clip mapping function, located on the Rendering tab of the Object Properties panel, offers a way to quickly alter an object. Basically, it allows you to cut away portions of an object using a texture. This is a great way of creating 2D pop-ups, as well as holes, tears, or grids in objects without having to model them.

 Left: Flat Plane Object, Right: Clip Map Image

Rendered Image

Object Cloned Several Times

Army of Dorks with Cute Anime Girls

There is one important distinction between a clip map and normal texturing options: there is no partial clip. The information in the clip map either cuts the relevant area away or leaves it intact.

HINT: If you need a partial-clip effect, try using a surface transparency map instead.

If an image is used as a clip map, any value of 50% luminance (brightness) or higher will clip the corresponding part of the object, while a value below 50% will not. Using Procedural Textures works similarly, except LightWave calculates the image data instead of providing it in a picture. A two-color image will give you the most control over the results of a clip map.

Like displacement maps, clip maps are also saved as part of the scene file and not as part of the object. In order to load an object and its clip map, use File > Load > Load Items From Scene.

HINT: Place a clip-mapped flat polygon outside the camera view to fake shadows through grids, trees, or a window, using shadow maps. Use this where a shadow-mapped light source doesn’t result in the correct shadow due to features like a transparent surface.

Matte Object Option

A Matte Object option has been added to the Render tab. It causes an object to be rendered in a single user-specified color (usually black or white) with no shading, overriding all of the object's surfaces.

Unseen by Alpha Channel Option

An Unseen by Alpha Channel option check box has been added to the Render tab and causes the object not to affect the alpha channel.

Object Dissolve

Entering a value for Object Dissolve on the Rendering tab of the Object Properties panel will cause LightWave to render the object in a semi-dissolved state. If you enter 100 percent, LightWave will not render it at all. Since the value supports envelopes, you can change the dissolve amount over time. For example, you may wish to slowly dissolve clouds in on a rainy day, or replace one object with another by dissolving them in and out in the same frame.

Note: The appropriate properties panel will appear based on the current edit mode (Objects, Bones, Lights, or Cameras) when you press the P key or click the Item Properties button.

Distance Dissolve
Activating Distance Dissolve lets you automatically dissolve the current object out after it has moved a certain distance from the camera. The Max Dist value determines the distance at which the object should be totally dissolved. The dissolve is gradual, thus the object will generally have some amount of dissolve any time it is between the camera and the Max Dist.

HINT: Underwater particles and moving stars often benefit from Distance Dissolve.

Unseen By Rays

Selecting Unseen by Rays for an object tells LightWave to ignore the object in its ray-tracing calculations when reflection and refraction are involved. This means that the object will not appear in the reflections or refraction of another object. It will, however, render normally in the scene. This is especially handy for objects that are front projection-mapped; you probably do not wish them to show up in the reflections within other objects. Unseen by Rays will not affect the shadow options of a given object.

Unaffected By Fog

Objects that have Unaffected by Fog selected will be excluded from the fog effect. Also, the fog Level setting, to the right of the Unaffected by Fog option, will let you apply an amount less than or greater than normal. Normal is 100%.

Unseen By Camera

An alternative to making an object 100-percent dissolved is to activate Unseen by Camera. This makes the object invisible to the camera when you render; however, you will still be able to see it and work with it in the Layout window.

Although the camera won’t see these objects, lights will. You can use this option to cast fake shadows into your scene from off-screen objects, like window pane frames.

Left: Normal Render, Right: Unseen Clay Sculpture

Object Shadow Options

If a light casts shadows, any objects illuminated by it will generally cast shadows on themselves or onto other objects. However, you have complete control over this. LightWave lets you decide exactly which shadow options an object should employ. For example, you may wish for some objects not to cast shadows and others not to receive shadows. By default, all shadow options are on.

All Shadow Options Active

Judicious use of the Self Shadow, Cast Shadow, and Receive Shadow options (Rendering tab) for the objects in your scene can greatly speed up rendering times for both ray-traced and shadow-mapped lights.

Self Shadow Inactive

Deactivate Self Shadow if you do not want or need an object to cast shadows on itself. An egg is a good example of an object that cannot cast shadows on itself. A tree on the other hand is a prime candidate for Self Shadow.

Cast Shadow and Self Shadow Options Inactive

Do not confuse Self Shadow with shading. An egg under a solitary light source may be shaded so that one side is darker, but this is shading and not casting a shadow on itself.

Deactivate Cast Shadow if you do not want an object to cast a shadow onto other objects. A spaceship orbiting a planet would be a good example of an object that usually should not cast a shadow.

Deactivate Receive Shadow if you do not wish an object to receive shadows from other objects. In the spaceship orbiting a planet scenario, perhaps a better option would be to turn off Receive Shadow for the planet as opposed to turning off Cast Shadow for the spaceship. You may want the spaceship to cast shadows onto nearby asteroids or other ships.

Shadow options apply whether LightWave is using ray-traced shadows or shadow maps. However, when you use shadow maps and you do not wish an object to receive a shadow, you need to deactivate both Receive Shadow and Self Shadow. Likewise, for an object that you do not wish to cast a shadow-mapped shadow, deactivate Cast Shadow and Self Shadow.

Receive Shadows and HyperVoxels

Currently, plug-ins do not have access to all lighting information. As a result, hypervoxels, for example, will continue to receive shadows, even if the Receive Shadows option is disabled.