Mesh lights not working

[allanjl]

Support,

 

I'm using formZ 8.6.2 and when I render in Vray the mesh lights no longer shine. 

 

I created a cube, selected it. From the lights palette created a new mesh light. Assign it to render invisible, but no light is emitted.

 

On the same topic, to compensate, I would like to use an emissive material. But once I create the material and geometry, although it shines as expected, is there anyway to hide the object itself? 

 

Please let me know about the emissive material.

 

Thank you,

 

Allan

[Justin Montoya]

Hi Allan,

 

Both of these are working for me here.  Try this:

 

With the V-Ray mesh lights, you need to create them by using the V-Ray Mesh Light tool in the V-Ray Lights palette.  Create your cube, then select it and go to the V-Ray Mesh Light tool, then click anywhere on the modeling window.  This is different from how we created lights from geometry previously with FormZ and RenderZone.  I think it should also work using the older method you are describing, and I will report this as a bug.

 

With the Emissive material, or any object for that matter, you can hide it from rendering in V-Ray.  Simply select the object(s) and go to Attributes > V-Ray Object Settings...  Then UnCheck > Visible To Camera.  This will render the Emitter light material of the object, but not the object itself. NOTE: It's worth mentioning that while emitter materials are great for quick lighting of self illuminating surfaces, they do have some limitations and are not as powerful nor as efficient (fast) rendering as a mesh light.  

[allanjl]

This is great information! Thanks Justin.

[allanjl]

Hi Justin,

 

I don't see where "Visible to camera" is within Vray object settings. Am I missing something? 

[Justin Montoya]

In the Tool Options palette...

 

 

[allanjl]

Well I'll be! My Vray must be an older version?! I meant to post a screen shot. Here it is. If I am in fact using an older version, could someone please help me find the link to download the correct one?

[Tech]

The ability to change a light's type as it currently works is really not ideal and it will be abandoned in the future because:

 

1. Its not at all intuitive that you need to have something picked to change to certain light types.

2. the pre-qualification that is present with tools is missing (ie restricting selection to only valid objects, if any, for the light).

3. There are a number of undefined situations that occur when switching between light types (esp for plugins).

 

In the future you will need to specify the light's type when it is created either by using a light tool or selecting its type when the light is created in the palette from the context menu. 

 

Please always use the V-Ray Mesh Light tool to create a V-Ray Mesh light. We are looking into a workaround to avoid getting improper mesh lights until the above changes are implemented.

[Andrew West]

It is worth noting that if you are used to using emitters to light your scene in Maxwell you need to rethink your philosophy for V-ray.  I have found it much quicker to use meshes, spheres and cone lights and then only use the emitter to make something glow appropriately in V-ray.  This is still a work in progress.